I got in. I know a lot of people say this, but I honestly don't know how I did. I got rejected/waitlisted from almost every Ivy I applied to. When I think about all of the other qualified candidates in my grade, I genuinely wonder how I was lucky enough to be in my situation now.
An ongoing dialogue that I've been having with a few friends the past few weeks is that it doesn't matter really where you get in. College admissions is a crapshoot, and getting rejected from one or many colleges doesn't mean you aren't qualified, accomplished, or any less than anyone else. Don't forget that.
Last edited by handrew; 03-30-2012 at 10:24 PM.
Reason: clarity
Hey guys! I got into Stanford and am excited and pleasantly surprised. However, the cost is freaking the hell out of me. For upper middle class families with certain circumstances, could Stanford be willing to give me a decent aid package? My dad has Polycystic Kidney Disease and lately has not been feeling well, spends a LOT of money on medicines, and I'm worried about his health and the medical costs. I have a younger sister who is 12, but i dont think that is a dealbreaker for some financial aid. I got a full scholarship from WashU, and want to weigh my options. Stanford was my uber reach, and so I never really became attached/researched Stanford as much as I should have. I'm planning to contact the Finaid office and discuss my circumstances. Stanford's sciences are SUPERB, especially the chem department, plus the humanities are out of this world. Not trying to sound like a spoiled brat b/c I know a lot of people wish to be in my position. I just wish I was very rich so I wouldnt have to worry about this tuition business.
This isn't good. I've been crying for five hours and I can't stop. I'm almost done with my tissues. And there's no appeal process. It's just so...final.
Re-applying next year or for grad school for me would be a huge joke. I don't even know what to do with myself...
Awwww, smewshie-- we are the 95% . I'm sure you'll be okay! It'll heal, like all broken hearts do, and you'll forget about Stanford and find another school to be happy at! Where all did you apply?
You're right. I just don't want to go to any other school. Agh, this is frustrating. The only other school that I applied to was San Diego State and I got in. I don't know if I want to go there, though. I'll probably just go to CC.
i got waitlisted.. and to be honest I was completely schocked. My GPA is 4.7, but my ACT score is a 27, so I have no freaking clue how this happened! My essays were good tho and I am someone who migrated to the US from Ecuador in 8th grade.
How are wait listed applicants prioritized?
Our daughter is waitlisted. Recognizing that very few (if any) waitlisted students move into the "accepted" category, can someone please tell me the system by which waitlisted applicants are prioritized to move into the accepted category? Is it random or are the waitlist candidates ranked somehow? Do Arts, legacy, sports, recent awards, etc help at this point?
Also: are all waitlist decisions released in one notification cycle, or is it in phases as the class of 2016 fills?
Thanks in advance to anyone who knows the answers.
Dafaed, I believe that Stanford follows the same wait-listing practices as Harvard. The applicants that are wait-listed are not ranked. Instead, if the admissions committee sees that the class of 2016 is not filling up, they go to the wait list and re-examine each applicant again in a tabula rasa fashion. Meaning they just start again.
They only go to the wait list if their class size doesn't fill up even with their over estimation (they accept more than their class size of ~1750, they accept 2500 knowing that approximately 1750 will matriculate). If less than 1750 matriculate, they go to the wait list and begin to accept.
Wait list decisions may occur anywhere from mid-April to early July.. so your daughter should send in her SIR (statement of intent to register) at her school choice, and cancel it if she gets into Stanford. Note that wait-list acceptances are slim to none, and can be anywhere from 0% to 10%. Last year it was 40/999= 4%.
Legacy does not help at this point, but any VITAL new information may boost her chances (e.g, she created a non-profit organization, gotten a state/national award, etc.)
Sources: The Undergraduate Program: Stanford University Facts College Wait Lists: Using Last Year’s Statistics To Predict This Year’s Odds Of Admittance ? Ellen Richards Educational Services
Gabalexandra, those of us (including myself) who have not received an email will have to call 1(650) 723-2091 between the hours of 8:30AM - 5:00PM PDT. The email bounced and didn't reach us due to complications, and we will have confirm our email and they will send it again. (Note: They will not tell you the decision over the phone.) Let's just hope that this complication has no correlation with their decisions, meaning that this doesn't mean that we got rejected or wait listed. Good luck tomorrow!
. I'm sure you'll be okay! 
It'll heal, like all broken hearts do, and you'll forget about Stanford and find another school to be happy at! Where all did you apply?
I was worrying for quite some time as well.
