<p>You can check out the EA and RD decisions thread, but if you want more details, you can pm me.</p>
<p>please? thanks!</p>
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but if you want more details, you can pm me.
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details! please? thanks!
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<p>PM stands for "Private Message."</p>
<p>I had good stats, but one thing that weirded me out was that I was never contacted about an interview for Yale! So I never had one! I'm by Washington DC, so there should have been someone. And someone from my area got an interview... though he applied late and had the interview late. Sob, I thought they forgot about my application, but I didn't really do anything. Haha. But then I got in! And now I'm going to go there!</p>
<p>The best way to answer this question is to check out the EA and RD decision threads. (As a point of interest, I'll also add that you are four times as likely to get in early action as regular decision. Early admit rate is around 23-4% (including deferrees), while regular is around 6-7%)</p>
<p>What did I do to get in? I was perfectly candid - I think that's refreshing. My essays, interests, and background were also unusual, and it was very obvious how much I loved Yale (note that I didn't say "overt" - it just came through). :)</p>
<p>I did a lot of things that were unique or unusual, although I didn't think of them being unique when I filled out the application. For example, I listed origami, coin and banknote collecting, and gardening as three of my hobbies. I took a class at a local college on Polish, made even more interesting by the fact that I'm Asian. (I definitely plan on continuing in that language.) Also, I founded my school's MUN club, although if you happen to encounter the amount of paperwork and deal with all the hassles as I did, you'll probably regret founding a club and trying to go to a conference. ;)
Although I can't change my background, I think it helped a lot. I'm a first generation college student (and first high school graduate) from a low income family living in the Midwest, specifically, a non-Detroit area of Michigan.</p>
<p>I can tell you what NOT to do to get in: I started my Chicago, Northwestern, Yale, and Harvard applications in the second week of December, and mailed Chicago's December 30, Yale's and Harvard's December 31, and Northwestern's online January 1 at a friend's house at 9:00 pm.</p>
<p>I took a picture of an admissions officer in a compromising position. ;)</p>
<p>Be weird. It helps.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm just bitter. </p>
<p>But I'm as weird as it gets. I'm a champion wrestler and one of the best rugby players in the country. I broke boundaries to be the only girl on the boys football and wrestling teams. I am an <em>extremely</em> talented potter. I have extensive science research experience (two summers worth. I got an internship as a soph. into which only 20% get accepted -- and only 5% of that 20% are sophomores.) I almost started a girls football team in my town. I teach ceramics, coach rugby, volunteer to teach ceramics, teach science camp for kids...the list goes on. </p>
<p>There are not a whole lot of rugby and football playing wrestlers who are incredibly talented artists with science research experience. That sounds weird to me! </p>
<p>Weirdness only goes so far.</p>
<p>Maybe they value some degree of humility.</p>
<p>Ok, that sounds like an unnecessary dis. And if you think I phrased any of my accomplishments like that in my applications, you're wrong. And none of that was exaggeration.</p>
<p>I'm simply bitter that my unique accomplishments were not recognized -- and I'm not ashamed to admit that.</p>
<p>they were recognized but they werent enough?...</p>
<p>they weren't recognized by selective schools</p>
<p>I am not one of the people on this thread who "got in"</p>
<p>yeah, modesty usually helps. I heard that from a former admissions officer. Also, almost doing stuff doesn't help. Flame!</p>
<p>i agree modesty helps. However, 'almost doing stuff' can be something you can talk about. One thing I tried to start closed down because of a city-wide strike -- if you talk about what you learned/how you made the best of it etc it can be very useful.</p>
<p>Adcoms at the top schools can usually sense arrogance, which is probably what turned them off.</p>
<p>I still maintain that weirdness helps... has anyone met a "normal" Yalie? Someone without some quirk of some kind? idk.</p>
<p>"Adcoms at the top schools can usually sense arrogance, which is probably what turned them off."</p>
<p>If this is directed at me, I can assure you, I did not present myself in an arrogant way by any means in my applications, and my recommendations said I was anything but. </p>
<p>My bitterness here, on this thread, in this context, does not equate to arrogance in general or on my applications</p>
<p>alrighty let's not burn each other. Who knows how ClaySoul came across in his app? He's just expressing how many rejectees feel (and quite legitimately so in this crazy college biz). We've all felt a hard rejection at some time or another, particularly us college-conscious CCers;he shouldn't have to have anything more rubbed in his face.</p>