OFFICIAL Early Action Decision Thread - Page 5

luzbrillante · 05-12-2008, 08:15 PM

I thought scanning this thread would help me gather an idea of what Yale admissions officers are looking for in EA applicants. But I can't deny it's left me possibly even more confused than I started. Some people have oustanding credentials and stats and have been deferred, while others have good stats but some slightly worse than those deferred and yet these people were accepted...

Everyone who applied early seems strong. But I don't understand what underlies decisions of deferral against those who seem OUSTANDING.

Procrastination · 05-12-2008, 10:05 PM

Pretty easy:

Essays.

lovemom · 09-06-2008, 12:48 PM

can you please post how many Honors/AP/IB courses you had for all 4 years combined? All the college websites ask you to take the most challenging courses offered by your school, do they really only want kids who have minimum 20 Honors classes and a 4.0? (Especially if you are unhooked?) Is being passionate about Drama (participation in theatre camps and school theater since 4th grade a hook for Yale?)

Any insight from those already accepted to Yale would really be appreciated.

milessmiles · 11-06-2008, 10:50 AM

Wow. Essays/personality really matter, with the exception of elite test scores.

bulldoghopeful · 11-24-2008, 10:30 PM

milesmiles, how would you define elite test scores?

like straight 800s across the board?

or something along the lines of

2380 after two sittings, 800 800 790 770 subject tests.

nine 5s and one four.

it's not the greatest, and def could be better, but i think my stats are supplemented by a pretty strong extracurricular record and fairly strong essays.

kafka's machine · 11-25-2008, 02:35 AM

honestly, it seems that a student's perception of their scores is arguably more telling than the scores themselves.

if you think those scores aren't "elite" enough, and "def could be better," i think that says something about your judgment. have some common sense-- the difference between, say, a 770 and an 800 is trivial...you're (at least seemingly) smart enough to comprehend that. or maybe you're just fishing for an ego-stroking?

it boggles the mind, it really does.

[/rant]

bulldoghopeful · 11-27-2008, 02:03 PM

haha def not looking for an ego boost.

its just that, people from my school consistently do better than me in chem. i studied my ass off for the ap chem and sat ii chem respectively and had a four and a 770 to show for it, 9 kids got fives, and 9 kids got fours, out of the 70 or so kids who took ap chem last year (we also only have about 70 kids per grade), so like relatively to my school, i m only in the top twenty five or so percent. im happy with my scores, they just dont break the bank.