Anyone have tips on how to deal with people’s unrealistic expectations? My parents told practically everyone that I’m applying early to Yale (even when I told them I didn’t want them to), and I keep hearing constantly that I’m definitely going to be accepted. Pretty much everyone at school knows where I’m applying just because of how quickly college gossip spreads, especially gasp the valedictorian’s college process, and all of my classmates tell me the same thing.
I’m trying to explain that the most likely outcome is that I get deferred and don’t hear until March, but I’m still told things like, “You’re so humble. What school would ever defer you?!” (Other variations when I’m asked about college plans include, “When are you expecting your Yale acceptance?” “Are you still applying to other schools after you get into Yale?” and “Can you just go to Yale already?” ) My best friend is entirely convinced that I’m going to get in and told me she refuses to even think about what would happen if I didn’t because it’s so far outside the realm of possibilities. I know I’m a strong applicant, so I guess it’s technically possible that I do get in, but I’m dreading having to deal with everyone’s ~shock~ when I don’t get accepted in a few weeks.
@writergirl0316, I’m so sorry that your family haven’t respected your privacy. Please know that this comes from being over-the-top proud of you, and perhaps some desire to share in your limelight, whether you want it or not. Let me share something I posted a few years ago, as it illustrates the issues that parents can have, even when they didn’t want to disclose where their child is applying. This takes place at a hockey rink, late at night, during Yale applicant’s sibling’s practice:
DS had the good fortune to be accepted, and his years at Yale have been great for him. As a parent, I learned to no longer be pressured as I was back then, and keep his college situation more for real friends (and some friends on CC, sorry). The old saying is that you know who your friends are when you’re down and out, which is possibly true, but what I know to be true is that you truly know who your friends are when you’re experiencing some luck. Tell your parents that some spectacularly qualified candidates will be deferred or rejected, that schools of this caliber acknowledge that they could build a great entering class a few times over with those they have rejected, and that while you appreciate their high regard for you, it adds to your stress level, which is high enough without being stoked.
I wish you every luck in your application, but counsel you to remember that whether it’s Yale or not, you will matriculate at a great school.
^^^@whartonboy14 there is a regional adcom who reads all app’s from his/her region. Not sure in your case if India is its own region or part of a larger region. I don’t know what type of process the first reader goes through, but I suspect there is some combination of filling out a standardized evaluative format so folders can be compared across all applicants plus some internal methodology each AO uses in how he/she does his/her evaluation. I suspect some app’s are cut after a very cursory read if the stat’s are not there, there may even be a few that go to the yes pile quickly because of some combination of stat’s, LoR’s, awards, essays and/or hooks. A large number will require a more careful evaluative reading. The ones that pass the first cut (could be a “yes” or “maybe”) get passed to a second reader. One of the legacy advantages is that all legacies are guaranteed a second read. The first and second reader have to concur that the candidate gets sent to the Committee for final consideration. Last year approximately 6000 applicants made it to Committee. I do not know the split between SCEA and RD, but I would guess it is not proportional to the applications because the SCEA round will contain a disproportionate number of the strongest candidates.
^^@writergirl0316, @IxnayBob gives you good advise. Yale unfortunately does not break out the following data, but Brown (which is not as selective as Yale) does publicize data that shows how selective it is. For the class of 2020, only 19% of the valedictorians who applied got in, meaning 81% got rejected. Only 28% of the applications who submitted perfect 36’s got in, 72% being rejected. Similar data is provided for each SAT component. https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/explore/admission-facts I’d share this with your parents to let them know what you are up against.
Good luck to both of you. I know this is a stressful period – my son went through this last year. The decision will come soon enough, and please remember at this level of crapshoot, whether you get in or not to one of these super selective colleges has no bearing on your worth or future success/happiness.
