So disappointed

Hi! Earlier this year, I got accepted to University of Cincinnati, Ohio State, and University of Alabama (Safety Schools). I also got into Case Western. Yesterday, I opened up my Carnegie Mellon decision and I got waitlisted. Today I opened up Emory and Vanderbilt and got waitlisted AT BOTH. What are the chances of me keep being waitlisted?? Tomorrow I will open up UPenn and Columbia (I applied Columbia ED and they deferred me). What are the chances on those if I got waitlisted at every top college I applied to so far?

By pure statistics, nobody’s chances are high at any of the selective institutions.

I know it’s disappointing and I know you’ll feel like the last four years of your education were for nothing, but I guarantee, if you focus on your acceptance, you’ll see some wonderful opportunities.

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

Focus on the wins!

OP: Aren’t you a National Merit winner with potential full ride plus offers from Alabama & UT-Dallas ?

P.S. I understand your frustration, but your glass is definitely half-full !

Out of curiosity, were you certain about your ED choice or did you consider applying ED to any other schools ?

Without a crystal ball… I’d say deposit at one of the schools you did get accepted into (even your “safeties” are downright strong schools), but chose to remain on the waitlists, especially if you can afford to be full pay. The economy is wreaking mayhem on college savings funds, so there may be a lot of movement - or making different decisions than one would have made before the crisis. It is especially hard to predict this year what places will have openings and what colleges won’t, and estimates based on past years may not be as accurate as they used to be.

No point in chancing you at UPenn or Columbia, because if you wait 24 hours, you’ll know for sure!

^THIS^

Case Western Reserve is a great school. Congratulations on your acceptance there!

I was fairly certain on ED to Columbia. I did for a time think about ED to UPenn but ultimately settled with Columbia. Although I do have full ride offers if I list UAlabama as my top choice through national merit, I merely applied just in case. I don’t see myself attending UAlabama even though its free.

Ohio State and Case Western are amazing schools that not very many people get in to. You should be very pleased with yourself. It may suck that you got some rejections, but come on, you got into some very good schools as well! I bet OSU is a lot better on your wallet as well. If you invest the money saved by attending OSU vs an Ivy, you will be very happy you attended OSU

Congrats on your acceptances, they’re great! Pretty much nobody has much of a chance at Columbia and UPenn but you should be finding out in a few hours anyway.
I’d listen to @Groundwork2022 and stay on the waitlists (and send letters of continued interest) if you don’t get into your ivies.

My advice…this probably isn’t the time to go somewhere expensive. There’s going to be employment uncertainty for the foreseeable future and it would suck if started at somewhere expensive, only to find out mom and dad ran out of money.

@ImVeryStupid Good luck today on your Ivy applilcations! Also, Vanderbilt takes a lot of students from the waitlist. Keep your chin up and wait to see ALL of your results before you get discouraged. Let us know how you do today…

Yeah today did not go well lol. Well I guess I have to look at the best I got and go with it!

Honestly where you obtain your UG education doesnt mean anything. Its about how you use the resources around you to move yourself forward. I wish you the best of luck in choosing your college. If you need any advice, feel free to ask.

Please don’t feel alone in this…my daughter has very high stats and is an NMF like you, and was only accepted to 2 of her schools (Miami of Ohio and UNC-CH) and waitlisted at 1 (Vandy). She also shot for the stars and her other 4 applications were schools in the top 12 (Yale, UPenn, Duke, Northwestern - all rejections). Terribly disappointing for her, but we are choosing to focus on the good and get excited about the options she does have going forward. Please don’t let these results diminish your amazing accomplishments! Best of luck to you and I know you’ll be very successful!

@ImVeryStupid also just want to add that I am an alumnus of Ohio State (as is my husband), and it is an atmosphere like no other! An amazing campus, academic reputation, and experience. With any of those schools, you can’t go wrong, but I am a little biased towards tOSU:)

^I agree. I had high stats and went to UT Austin. I had the best education and best time imaginable!

Those are great acceptances. Don’t lose hope!

Case Western is a great school. Grab it!!