<p>I recently read a book about the boarding school admission process, and I came across something I am really scared of. It said that many schools will put an applicant that is fully qualified and would normally make the cut on a waitlist because he/she has been accepted into a "better" school and they want a high yield rate. This makes me nervous because the so-called "best" school on my list is most definitely not my favorite. What if I happened to get into that one and got waitlisted at others because they think I would automatically choose it. What would I do?</p>
<p>They don't know what other schools you got into.</p>
<p>It can't hurt to send your interviewer a note saying that theirs is your top-choice school. (Please don't send the same note to every school.)</p>
<p>I say go ahead and mention it to every school in the interview. Ive told every school there my top school. And they all have a chance to be, I change my mind everyday lol.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, based on experience, I believe that this does sometimes happen. Just be sure to "give it your all" for each school. Make sure that each school knows that you want to attend.</p>
<p>I think that all the schools of the 10 schools organization know where a student gets in... I think..</p>
<p>The Ten Schools do not share their lists of admits.</p>
<p>They usually know where you apply - or least what you tell them. It may also be on the SSAT report where you had your scores sent and on the PFS I think it lists them too. But there is no "official" sharing of lists.</p>
<p>If you get waitlisted to a "lower" school that is your first choice, then you can call and tell them they are your first choice and if accepted you would attend (as long as that is true). Those things do happen but I from what I've been told, if you let them know you'll attend, your chances are pretty good.</p>
<p>Schools do not share lists. That is unethical. Nor would they waitlist someone because of concern about possible acceptance into a "better" school. They might waitlist someone if an applicant had a sibling at another school. Be careful of telling every school that it is number 1 - if you choose not to attend, it will reflect badly on you, your family (any further siblings) and on your current school. Telling them you are very, very interested and hope to be given the opportunity to attend is perfectly fine. Only say a school is number 1 if you absolutely, positively will attend if you are given the chance.</p>
<p>Schools do not get application information from the SSAT but they do from the PFS (applications for financial assistance).</p>
<p>Mostly, don't worry about all this and just put your best self forward!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Nor would they waitlist someone because of concern about possible acceptance into a "better" school.
[/quote]
That absolutely happens. I personally know a student who applied to 2 "top tier" schools and one "not top tier" school. That student's placement counselor at thier current school got a call from the "not top tier" school asking where they stood for this applicant - were they first choice or not? The reason was because if they were first choice they were going to accept, if not, they were pretty sure this student would get into one or both of the others and attend there. They were in fact, 3rd choice and this student did in fact, get waitlisted.</p>
<p>Agree with Linda S - it's all about yield management.</p>
<p>Isn't this called the "Tufts Effect"?</p>
<p>Schools may know where else the student is applying since it is often asked in interviews (see other threads on this very topic).</p>
<p>Happened to our student....not a big deal, as we were very happy where she gained acceptances, but the waitlist from the "lower" school was a bit of a surprise. </p>
<p>It is called the "Tufts Effect." Unfortunately, since I have heard many good things about Tufts, but we can save the college search for later :)</p>
<p>What Linda S said does sound reasonable from the perspective of schools. Now I see some if not many only apply to a few top schools (and some apply to 1 or 2 "safe schools", which would be so obvious to both the schools of top tier and otherwise), how would those top schools determine where they are on the students' list? My S WAS asked in one of the interviews what would be the "deciding factors" for his choice if accepted by multiple schools. He didn't say that school was his first choice but did say some of things he liked about it would have an impact on his decision. I am not sure if that's strong enough to convince the interviewer that he'd choose them as NO 1.</p>
<p>I'm not so sure as to say that every school you apply to is "your top choice", people can tell when you do sound to genuine about it.</p>
<p>Admission officers can often tell when a person is genuinely interested in their school as their top choice or if he/she is just blowing steam.</p>
<p>Admission officers will absolutely waitlist an otherwise qualified student if they have think that that student will not choose their school. Tufts effect or not, no school wants to "waste a spot" (or a financial aid scholarship) on a student who has no intention of enrolling. If the school thinks it has a fighting chance to yield you, then they will admit you and roll out the red carpet come March/April.</p>
<p>Well, daughter applied to three school: Andover, Exeter, and Hotchkiss. Each interviewer asked where else she was applying,..and she told them. In the end, she was accepted to Hotchkiss, waitlisted at both Andover and Exeter. Do I think it's all about yield factor???,....yes.
P.S. LOVES Hotchkiss</p>
<p>I thought this older thread would be helpful given that many qualified students will find themselves waitlisted at schools they thought they were shoe in’s for. It’s a good explanation of the so-called Tufts effect .
Zp</p>