<p>Wishingandhoping: For the four schools you mention–some of the very most elite, there is no surprise that you could get very divergent outcomes, because we all know how low the odds are to begin with. But that doesn’t mean they just threw the apps in the air, and the ones that landed right got in. Its just how each school constructs a class, what they perceive they need, and the subjective perceptions of different adcoms. However, as one proceeds to schools slightly less selective==eg those with 20-30% acceptance rates, the outcomes as far as I’ve seen, typically become somewhat more predictable. And while I agree that Andi’s son’s list did lack those rock solid safeties, I frankly do not believe that Oberlin and Wash U. would not grab someone with his outstanding profile as we understand it right now (remember, Andi said one of those schools had average scores/stats substantially below his.) So, for me, the crapshoot explanation doesn’t cut it.
I’m sure this doesn’t apply to Andi’s son, but I know of one student who mistakenly kept the name of the first college he applied to in all his other essays; needless to say, he was rejected from every school but that first one. I bring this up only to suggest that Andi’s son situation, for me, still remains a mystery…</p>