<p>I believe mafool’s story 100% because it also happened to our school’s val (a top HS district in the state, 2390 SATs, straight As, tons of great leadership activities, all the awards, great kid, great writer) and my own S who was not far behind. Students in the class who were far below these two in stats, grades, recs and activities were admitted while both boys were first waitlisted and ultimately rejected. Personally, I think that despite Michigan’s so-called stats driven application process that some games may have been played in their case. Both boys got into their first choice Ivy ED and subsequently attempted to withdraw their applications(phone, email, letter) from Michigan. Despite phone confirmation of the withdrawal (never any written confirmation), they BOTH continued to receive emails and letters indicating that they were still on the waiting list. Of course they never submitted the additional information requested of those on the wait list and both were ultimately rejected. I’m pretty suspicious of yield games here - have heard first hand stories of the same exact scenario out of the other HS in the district as well. Or maybe it was just a matter of applications on the later side in combination with disorganization on their part - that they don’t keep track of withdrawals as well as they should. </p>
<p>Neither boy applied very early, but not very late either. However, the guidance department got the materials in later than they should have on their end (GC knew that Michigan was neither boy’s top choice, but still). The kids who did get in had their apps in and complete by September or early October by the latest. I think that when high stat kids apply late (and other kids from the <em>same</em> school much earlier) that it may signal kids who are using Michigan as a safety -perhaps there is a bit of Tufts syndrome in play in that case.</p>