<p>Thanks HurtLocker.</p>
<p>My only concern is that I’ve heard schools like YPS or other ivies make the waitlist admission decisions less likely for you because they are afraid you could decide not to go to Harvard or that you’re kind of “already set” with college, so to speak. I am currently going to commit to Penn, so I’m not quite sure (nor do I think anyone else is) on how they would perceive this.</p>
<p>But at this point, it’s probably not worth worrying about anway. lol</p>
<p>There’s a good general discussion of waitlists 2014 in the parents forum.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/894560-waitlists-year.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/894560-waitlists-year.html</a></p>
<p>Do they start reviewing additional material for waitlistees before May 1st?</p>
<p>Interesting article about WLs today in The Choice.</p>
<p>[Advice</a> From the Keeper of a Long Waiting List - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/wait/]Advice”>Advice From the Keeper of a Long Waiting List - The New York Times)</p>
<p>hurt locker:
Do you think Harvard keeps over 3 thousand kids on the wait list? What I read was “Many Hundreds”, which I took to mean maybe 1 thousand.?</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that Harvard has no where close to 3000 people on its waitlist. It is probably something between 1000 and 2000, and the number that accept a spot on the waitlist is probably under 1000.</p>
<p>If you look at old threads, the rumors are that around 1000 kids are waitlisted and 2/3 accept a spot. I have no idea if that’s true. The Harvard Common Data Set does not give numbers on that. This year could be different though because of the increase in apps and all the uncertainty.</p>
<p>I did a search and couldn’t find any numbers for Harvard, but Yale waitlists 700-1000 kids and Princeton’s (at 1300) is said to be “high” for the ivies. So, we can only guesstimate unless someone knows how to find the number.</p>
<p>NorthStarMom said this on her waitlist thread:</p>
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<p>I’m sure you were right when you said about 1000 get a wait list offer and about 2/3 accept to stay on. But who knows?</p>
<p>Would it be beneficial to tell admissions that you don’t need any financial aid?</p>
<p>NorthStarMom said that the Harvard WL is truly need-blind, so it does not matter. I believe her. She seems to know her s***.</p>
<p>In the wait list letter it said “Usually about two-thirds of the students offered places on the waiting list choose to remain active candidates.”</p>
<p>But I don’t think the admissions office has ever outright said how many they initially put on the wait list. Who know?</p>
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<p>Does anyone know if it would be advantageous for me to mention that I’ll probably go to a much lower ranked school? (because they know that I’d be much more likely to accepted Harvard’s offer if I get off the waitlist)</p>
<p>Or would they be less likely to take from the waitlist because they saw that I won’t be going to a top top ranked school? (if they assume that I couldn’t make it into a really good school)</p>
<p>Or am I just being paranoid and it doesn’t matter at all? haha</p>
<p>I honestly believe that Harvard BELIEVES that they are everyone’s first choice. If you tell them “I’ve been accepted to Penn but I will gladly accept an offer of admission to Harvard over that,” why wouldn’t they believe you? </p>
<p>I think you look good saying that you’ve been admitted to Penn. Shouldn’t that make Harvard want you more? </p>
<p>That said, I think if you had an offer from Stanford or Yale in your pocket, Harvard might take pause and wonder, “Will they really accept Harvard over Yale?”</p>
<p>But of course it’s all speculation. lol.</p>
<p>I think the best thing anyone can do is BE HONEST and TELL ADMISSIONS YOU WILL ACCEPT THEIR OFFER OF ADMISSION SHOULD THEY OFFER IT. Tell your guidance counselor to say the same thing should Harvard call them.</p>
<p>That’s all I got.</p>
<p>You don’t have to tell them what school you will be going to as of right now. Just express your interest, say you are willing to lose your deposit, explain why Harvard should take you, and provide updates on what you have been doing. There really isn’t much else you can do at this point. I sent in another letter of recommendation from my superintendent; we are on a committee together and know each other pretty well, so it was fitting and hopefully helpful to send it. I wish time would go by faster, but it’s all out of my hands. I’ll send in one more, smaller letter to update them on anything else that I’ve been doing and reiterate my interest and fit for Harvard.</p>
<p>We should talk about something else until May to get our minds off the waitlist…I don’t know about you but this is just messing with my head, and I’d like to take my mind off it.</p>
<p>Well since the odds are so long, we could talk about where we’re REALLY going to be next fall. I’m probably going to be at Maryland, although there is still a slim chance I’ll go to Duke (and even slimmer chance of going to WashU) … but those are my “real world” options …</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins for me. I should have probably applied to Cornell and Chicago to get more options, but I’m happy with JHU.</p>
<p>Bumpity bump …</p>
<p>Come on guys, just a few weeks left before they start pulling names out of a hat … get excited!! …</p>
<p>Woot! </p>
<p>On the MIT waitlist thread, there’s some good (similar) info about strategy from the MIT Associate Dean…</p>
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