Thank you both for the advice. I do realize that all of the comments I’m receiving are good-natured, and I am flattered that, despite these odds, I clearly have a lot of people in my life who believe in my chances… even if the statistics tell a different story. @IxnayBob@BKSquared
Oh. My. God. That is my situation to a tee. I think I’m more nervous about how people are going to react on Friday, December 15th. My best friend is the exact same. I commiserate with you. Let’s keep our heads up and cross our shaking fingers. Anything can happen. I’m so nervous!!
hi, everyone! i’m a yale SCEA applicant & this is my very first post on college confidential i had two questions that i am a bit worried about - i appreciate anyone who takes the time to answer and i sincerely wish everyone the best luck in this college admissions process!
does anyone mind checking their yale portal really quickly and seeing if their date for the decisions changed? mine changed from dec. 15 to dec. 14?
okay so this one has me really panicking - i sent in a supplemental recommendation letter from one of my elective teachers but i made the mistake of mailing/faxing the letter BEFORE submitting my application (i sent it in about 10 days before i submitted) and my counselor just warned me that for my other schools i shouldn’t do that (as in, i need to submit before i sent the letter), and now i’m really, really afraid that the letter won’t get matched to my application before the regional admissions officer looks at it i wanna send it in again but a part of me feels like it’s too late and that what happens will happen. if anyone has any insight into how the supplement recommendations are read/matched or can confirm my fears that it most likely won’t be read, please let me know! i thank you all in advance
also @writergirl0316 i definitely feel you - my parents have told most of my extended family about my applying to yale and it definitely adds unnecessary + annoying pressure, but i’m sure we can all get through this together! i’m trying my best to keep my emotions at bay and surround myself w positive energy haha
@iheartbagels, I just logged into my portal. Mine still says December 14th. Are you positive your date changed? If it did, I wonder what this means for folks who still have the December 14th date.
@asdfdasfda oh my gosh wait never mind…i must have lost my mind haha my REGULAR decision date changed from march 29 to march 28. i think i mixed the two up because i think last year’s was december 15 and i saw 14 on mine. so sorry for the confusion - everyone PLEASE disregard the first part of my previous post ahhh
@iheartbagels I probably have the same issue as you. Not sure exactly when my supplemental recommender mailed my letter, but I submitted my app like 24 hours before the window closed. Chances are the letter arrived first.
Frankly, I’m not sure supplemental info matters much to Yale. They kinda discourage sending additional recs - the fact that they make you mail them instead of having a slot on the Common App speaks to that. Don’t sweat it, I’m trying not to
@mking987 yeah, they just changed their supplement letter policy this year. i know just last year they still had the option of putting it under “other rec” on the common app but thank you so much for replying! haha i’m also trying to be calm + forget about it. good luck to you!
I wouldn’t worry about the order in which schools receive applications, supplements, test scores, etc. As soon as they receive something related to an application, they open a file. It’s anticipated that things will come in at different times,
@LoveTheBard that is very reassuring to hear!! i’m not sure why my counselor didn’t like the idea of letters getting to the office before the actual application, but oh well. what’s done is done, at this point. thank you for your response!
Hi all.
After reading an article about the statistics for the class of 2021, I have a slight concern. The article stated that about 97% of accepted students put more than one “academic area of interest” (Prospective major) on their applications. The application stated “list up to three.”
I only put one (Environmental Studies), because it is the field that I am absolutely in love with and most passionate about. Do you think this will this hurt me? In my mind, I can see it going two ways in the eyes of the admissions committee:
Scenario A: “Wow, this kid is really passionate about Environmental Studies.” … Score!
or
Scenario B: “Wow, this kid is only devoted to one field. How boring. Reject!”
I am really worrying about this. What do you guys think?
Hey all, I’m kinda concerned about the interview. I applied SCEA. It’s Nov. 27 and no one I know from the Des Moines area–including me, people from my school, and people from other schools–has received an interview opportunity yet. I know for a fact that there are Yale alumni in the area available to interview because my boss is an alumnus who has interviewed in the past. He says that he hasn’t been assigned any interviewees yet. Does anyone have any theories on why this is?
What’s your intended major? 
i wanna send it in again but a part of me feels like it’s too late and that what happens will happen. if anyone has any insight into how the supplement recommendations are read/matched or can confirm my fears that it most likely won’t be read, please let me know! i thank you all in advance