Waitlisted and extremely confused. Please help me out here

<p>I was waitlisted at Pepperdine and I have to admit that I am really surprised. My friend from my same school got accepted yesterday and she has lower SAT and lower GPA. I have a 4.00 cumulative GPA with 1920 SAT (1990 superscore). I have never gotten a C and ony got 4 Bs frosh-junior year (in Honors classes). 3 years tennis. Ambassador for Christ Corps at my school. I also know someone who got into Pepperdine yesterday and who did not get into UCSB, which I did get into. My essay + short answer were good I thought!! And my recommendations should have been excellent!! </p>

<p>Can someone please shed some light????</p>

<p>It seems your stats were right on for a match at Pepperdine. You are probably at the top of the wait list though (if there is such as thing as being at the top). My SAT was lower than yours, so I guess SAT isn't the MAIN admissions factor at pepperdine.</p>

<p>Did you send any supplemental information in? Also - what was your main "global citizenship" point that you wrote in the third essay?</p>

<p>There are way too many unknown figures in the college selection process nowadays. There are so many factors besides the ones they list on their sites. Private schools specifically are looking for certain students for their programs that might have unusual stats. Don't take it too much to heart.</p>

<p>EMJ-Did you take any AP classes in high school?</p>

<p>^I took advanced English soph year, 2 Honors junior year, 3 APs senior year. Does anyone know if the inability to pay has an effect on acceptance? At the time my dad was unemployed, and I put that on my app (he has a job now). I'm just still confused. </p>

<p>Now that I think about it, maybe my essay wasn't what they were looking for? I know it was well written though! I talked about how I felt a call to be "fully alive" and said how its the process of becoming who and what we are called to be.... forming our own identity and recognizing our talents and how to share them...and how I have a gift of compassion, etc etc. What did other people write about?</p>

<p>EMJ - I did not mention my financial situation in the application; but I did "check yes" to the box that asked if I would be seeking financial aid.</p>

<p>Hmmm....Well, I have a lower SAT than you, but a higher GPA....
I think that Pepp does but a lot of emphasis on your essays and EC's. I was a camp counselor for a church camp for two summers, so I think that helped me too. But ya, I'm sure you're towards the top of the waitlist. You should consider calling and asking if they rank their waitlist members. If they do, ask your number. Then do research to see how many waitlist people they later accept. Good luck!</p>

<p>on the email it says waitlisted students arent ranked but if spaces open they re-evaluate students applications ... im guessing thats why it takes until june to find out if youre in? </p>

<p>did you add yourself to the waitlist?</p>

<p>Hm, I don't want to make you feel bad but I have way lower stats than you and I got in.
3.52 gpa, 1770 sat
But I have a lot of leadership/extra-curriculars (see other posts) and I wrote my essay about being a Palestinian Christian and how the Palestinian-Israeli crisis inspired me to pursue journalism.
I hope they accept you!</p>

<p>Pepperdine has a weird application process. They have graduate students read the essays and grade them. This could mean that either your friend wrote a better essay than you, or that you received a harsher grader than your friend's.</p>

<p>In any case, you can always call the office and ask if they can explain. What's the worst they can do? Say "No." Make sure you leave your friend out of the conversation. there's nothing worst than dragging them down too.</p>

<p>I was waitlisted as well.. I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA, I got a 1780 on my SAT's and a 27 on the ACT's. I have alot of EC's: varsity volleyball, basketball and track, club volleyball, interact club, I work at a credit union, I'm a people to people student ambassador, honor society, I have taken pretty much all the hardest classes my school has to offer, and I think that my essays were decent.
What do you think my chances are of getting in off the waitlist??
Also, after I submitted my app, I got another job and I also am now a certified lifeguard, do you think that I should give them this added info?? and how would I go about doing that?
sooo many questions!!</p>

<p>WL vary from year to year. The year my D was on it only 2 were accepted. You can check the the common data set to see how many have been accepted the past few years.
Common</a> Data Set | Institutional Research | Pepperdine University </p>

<p>My D did update any information she thought would afffect her status, grade, ec, new recs. etc. She sent them to the Admissions counselor. She also wrote a letter making it very clear that Pepperdine was her first choice.</p>