<p>If I understand it correctly from the threads on this board, those students who would qualify to attend Wash U's upcoming Multicultural Weekend in late March have been notified of their admissions decisions early. </p>
<p>It appears from the threads here that those students who would not qualify to attend the March Multi-cultural weekend will not get their admission decisions until later this month.</p>
<p>What this does at the high schools is make it so that some seniors know earlier than others that they are admitted and are joyful about it all, while other seniors are dejectedly left wondering when they will get their letters of accceptance or rejection. It seems a bit like discrimination.</p>
<p>I think it would be nice if you could revise this system in future years. Just something to think about.</p>
<p>FYI- There are several kids in my school who have heard that they are in both of these schools already.... not discrimination, just the way they do it.</p>
<p>daniel, i agree that the process may seem unfair...but consider this: imagine if you were one of the students who got accepted early. i bet your opinion on the subject would completely change.... </p>
<p>the advantages of telling applicants early outweigh the unfairness, ultimately. a lot of schools do it to get a better yield and also to relieve the anxiety of weighting.</p>
<p>In my opinion, this Multicultural Weekend and other weekend invites like it are, as others have said, to lure strong <em>accepted</em> applicants to WashU who potentially might have their sights set elsewhere, wherever it may be. And it is also just to let acceptees get to know the campus more and the university as a whole, develop familiarity and bonds before the school year starts in August/September. I think the closest comparison is to a likely letter, except that obviously recipients are told very clearly that they have been accepted, rather than the likely letter's coy/alluding manner.</p>
<p>I don't think it's that unfair; just because someone did not receive an early notification of acceptance does not mean s/he is not admitted into WashU. Likewise, just like those who receive likely letters from Yale, UVA, or other places--those who did not receive likely letters doesn't mean they are not going to be accepted or that their chances are any lower or in any way detrimentally affected.</p>
<p>Furthermore, this Multicultural Weekend isn't just an accepted applicant event--it's a campus wide event involving all of WashU's students, undergrad and grad, and so it's just to give acceptees a really good chance to see WashU in all of its action and student activity.</p>
<p>Although Multicultural Weekend is to promote diversity, I don't think WashU invited all of its minority acceptees anyway. Plus, they don't even invite all ED acceptees; I'm not sure how they decided who to invite, but I fully support WashU doing such events and any other universitiy doing similar events.</p>
<p>I agree that the students who are left to hear on the "regular timetable" feel out of sorts. The compromise might be for the schools to post on their admissions timetable another slot such as "invitations to multicultural weekend sent" ~ that way, everyone knows how the process works. I believe it is the not knowing that is difficult.</p>
<p>i think it's unfair. mainly minorities are being informed, right?</p>
<p>the top % deserve it, but being a minority shouldn't get you an advanced decision. and it's a bit of a slap in the face for people who would've liked to have been invited, but weren't because they didn't have a certain skin color or have the luck of living in another country, etc, etc. (obviously some top applicants got informed, but many minorities too who didn't look all that amazing)</p>
<p>they should just take the number of people notified in advance (top % and minorities) and just make it a new and bigger top % informed. that way it could help their yield and it wouldn't be discriminating.</p>
<p>Actually, Art & Architecture are also having "special" weekends (the same weekend - but separate groups) - so ealry admissions are not for minorities only.</p>
<p>i don't think anybody is saying it's only for minorities. it's just the fact that some people get advanced notice because they're a minority that's wrong. for special schools and advanced candidates that's fine.</p>