sagesser

Hey everyone!

I'm currently on Columbia's waitlist. I've been doing some research, trying to figure out what are my chances of being admitted, and have arrived at the following data. Please note that it is 100% hypothetical and that this information should not be taken too seriously.


Columbia's Class of 2011 Stats:

Yield: ~57%
Undergraduate class (CC + SEAS): 1,360
Applicants offered a place on waitlist: 3,085
Applicants that accepted a place on waitlist: 1,254
Applicants accepted from the waitlist: 23 (~1%)

(Source: US News & World Report - America's Best Colleges 2008 - Columbia University)


Columbia's Class of 2012 Stats/Hypothesis:

Yield: ~50% (The yield will decrease due to several reasons. Harvard and Princeton didn't have EA, many schools have adopted new admission policies... Please note, however, that this is just a guess.)
Undergraduate class (CC + SEAS): 1,360 (Maintaining the same number here.)
Applicants offered a place on waitlist: 3,100 (About the same too.)
Applicants that accepted a place on waitlist: 1,200 (About the same too.)

Now let's calculate the number of students that will be accepted off the waitlist!

2,269 students were accepted. Using the hypothetical yield, 1134 of these students will enroll. In order to fill a class of 1,360, around 220 students would have to come off the waitlist.

Applicants accepted from waitlist: 226 (~18%)


Okay, I know this thread will be highly criticized. I just want to, again, state that this is all a hypothesis and that the sole reason I did this research is to make myself feel better. I am aware that chances of coming off Columbia's waitlist are minimal, but it looks like things may be a little bit better this year, with the lower yields.

Comments and criticism are welcome! Do you think this hypothesis is, at least, close to the real picture? Do you think it is absurd?

Thank you for your time guys.

Sagesser

foozball2461

dont you tink Columbia has taken this into consideration and offered more people acceptance and a spot on the waitlist thus making it almost the same as past years? I am pretty sure almost every Ivy League waitlisted more than last year by at least a few hundred.

confidentialcoll

"Comments and criticism are welcome! Do you think this hypothesis is, at least, close to the real picture? Do you think it is absurd?"

you're estimate is a pretty liberal one. it's unlikely that the yeild will drop to 50%, it might drop a 2-3 % points but I wouldn't say much more than that, it's possible though. and they probably put more people on the waitlist this year.

mmeyers

@sagesser: can you link to your 2011 data?

sagesser

mmeyers,

You have to be a premium user of US News in order to be able to reach this information... I don't know if you'll be able to see the information, but here's the link:

USNews.com: America's Best Colleges 2008: Columbia University: At a glance

andromeda

sagasser: I won't comment on the hypothesis, but just so: Harvard took 150 people off the waitlist this year, and Princeton 90. But that might be because of the fact that they eliminated ED. I'd hoped that might push Columbia to at least 80-90, but I can't really say.

I really hope, for our sakes, that this turns out to be true, though.

Nickel Xenon

*explodes* Nothing makes sense. We're *all* on the extended waitlist.

kit910423

Well I dare not say that your hypothesis is true..
But as a relief to us on the waiting list, I hope it is true...

katyakay

did any of you get in?

confidentialcoll

this is really silly, the number of kids who came to columbia from the waitlist was exactly 148, compare discrepancy in:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/opir/abst..._2006-2008.htm
Admission Statistics | Columbia University Office of Undergraduate Admissions

it isn't rocket science. Last year they were conservative, this year expect 50-100 to be taken off.

feb5

This year Columbia has reportedly admitted 200 more students while increasing 50 more seats. In that case would there be any waitlist movement?