<p>^^ I was going to bring that up. I asked my interviewer a bit about Dartmouth’s likely system, and he said while some are sent to the very top-top, many are sent to HYP ‘fringe’ students. A letter like that certainly makes a student feel like an institution wants them, and if they get a likely from D and he/she was considering another private or top state school, the letter can have a much more influential sway than to a Harvard cross-admit (so indicates the table). That being said, I know a Yale SCEA admit that didn’t get a Dartmouth interview or likely, but got a Columbia likely.</p>
<p>To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t put a ton of stock in the letter. I don’t want to take away from it (it certainly is a great indication), but many cases are different. Besides, if your stats were that good, you probably knew your chaces at HYP were good before you even applied.</p>