kman1988

Rejected after deffered from early decision, also from Amherst thought I was going to have to settle but then I got into Wesleyan so I will go there. Congrats to everyone who got in.
A note- I think this site is flawed in that we chance people. Only the school knows what works for them so it can't be based on stats or on the supposed strengths of your ECs thats it I've said my peace good luck everyone

Jrock

I agree.....

Ephparent39

Lori729 - Williams gives you the same $ off the waitlist they would give you in regular acceptance.
To others: There are way too many qualified students and the school (like other top LACs) can only accept so many. All the top applicants are applying to multiple (read 10-20 colleges/universities) and creating even more difficult odds for getting in. This also makes it difficult for Admissions to know who really wants to attend Williams, and who is applying here just in case they don't get into Amherst, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Swarthmore,...It would be easy for any school to dismiss those applicants with high scores..., if the applicant shows no real interest in the school (for all Admissions knows, you truly aren't interested.) and never visited to see Williamstown's remoteness. Personally, I know several legacies and double legacies who were rejected. We all know those who appear to us to be "less qualified" who got into Williams or at another good school. That's reality.
Don't let the process destroy you. Look at your options and make a decision. If you're on waitlists, write a well crafted letter to Admissions telling them why they should let you in, should space become available. Ask a teacher or counselor who knows you well to write a letter too.
good luck

lori729

Thanks Ephparent, it seemed like fin aid should work that way, but I've read so many conflicting things I didn't know what to think.
Your waitlist advice is excellent, especially since I think the waitlist letter said one year they took no one off the list, but in a different year they took 78.

tennisstud8888

Decision: Accepted!!!

Stats:

* SAT: 2140, 680v 790m 670w
* SAT IIs: 790 Math II, 740 Bio, 730 US History
* ACT: 33
* GPA: 4.58 weighted, 3.48 unweighted
* Rank: no rank but probably around top 10%
* Other stats: 10 APs by graduation, with 4's and 5's on all of them so far

Subjective:

* Essays: after reading them again yesterday, they were actually really really bad
* Teacher Recs: didn't see
* Counselor Rec: didn't see
* Hook (if any): none

Location/Person:

* State or Country: IL
* School Type: top public magnet school in chicago
* Ethnicity: Asian
* Gender: Female
* major strength/weakness: amazing extracurriculars. was captain of my tennis team, Student Council VP, District Student Council VP, NHS Historian, varsity debater, managed two events that garnered $4,000 in revenue for the school, + other things too..., but bad GPA
* why you think you were accepted/rejected/deferred: extracurriculars showed i was really involved in everything!


I can't believe that i got into Williams with my stats!!!!!!!!!!! But i never got the admit packet and I found out through this letter from financial aid asking for more information... Are all the admit packets mailed yet?

gohenry19

Decision: Accepted!!!

Stats:

* SAT: 2260, 740v 800m 720w
* SAT IIs: 800 Math II, 690 Bio, 700 US History
* GPA: 102.something weighted
* Rank: 2/240ish
* Other stats: 8 APs by graduation, 3 on Comp Sci, 4 US History, 5 Calc AB

Subjective:

* Essays: mediocre, but very personal - I'm not the best of writers
* Teacher Recs: didn't see
* Counselor Rec: probably amazing - Counselor is my varsity soccer coach
* Hook (if any): scholar-athlete? single parent household?

Location/Person:

* State or Country: Long Island, NY
* School Type: low quality Catholic school ^^
* Ethnicity: 1/2 Korean, 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Japanese
* Gender: Male
* major strength/weakness: varsity soccer captain, volunteered at a local hospital for 100+ hours (who doesn't), lots of stuff in school pertaining to religious activities/volunteering/service. major weakness: i'm asian? not sure
* why you think you were accepted/rejected/deferred: decent test scores and athletic (which is a plus at Williams); I'm assuming that they're trying to promote diversity

passionflower8

800cr, 720w, 640m
about 3.7/4.2
school doesn't weight or rank, all honors classes from a school that sends a good amount to ivies and top colleges every year
obvious passion for govt, essay on social justice, a good amount of awards and such-i'd provide more upon request
oh yeah
5 s on ap us his and ap eng lang
also, for satiis- 730 eng lit, 670 fr(not the listening one), 770 us his

i won't be able to go, largely because of money as well as location in berkshires, distance from home, family circumstances, etc.
i know everyone thinks their efc is high, but i just couldn't justify spending such huge amounts per year. i feel that the online financial aid calculator was extremely misleading and just a way to get more people to apply so they reject more people and stay high in the rankings.
i'm not saying my finaid was terrible, it was one of the best packages i got, but i expected to get about 6 thousand more per year when the school's total cost was about 4k less per year.

i will be happily attending lafayette, a school where my talents are being appreciated with a merit scholarship. it might be good for me to get away from the uber competitive, driven type smart people i spent hs with...lafayette seems very balanced and has great programs for what i want to do, i really haven't seen anything not to like about the school so far.
i never actually visited williams- once i got accepted, i didn't think williams degree was worth so much financial hardship and i had already been accepted and liked/loved lafayette and didnt want to make my parents take of work, rent a hotel, etc for a visit. for the record, my mom said she would do whatever was necessary to get me to the school i wanted where i'd be happy (ie take out lots of loans) but i realized lafayette was just a better choice with all things considered.

so all this being said, williams philosophy that any one who gets in can afford to come is not an ethical commitment put into practice, at least for this upper middle class, white, female, suburban, new jerseyan. i mean, i could have taken on horrendous loans to pay for it, i guess then i could have afforded it, but really, their expectation for me to pay so much was practically an insult after i had tinkered with their efc calculator and gotten such a generous offer from laf.

best of luck to all the new purple cows-hope your next four years are awesome.

sphairistic

Officially accepted off the waitlist! Congrats to the others that were, too.

Grace

Welcome to the Purple Valley! That's great news.
Any others from the wait list out there who are in?

Jrock

I can totally understand passionflower8. Good luck at Lafayette!

barbie123

Has anyone heard anymore about the waitlist at Williams. Is it still active or are they all done? Thanks.

SENI08

Will someone please take this off of the top of the list?