<p>Well, I just got waitlisted (and on my bday too :(). I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now about what to do next. The deferral is very tempting, but I just don't know what I would do. Does anyone know how many people were taken off the waitlist last year? Any words of advice from previous waitlisters?</p>
<p>Congratulations to all who were accepted and I'm sorry for all those that were rejected (and to a somewhat lesser extent) waitlisted (although it seems as though it's a harder decision than one of the other options).</p>
<p>My name is Jessie and I'm a freshman at Olin right now. I don't know the exact numbers, but I know quite a few students currently at Olin who were waitlisted. If you really are passionate about Olin and you just know its the right place for you, I would encourage you to let the admissions staff know! Give them a call and chat with Duncan Murdoch (dean of admissions) and just let him know of your continued interest. He might even offer some insights based on your admissions portfolio. Olin is all about feedback and about pursuing your passions, so don't give up if this is what you really want!</p>
<p>Alternatively, the deferral option is an amazing chance to go off and do something you've always wanted to do but never had a chance to, even if you decide to defer and attend another university. You could explore another academic interest, widen your intellectual breadth, and if you really hate it, you've always got Olin as a back up :) </p>
<p>Thanks for all the help. I'm definately going to do everything I can to get myself in this year. I just heard back from Mr. Murdoch, and he said that last year, they waitlisted 20 people (which is about the same as this year), and 11 of them ended up getting in (with 4 choosing the deferral option). Jessi, you better get started on that letter :p.</p>
<p>I really hope everything ends up working out, I can't imagine a place I'd be happier at, and talking with everyone after being waitlisted has made me want to go even more.</p>
<p>As for the deferral option, I didn't think they allowed you to enroll at another university, but maybe it's just for engineering classes? If so, it seems like UofI could be a possible place to go, since they have a lot of different classes and it wouldn't be too expensive (compared to CMU). I was thinking of trying to find a research assistant position at the somewhat nearby Argonne Labs, which would be a lot of fun. But in the end, I don't know if taking a year off would be the right thing for me. I've been wanting to go to college so much for the past year, I'm not sure I could do it. But we'll see, I still have a month to figure everything out, and luckily I have break this coming week, so I'll have plenty of time to think about everything (or drive myself crazy). </p>
<p>I was one of the waitlisted kids.
I got that letter last year, and it turned out ok. Show Ducan you want to be here. Look into a deffered year (heck, its really not all bad, I promise). If you really want Olin, show it. They will notice.<br>
Im more than willing to talk about the whole scarry waitlist thing. But its not bad, remember youre in.</p>
<p>Many kids who defer take non engineering courses at local state schools, or in one case Brown University. You could also research, or travel the world, or do most anything. Deferral is a really cool option for Olin - I don't know anyone who hasn't enjoyed their year off.</p>
<p>Seems to me I've heard about an Olin student who took classes at Ohio State during a "gap" year. Others who. . .worked at a newspaper, worked as a teachers aide, worked as an au pair, hiked the Appalachian Trail.</p>
<p>Just to be clear, if you enroll at another school, they don't want you taking engineering classes. That defeats the purpose of learning in the style of Olin. Plus they have to wipe your memory of the old-school engineering curricula that you've been exposed to. :-P</p>
<p>Oh man, that changes everything. Going to UofI for a year, taking Japanese, economics, computer science, and some other fun/interesting classes wouldn't be bad. And since I'm in state, it would only be around 20K (like 3K more for engineering), then like 13K a year for Olin, soit would end up costing like 72K for 4 years, compared with like 85K for 4 years at UofI. I really don't want to miss the first year, cause if the night at BECC during CW1 is any indication, things will be very ... interesting ... and I would miss a lot. But now that I know I could still go to college, it makes choosing which waitlist to be on much, much easier. Thanks for all the support everyone. </p>
<p>P.S. Tostie, do you know what Olin would think of me taking some math/physics courses during gap year. I'm hoping to get into quantum physics eventually, so I'm not sure how everything would work out at Olin, but I suppose if one of the Oliners got into Oxford for a Ph.D. in atomic physics, it's possible to learn everything.</p>
<p>I'd check to be sure, but I think that you wouldn't get a year's credit for a year of classes at another college. You'd still do four Olin years, w/ four years of Olin scholarship. You wouldn't miss out on the first Olin year, you'd just do it a year later.</p>
<p>Yeah, I know that, which is why I'm going to try so hard to get in this year :D. My approximate math for cost of UofI + 4 years at Olin is right, but I made a typo with that 4. With the math/physics stuff, I just can't see myself going a year without a math or physics class.</p>
<p>Well, I'm 99% sure that I'm going to choose the gap year waitlist option with UofI as a possible gap year plan. After talking a lot to my counselor (mostly explaining Olin), she realized how incredible Olin is, and also supported the gap year, which made me feel much more sure about my decision. Good luck to everyone else on the waitlist and anyone deciding between Olin and some other great schools.</p>