Waitlist/Multiple Waitlist Thread- Various Questions

Applying to College
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<p>I've just joined CC looking for a bit of help regarding my current situation with college decisions. Any suggestions/answers to questions/help of any kind would be much appreciated.</p>

<p>I applied to MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, and Rice. So far I've gotten into Rice and been waitlisted at MIT, Stanford and -somehow- JHU, as well as rejected from Harvard and Stanford. I think my counselor sent off my transcript and I may have sent in the first part of the commonapp to JHU, but I don't think they ever received my supplement. Perhaps they waitlisted me because my application was incomplete? should I finish it off and send it in? Anyhow, after a short spell of depression and seeing other posts on waitlisting, I've decided to take a proactive stance about it to see what happens. </p>

<p>Before I ask my questions, let me post my stats briefly:
SAT1: 780M, 760CR, 740W, 11/12 essay
ACT: 35 Composite, 12/12 essay
SAT2: 800-math2c, 800 phys, 770 chem
4.0 GPA; rank 1/144
5 5's on AP's, 2 4's and 1 3 as of junior year (just barely missed national ap scholar as a junior :( )
EC's: 1st place JETS TEAMS test nationals JV (10th grade), 3rd place JETS TEAMS nationals varsity (11th) (TEAMS is a team engineering test), National Merit Finalist, CalTech Signature award (1/247 juniors in nation), UIL state qualifier (academic tournament), 1st place physics UIL regionals (perfect score), 1st place regional science bowl, AMC 12 school champion (10th grade), Mu Alpha Theta President/Vice-President (12th), National Honor Society Historian and Reporter (11th), school renaissance festival coordinator (12th)
Ethnicity: Indian
Essays: Good, maybe not excellent
Teacher Rec's: should be great
Region: South Texas (should be an advantage I think)</p>

<p>The salutatorian of my HS was vastly more successful; her test scores and academics weren't as good (2150-ish), but she played an instrument (does that help a lot?) and her essays and other EC's may be a tad better. What I can conclude from this is that the college admissions process is 50% what you have accomplished and 50% how hard you try, i.e. submitting other recommendations/ supplementary materials and trying really hard on the essays. I'd like you guys' input on that claim :). </p>

<p>Next, I'd like to try and appeal my rejection at harvard. I know that as perhaps the most prestigious school in the US, they definitely have no need for me and will have no second thought or regrets denying my request, I think that at least my academics should be enough to warrant me a place on their waitlist. I want to send a letter emphasizing how dearly I want to go there to see what happens... If not, I'll still keep sending stuff- I've got nothing to loose right?</p>

<p>I chose the worst part of the year to get senioritis- during application time, and slacked off on my applications and turned them in at the very last second (this shouldn't affect things should it?), though I'm pretty sure it didn't compromise my essay quality too much. There may be some grammatical errors though- how much of a problem should this be?</p>

<p>I want to essentially use this waitlist period as a fresh start for the ECs and writing part of my application, sending in a few recommendations from extracurricular activities i've participated in- one from a doctor whose clinic I interned at, and another from my sponsor of a health awareness program I'm part of that's funded by the national institute of health. I may send in a few writing samples and a resume as well, with my whole-hearted effort this time around. I know some schools are stingy about what you can and can't send- such as stanford- which requests you not send anything other than a letter of interest and update on your accomplishments. Do you think that sending any more than that and going against the college's guidelines can actually hurt my chances?</p>

<p>As a final, more general question:
I've heard a lot about the waitlists this year with Harvard and Princeton cutting early action, and an increasing number of students applying to a larger number of schools than ever before. I also know that there's a lot of uncertainty involved in waitlists, and I plan on accepting my place at Rice while I wait for decisions on waitlists. Given these new occurences, should there be a significant increase in the number of waitlist students accepted this year- especially at ivies?</p>

<p>Any other advice/other comments are also appreciated. I know this post has gotten really long also, so feel free to just answer any part of this if you can.
Thanks a lot everyone and good luck to all those who've yet to hear or are on waitlists like me =/.</p>

