9 waitlists gg

Applying to College
1

I have been waitlisted from a LOT of schools…what are the chances that I am accepted of off one?

Here they are: UC-Berkeley, CalTech, Yale, UPenn, Cornell (I don’t even know), Carnegie Mellon University (SCS and CIT with priority waitlist), Columbia, Northwestern, UMich (I don’t even know).

Here are my stats.

OBJECTIVE

ACT: 35 composite (36 math and science, 35 reading, 34 english, 11 writing)

SAT: 2310 (800 math, 760 critical reading, 750 writing)

SATII: 800 Math II, 800 Physics, 790 Bio, 720 US History

GPA: 98/100 UW, 109 weighted, should be a 4.0

9-11TH GRADE COURSELOAD (Grade taken, AP score): AP Biology (10, 5), AP World History (10, 5), AP Calculus BC(10, 5), AP Statistics (11,5), AP Computer Science (11, 5), AP English Lang (11, 5), AP US History (11, 5), AP Physics B (11, 5)

12TH GRADE COURSELOAD: AP Spanish Language, AP English Lit, AP Government and Politics, AP Chemistry
I am taking two online courses because our school does not offer - Multivariable Calculus, and AP Physics C: Mechanics, and this appears on school transcript.

OTHER CLASSES: Science Research (4 years), Orchestra (4 years), Philosophy

OTHER: Middle-class, Indian, 16 years when graduating (skipped a grade)

SUBJECTIVE

SPORTS: 4 years varsity cross country, 4 years varsity tennis (2nd singles sophomore year, 1st singles and captain junior year)

CLUBS (Grades, Leadership positions, Awards): Robotics (10-12, President, NA), Mathletes (9-12, Captain, Top 50 in county and AIME 2x qualifier ARML and NYSML), Spanish Honor Society/National Honor Society

INTERNSHIPS: Interned at MSKCC (Summer after 10), Simons at SBU (Summer after 11), CSHL (Senior year)

VOLUNTEER: 100 hours at local hospital, 500-600 hours in building Q&A application for school to facilitate online tutoring

AWARDS: I won the RPI medal this year, a few others, Philosophy Slam 4th place, Long Island Science Congress Honors, accpeted to PROMYS (didn’t attend), National Merit Semifinalist, National AP Scholar

ESSAYS: 7/10 - 8/10

2

bump

3

The # of students admitted from the waitlist in previous years is listed in each school’s Common Data set. But anyone’s chance is negligible.

4

I wonder what criteria they use to wait list people. I’ve only been accepted or rejected

5

@slights32‌ Where at? You class of 2019?

6

I mean you got into Duke so that’s not that bad…. arguably better than a bunch of the schools that waitlisted you.
I was rejected from YALE HARVARD COLUMBIA VANDERBILT. Accepted at Rutgers Northeastern and WashU.

7

WashU is great, would love to get off WL

Duke is better than a few especially Cornell and Michigan

8

Use LOCI’s to take your essays from 7-8/10’s to 10/10’s. With those numbers, that must’ve been what went wrong.

9

@Vctory‌ What are LOCI’s, if you don’t mind me asking?

10

^Letters of Continued Interest; it’s pretty much a second “Why X” email you write your school if you’re trying to get off the waitlist, letting them know that you’re still interested/they’re your top choice/you would attend if accepted off the WL/&c.

11

Just a thought, but I think your age might have come into play a lot for your waitlist decisions

12

@ARandomGeek‌ I skipped a grade, though. That is honestly bullshit if that was the case.

13

@slights32‌ How did you know I got into Duke, I did not post that anywhere, lol?

14

@slights32‌ Oh never mind, I did. In another thread, sorry.

15

OP, sorry about all the WLs.

I thought you were in at Duke, too. A few days ago you posted elsewhere, “As an admittee to Duke Class of 2019, I am interested as well.” It’s also looking like you are in at Brown & Dartmouth.

If you are in at Duke, Brown or Dartmouth that is a huge accomplishment, and congrats. As for all the WLs, just like @ARandomGreek I wondered if your age was a factor, because adcoms look at everything when there are so many applicants with top scores.

Once all the dust settles I hope you’ll talk to several teachers and GCs that you admire, to come up with a useful way forward that benefits you. You have an amazing future ahead, obviously.

16

Yeah I browsed your other threads

17

@MidwestDad3‌ Hopefully I do. I am going to appeal UC-Berkeley and have my counselor call Cornell, because I genuinenly wanted to go there.

18

I can see where Cornell would be a surprise, given what you’ve accomplished. We know a student who didn’t get in, went to Pitt Honors for a year, and then got in as a sophomore. The student got a great education at Cornell and absolutely loved it. Good luck to you.

19

The chance of getting in of any waitlist is small. Put your name on any waitlist only for schools you’d prefer to go to compared to your acceptances. If you have one school that is really your top choice you can let them know “if accepted I will attend” and maybe ask your guidance counselor to make a call on your behalf. But after you do that, pick a school you have been accepted to (sounds like you have excellent choices) and move forward assuming that is where you will go.

20

@happy1‌ Know anyone personally accepted off of the waitlist? Did they send in letters and things of the nature?