<p>Yeah…it is so much more difficult to get in especially with such high standards that these schools hold their students to.</p>
<p>I was waitlisted at Harvard, Columbia, and Stanford, which disappointed me not because that I didn’t get in (I was flattered that they were not ready to let me go that easily) but rather that I have to wait for another month or so for the decision…=[</p>
<p>But seeing that I did not get into any top tier school, I was crying because I thought I disappointed my parents, who told me that they were still proud of me regardless of what happened. And, I would have to say that is what I am most grateful for. =]</p>
<p>I didn’t apply to HYP..but to top/good schools anyways with some I was in the top 25%. When I got a letter with my first rejection in March, I was surprised because reading this school’s thread the day before, I saw this same school awarding Presidential Scholarship to RD students this year with 200 or more lesser scores in their SAT compared to mine. And lower GPAs. And their subject scores were in the mid 550s- low 600s. So naturally I was livid. And thn the avalanche came.
As you can see through CC after the tornado has now settled, many top students who I respect, way better students thn I can ever hope to be, are facing this exact problem now in bemused/angry confusion . While there are a lot with great acceptances, there are many whose great scores and accomplished have not been recognized. I am not sure what theories to define this situation, while I did tried to think of many in my head. Did I apply to wrong schools?
Did the colleges screw up, did the system screw up, and on n on..</p>
<p>So to those great students, as someone told me, for all those schools who passed you up , its their damn loss.
Perhaps, for some there is that one or two schools out there that have recognized your merit with some decent scholarships to boot maybe. Not your top choices but they see the diamond in the rough and know your true value.
So giving those schools a lot of LOVE from my heart.
And always give some credit for the school who waitlisted you as well, since they are not completely blind to your shine and glitter just partially. Hope some will open their eyes completely as April closes.</p>
<p>We showed love to all her waitlisted schools, same with her GC. Last year we were lucky that Cornell and Duke miscalculated their yields, so they had to go to their waitlists, Stanford and many other schools didn’t. Our daughter received a very non-descript email from Duke asking her if she would like to receive their acceptance package. Cornell called her GC and wanted answer straigh away. </p>
<p>I think many more schools will go to their waitlists this year due to many more of Princeton and Harvard’s EA/ED candidates in the RD pool this pool. I figure if each of those applicants that would have normally accepted Princeton or Harvard’s ED/EA (assume 700) applied to 10 schools, then they would be turning down (700x 10) - 700 = 6300 spots. I am not certain if lower tier schools would have accepted more students to acct for that because if they assumed incorrectly then they could end up having more students than available space. I would check to see how many(not %) students your waitlisted school has accepted relative to last year. If it’s the same, then it’s a good chance they will go to waitlist.</p>
<p>I absolutely concur with rileydog - it’s a tough blow for a 17 or 18 y/o to absorb, and I feel that acknowledging the disappointment (maybe even wallowing in it for a day or two) is a good way to prepare to truly move on. And I’ve got the same hunch as oldfort - I think (and sincerely hope) that many schools will go to their waitlists this year, and that many disappointed CC posters will eventually wind up at their match/reach schools.</p>
<p>However, I don’t think I understand what rileydog and rofflez are saying about making sacrifices to excel, while less driven students had equal (or better) success this go-round. Rileydog, did your son’s classmate who took a less rigorous curriculum and had more time to enjoy high school life wind up accepted at the same 3 schools as your son? That sure seems counter-intuitive. Or am I mis-reading and was he accepted at his own three safeties?</p>
<p>If the student who challenged himself less was accepted at the same three schools, were these perhaps schools that admit less holistically - i.e., do they employ a formula that does not recognize a weighted GPA? Or, could this student possibly have filled a niche for the schools in question (maybe he’s that legendary oboist)? Might he be a legacy? Perhaps this kid really lucked out and was accepted at three schools that, for him, were reaches - but were safeties for your son, because of his superior record.</p>
<p>I’m wondering because I find this process confusing enough without having to accommodate the possibility that it really might not matter which students take rigorous courseloads and which don’t. In any event, those who do are much better prepared for success in college and grad school. So none of it was wasted effort (which may not provide much comfort now, I realize). This has been a tough year for many outstanding students. :(</p>
<p>No, I think you read it correctly (going out on a limb for Rileydog, but this is what I personally meant at any rate) - Rileydog’s son and I were accepted at a match/safety school that was more of a reach for someone who took a much less rigorous courseload, went out and partied, and had less integrity (in my English class right now, I sit next to a girl who has not read a single book this year, while I’ve read all 4 of them. We’ll both be attending the same school next year). The frustration is that I’ve had the same attitude of crossing all my t’s and dotting all my i’s and holding on to my principles of integrity and discipline (while certainly having fun on the side, but I and so many others put in that extra “oomph” every time, yet it doesn’t always “pay off”). </p>
<p>Let it be said that I am feeling much better and optimistic now (about both being on the waitlist AND about the school I will most likely be attending and am submitting my SIR to now) than I was when I wrote my post earlier in this thread, and a large part is thanks to the help of other CC’ers - relating to their stories, and having the help on this whole waitlist madness.</p>
<p>To me, the takeaway from this for a parent is that you must encourage your child to apply to a range of schools, and to seriously identify reach, match, and safety schools that he or she will be happy to attend. Then, you as a parent must talk up ALL of those schools. You cannot link your future happiness to any particular school, or to the top tier of schools. You also have to tune out people with out-of-date ideas about what it takes to get into selective schools: please, please ignore anybody who tells you that you will get in anywhere, no matter how perfect your grades and scores are. If you approach the process realistically, with your eyes open, you can reduce (although not eliminate) the disappointment if you don’t get into some schools.</p>