started application to top tier boarding school. Didn’t finish bc I had several I was applying to and this one seemed like a huge reach. School has contacted me several times to finish application. I did. But so surprised by the request to finish.
They want as many applications as possible – the more applications, the lower their acceptance rate… which then makes the school ever more appealing to those seeking super-selective, hard-to-get-into schools. 
wow. thats kind of insane. they already have thousands of applicants.
Every applicant counts.
Yes, it’s all about getting that denominator up. The bigger the denominator, the smaller the admission rate and the higher the selectivity.
Yes, but kiddo had decided not to apply there. Honestly, they seemed to be very interested all around. Interview was nearly two hours!
This just hit me as odd. I mean 5 emails all from actual people- not automated. I mean they asked me to finish app on Friday. a month past app due date.seems like a long way to go to count my app in the denominator pile
Does he have something in particular you think they might want? Like, is your family from North Dakota? Or does he play a special instrument?
fencer. but the school only has a club not a team. great grades and recommendations. The school gets 3k applications a year. its just so odd to me that the admissions office is asking people to write essays 9 days before decisions go out.
Sounds like they want this student…maybe considering changing from a fencing club to a team?? Or - if you are a full pay family - could be they need more people who are full pay, and maybe more full pay of whatever gender you are…
these are all good questions. not a diverse family. full pay. Been through a lot as kid- ADHD/OCD/anxiety. was really bad. been perfect (health wise) for two years. Its part of the reason I didn’t finish application. Seemed like my past wouldn’t be something a top tier school would want. But its part of me.
They may find your history as inspiring and think you would be a diverse member of the community.
Something similar happened to our son over a decade ago when applying to boarding schools. One HADES school waived all application deadlines even though he never started any application to that school, but had expressed interest. Never applied, but the school was of interest to him & to us.
My school feels similarly. They have had other kids start and not finish apps but the school has never reached out and asked any kid to finish it. I’m glad I finished it- no matter what it means.
I’ve had schools contact me up until mid-feb, when I finally got the messy stuff in 
Hopefully it means something positive, but try not to read too much into it in case it doesn’t end well.
Sounds like you have a great chance. Fingers crossed for you.
@preppedparent Thank you. I got into my first choice day school. Now waiting on boarding. I’ll be ok whatever happens.
Congrats @wheretogo2020!