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<p>Those Harvard snobs don't know what they're missing, man. You deserved it.</p>

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<p>thanks pedrossi :)</p>

<p>Everyone else, please take just a brief moment to scan over my post and answer/comment on anything you'd can or would like to. I'd appreciate it
Thanks :D</p>

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<p>yeah, man...your approach to your wait listed decision is good. :) go on with ur idea of sending new recos, resume, writing sample and others...I think this should help. If not, I don't know what will!!!</p>

<p>The main question is: r u applying for financial aid??? If so, than I have to admit that the chance of getting in through the wait list is quite difficult...</p>

<p>The Harvard rejection letter says that colleges don't account for your success but it is your next 4 years that counts, man...so, where ever u go, enjoy the next 4 uears, whether it is HArvard or South Harmon Institute of Technology (S.H.I.T.)...haha :D</p>

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<p>No the Harvard rejection letter was not because your application was incomplete...They would have notified you if that was the case.</p>

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<p>@ jasonshah: No I don't plan on applying for financial aid, and I thought they were need-blind? I guess that doesn't apply for waitlists. Either way, I don't plan on applying for financial aid.</p>

<p>@ sup: My harvard app was not incomplete- It was JHU where I don't think it was complete, and therefore I think I was waitlisted; At harvard I was flat out rejected :(</p>

<p>Thanks for the posts guys, keep it coming :D</p>

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<p>I'm seriously no longer surprised about seeing really qualified people like you being waitlisted/rejected at all these places this year.</p>

<p>Call JHU and ask them if it was because of your missing supplement that you were waitlisted. To all your other schools, don't send them any more than what they ask unless it you feel it would be an extremely important factor. You'll not only annoy them but you'll also appear desperate.</p>

<p>A successful appeal to a Harvard rejection is...a veryyyyy long shot, if not impossible. I think you'll only even be considered if perhaps they received the wrong test scores or something.</p>

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<p>Sorry that was my mistake. I guess I assumed when you said you were going to appeal Harvard that there was some mistake in your application, otherwise I think the Ivy League schools have a policy against re-evaluating applicants. </p>

<p>
[quote]
So far I've gotten into Rice and been waitlisted at MIT, Stanford and -somehow- JHU, as well as rejected from Harvard and Stanford.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Did you mean Yale?</p>

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<p>sup- I wouldn't be surprised if they did have such a policy- but do you think that would apply even to being put on the waitlist? Oh and yes, I mean Yale, sorry :D</p>

<p>art_star- to be quite frank, I'm not very concerned about seeming desperate (shouldn't that show that I'm really passionate about going there- and I know that there will be many other ppl just like me) or of even being annoying, unless these things negatively affect my chances. I realize that at this point it may not make much of a difference what I do, but nonetheless I want to maximize what chance I do have.</p>

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<p>I'd really like a bit of guidance from the senior members or more experienced people on CC- if anyone's willing to spare a bit of time, please help :)</p>

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<p>So where did you end up eventually?</p>

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<p>You should be a sophomore in college right now, so what is your major while you’re at it?</p>

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<p>kahtap, I don’t think being from South Texas would have helped unless you were perhaps a URM from the valley. Being Asian, as I’m sure you know, does not qualify as a URM. There are several threads on CC about students just like you who had 2300+ SATs, 4.0 GPA, tons of awards, etc. who found themselves rejected/waitlisted at many schools on 4/1. I can’t explain why; to be frank, I think it’s just as much luck as anything else. There’s only so many spots, and perhaps luck simply wasn’t on your side this year. I know that’s SO hard to hear in light of the fact you’ve worked so very hard. My daughter was waitlisted at numerous ivys this year (rejected at HYS). Fortunately, like you, she does have some great options due largely because she cast such a wide net. There are several highly qualified students like you who were WL or rejected at JHU, so it’s extrememly possible you were one of them. I’m sure you’ll have a great experience at Rice if you go into it with the right attitude, and remember, you can always try to go to Harvard for grad school. Best wishes! (One question…did you by chance actively participate in an extra-curricular that was not academically oriented like a sport, community service group, etc.? Just curious.)</p>