<p>Tufts syndrome?</p>
<p>Tufts syndrome (may not really apply to Tufts anymore, LOL) relates to schools who may deny or defer applicants who appear to be extraordinarily highly qualified - top of the stats profile for that school's applicant pool.</p>
<p>Reason: fear that the applicant is only using "Tufts" as a safety and really intends to go to HYSPM-type schools.</p>
<p>Schools which might be the "Tufts" in this scenario are those which are somewhat attractive to highly qualified applicants but have poor admissions yields, because too many of those they admit turn them down for "better" schools.</p>
<p>Antidotes to being rejected due to "Tufts" syndrom: find ways to show genuine interest in such a school - visiting, showing in your essays that you have some depth of knowledge of the school and how it fits you and you it, other genuine expressions of interest such as attending visits their admissions reps may make to your area, contact with faculty/coaches/music directors/whomever.</p>
<p>Yield</a> protection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Google is your friend ;)</p>
<p>cough washu cough</p>
<p>without necessarily taking sides in the WUSTL debate, I would point out to newcomers reading this thread that many say WashU doesn't practice yield protection, it just really cares about demonstrated interested, for all applicants, not just the top tier.</p>
<p>Actually, if you look at this years WUSTL results thread, there is very little evidence of Tufts syndrome there...
Many high-stats students that don't get into schools below HYPMS will usually feel/claim that it is because they are "overqualified"...</p>