<p>I was deferred early from Yale in December. I was disappointed when I found out, but I recognize the strength of that pool. Today, however, I was stunned to see that I was wait listed at Wash U, not out of arrogance or delusion, but because I beat the averages by far. In fact, nobody with my general scores from my school has ever been denied admission at Wash. This question shouldn't be taken in a conceited vain. I know it sounds cocky, but I ask honestly, how the hell wasn't I accepted? Here is a brief list of my application stuffing:
-Cum Laude Society
-Nation Merit Finalist
-Bausch & Lomb Award Recipient
-High Honors, 4.0 student
-Top 10 at a renowned independent school
-I co-authored a science article in an international medical journal
-I spent two full summers in an international laboratory, but
-I also held several normal jobs (including one as a caddy)
-2300 on my SAT
-720, 730, 740 on SAT II</p>
<p>You all see these stats all the time, I'm sure. But they're all well above average for Wash U. Any opinions?
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Wash U seems to like to waitlist a lot of good applicants that don't show a lot of interest in the school. They don't like being a backup to ivies.</p>
<p>Tobman, did you show a lot of demonstrated interest? WashU is one of a few schools that aren't afraid to let everyone know that demonstrated interest is HUGE for them. They track everything.</p>
<p>Did you get an interview? Did you visit the campus? Information session?</p>
<p>If not, then maybe there you have your answer.</p>
<p>as i mentioned in another thread, i'm in the same boat...However, u are MUCH more qualified than me...
i guess it's tufts syndrome and maybe not enough demonstrated interest(?) in your case...</p>
<p>WashU is known for accepting the common app, with no required supplement. But did you submit a supplement anyway ?? The extra effort goes a long way.</p>
<p>Maybe your essays & recs weren't what they're looking for - your ECs seem impressive, but it's kind of a short list, at least what you listed. No sports, music, leadership, club membership. Awards, sure - but not extensive involvement - except for the 2 summers of lab. Committment to academics, but nothing else that you've listed here shows other extensive interests.</p>
<p>I bet you're all right about the demonstrated interest: I didn't do much other than going to the meeting at my school. They didn't ask me for an interview and my parents weren't comfortable with spending the money to visit the campus, so I'm not sure what else I could have done.
Also, I don't know if you would count these as leadership positions, but I'm the editor-in-chief of my yearbook, and a captain for the policy debate team and the mock trial team. I played JV tennis for three years, but it wasn't, admittedly, a big deal on my application. Some people have told me that my hook is my published paper, but I certainly don't have much of a diversity aspect, I guess.</p>
<p>If you can wrap your head around the fact that WashU cannot, any more than Yale, say "yes" to every single one of the high-achieving applications it gets, then you can begin to understand that some of the very highly qualified applicants are going to be passed over. </p>
<p>Washu must get thousands of applications from all over the world with "medical" and "laboratory" mentioned in the EC category. They get more applicants then they have spaces to fill that also have high SATs and top grades. You accept the deferral from Yale, yet cry outrage at the waitlist from WashU, which does sound a little arrogant. Their applicant pools are not hugely different.</p>
<p>If you'd been applying as a humanities major with nonscience ECs perhaps the answer would have been different. Universities admit students to fill the needs of the institution --- for talent, ethnicity, gender, intended major, geographic diversity, all kinds of reasons --- not to reward an applicant for a superior application.</p>
<p>Shouldn't rewarding the superior application be the objective of a committee choosing between two? My surprise at this WL is because I played the admissions game, worked hard in high school, and achieved all I could, yet I find less qualified classmates accepted where I'm not. I suppose, though, that I don't meet their ethnic needs.</p>
<p>I remember sitting for one of the college presentations. I'm not sure which college it was but the lady said that however hard we try we must remember that college admissions is an extremely unfair process. There are so many factors that are beyond an applicants control: class composition (you know, they want one geek, one absolute genius, one completely eccentric guy, etc.), affirmative action, etc.
So, don't beat yourself up over it. Its some rotten luck. But with your stats, I'm sure you'll be accepted at a similar, if not better, school. So don't worry.</p>
<p>They can't reward ALL the superior applications with an admission; it's not possible. They have to pick and choose and they do it based on their own institutional needs, as well as the purely subjective factor involved in deciding among similarly qualified candidates from among all the thousands of applications (not just from the handful that came from your school.) Other factors can come into play, such as whether an applicant is seeking financial aid or can pay full price and what area of the country, even which high school, one is applying from. Top universities are increasingly casting a wider net for applicants, particularly from areas of the country or the world that have been underrepresented in the past.</p>
<p>Honestly, I'm not an arrogant person. It's just the circumstances of college admissions, when students are matched up and some are chosen and some aren't, that forces me to write my stats. It's also the nature of the question that makes me seem arrogant, I guess.</p>
<p>That's a cheap shot - why are you assuming that it's all about diversity or ethnic needs ? You've mentioned that in 2 of your posts. Your credentials are good, but they are not "well above average for Wash U" WashU has a highly qualified applicant pool, as does Yale, with a low acceptance rate.</p>
<p>This has been a tough year for college applications. Many qualified applicants are rejected/deferred/waitlisted. Without seeing your classmates entire appl, recs, resume, supplements, essays, transcripts, summer activities - it is arrogant to insist that they are less qualified than you. There is a lot of frustration and disappointment this time of year, but tearing down your classmates won't generate a lot of sympathy.</p>
<p>I only mentioned an "ethnic need" because jazzymom listed it as one of colleges' criteria. And my point about diversity was just to highlight that I'm about as run-of-the-mill as they come in terms of geography, race and politics. I was pointing out that I can't bring much cultural diversity to a school. I only mean that my stats are greater than those of students FROM MY SCHOOL who've been accepted in the past. I don't mean to degrade and insult my fellow applicants - which would be an uphill battle from this position anyway. I'm not tearing down my classmates; the numbers, for whatever they're worth, indicate that I should be at the top of the pack. And I'm not looking for sympathy, just theories on something I was disappointed about.</p>
<p>Tobman, you have no reason to explain yourself and no reason to have been attacked that way. Your comments have NOT been arrogant and you've taken no cheap shots.</p>
<p>Wash U is a fine school but one with a very long history of suspect admissions policies. Many supporters get a bit touchy when this subject rears its ugly head (as it does every year). You owe no one an apology or explanation, quite the contrary. Your stats are superb and I don't doubt they will gain you entry to several fine schools.</p>