<p>Ok, so I was admitted SCEA, and during RD, I ended up being waitlisted at all 4 of HYPM. I went and asked the college counselor at my school if I am just THAT "borderline", or if there was something else going on. (because after all, aren't the statistical chances of this happening insanely small?)</p>
<p>Anyway, he said that Stanford (and other colleges) share early admit lists amongst themselves, and schools like HYPM waitlisted me as a strategic tool to protect their yield and stuff.</p>
<p>Plausible? Can I explain all my WL's away with this story? I mean, I'm not really convinced, since there ARE people out there admitted to Stanford EA and subsequently to other HYPM schools during RD, right? (I know you're out there!)</p>
<p>I was accepted to Stanford EA, Harvard RD, and Princeton RD. I was waitlisted at Yale, but I think it's because I never had an interview or just luck, not because they think I'm going to Stanford. Anyways, I'm sorry you were waitlisted so much, that's really weird...but since lots of people apply EA not because it's their top choice but because they think it is the hardest one for them to get into and EA would give them a leg up, it would seem a bad idea for HYPMS to waitlist an applicant on the premise that they would not accept anyways. Personally, Princeton was my first choice and Stanford was my second, but I wasn't ready to take the ED route with Princeton so I applied to Stanford EA instead. So at least in my case, it would have been unwise of Princeton to waitlist me because of my Stanford acceptance; EA alone does not indicate what school a student will ultimately attend.</p>
<p>I got waitlisted at Yale...check out the other thread on this same topic started by marlgurl. It seems like there were more than just a few coincidences.</p>
<p>Statistically speaking, aren't you more likely to be accepted to only one HYSPM school rather than to be accepted to multiple ones? After all, all of those places have way more qualified applicants than they can admit, and each school has a different criterion for admission.</p>
<p>Firebird, I remember you - you're AB Duke. Perhaps they just have it out for us merit scholarship finalists. I got waitlisted from Princeton as well. </p>
<p>No, it's not uncommon to be waitlisted everywhere. My friend got waitlisted at HYP and Brown - she deserved to get in somewhere.</p>
<p>Stanford has always been my first choice (though I'd consider Duke for - potentially - the money). So I'm not very disappointed. I'm not sure if I buy into the sharing info theory - but I wouldn't be surprised. I've seen a lot of SCEA'ers waitlisted other places, yet others who were rejected/deferred/both got into HYPM. It's a lotta' luck. So many qualified kids, so little space. </p>
<p>And plus, I didn't want to go to Princeton anyway, the more I looked into it. I couldn't help being a little bit snide on the "no thanks waitlist" card. My interviewer told me, "Princeton is like a corporation. I was really disillustioned after I graduated." I couldn't help but remind them of these lovely recruiting tactics. Good job, Princeton.</p>
<p>It is not at all uncommon to be waitlisted at 3 or 4 schools out of HYPMS. All it means is that you were qualified, but there were too many apps. Many kids do get accepted to 3 or 4 of those, so your EA list theory is probably wrong.</p>
<p>Accepted: no where......not even the CSU system. Hope the UC's (especially Berkeley) can offer me a place. Even if it means working as a janitor.....NOT!!!!!!! Lol. </p>
<p>firebird, I'm really quite surprised that all these schools waitlisted you... you'd think at least one of those four would accept you! They are clearly crazy and not worth your time so you should choose Stanford. MIT would probably have no clue where you applied early since it's a EA school, but it seems possible that if HYPS swap lists of acceptees for SCEA/ED that they could use that info when they make decisions for RD. That doesn't explain the people who get into more than one school though... minority status? especially strong applicants? high test scores? high school politics? who knows...
I suppose there's also the possibility that these schools actually do admit different types of students. Maybe they really do look for students who would fit the general environment. If this is the case, how exactly is Stanford different? Maybe they really do want intellectual vitality (what they talk about in all their speeches)? More friendly students? Who knows...
Or maybe the whole story is simply that there are too many qualified applicants and who gets in ends up being a game of chance at a certain point and you just happen to not be that lucky.
jellybean, you must come to Stanford! No Duke! Come to happy, sunny California!</p>
<p>You make an excellent point. I, too, doubt that the list-swapping had ANY sort of significant impact at all, MAYBE a marginal impact on "borderline" applicants like me (you know what i mean by borderline, i hope). Especially seeing how many people got into multiple RD schools as well.</p>
<p>In the end, i think ability is still the largest factor, obviously. People who deserve to get into lots of places, do.</p>