Yield Management 2026: The Most Absurd Non-Admits

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BC 1550/3.9 at a Big3. Got into 2 Ivies. BC admitted several classmates who had ~1450/3.65.
All good but definite yield protection.

Not sure this is always yield protection - BC is known for taking kids who really fit their mission, which is men and women for others. If they don't get that sense, they will not admit. My kid got into BC with a 1540 11 APs 4.0 unweighted, along with another kid in his class who had a 1570 SAT - both had MVC and Linear Algebra, and also were admitted to Top 20s and an Ivy. The kids at his school who were rejected were mid 1400 SAT slightly lower. Not saying yield protection doesn't exist at BC, but at competitive Jesuit schools they are not only looking for high rigor and high stats, but also the right social fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Duke knows it doesn't compete with HYPSM per se; if a student gets into one of those 5 colleges they go there and not Duke.

So with this in mind Duke definitely engages in yield management.

So, how would Duke distinguish between a kid who would be admitted to hypsm and one who would pick Duke? How do they pick the one who is strong enough for Duke but not necessarily hypsm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:nope. To be fair, he wasn't going there anyway, but it was odd.

There it is. The phrase that always makes me laugh. "My kid wasn't planning on going anyway, but s/he SHOULD have gotten in!!" What a joke. No, your kid did not "deserve" to get in just because you think he did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, it does. The process has gotten so ridiculous. "Over-qualified" kids get rejected from schools solely so they can manage their yields. This is not OK. If a kid applies, assume they want to go there. At least waitlist them so they can plead their case if they really are interested.

The process has gotten so over-complicated. Schools should be devoting their financial resources towards education, not paying yield management experts.

Are you the OP? Because you clearly said your kid "wouldn't have gone there anyway." So you're seriously contradicting yourself.

This is why every school needs ED. The kids who would ACTUALLY accept and go there should have a way to express that. Not these people throwing out applications just to collect admittances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke knows it doesn't compete with HYPSM per se; if a student gets into one of those 5 colleges they go there and not Duke.

So with this in mind Duke definitely engages in yield management.

So, how would Duke distinguish between a kid who would be admitted to hypsm and one who would pick Duke? How do they pick the one who is strong enough for Duke but not necessarily hypsm?

I'm not sure -- but when I met Duke's (interim) Dean of Admissions, I'm fairly certain she could peer directly into my soul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke knows it doesn't compete with HYPSM per se; if a student gets into one of those 5 colleges they go there and not Duke.

So with this in mind Duke definitely engages in yield management.

So, how would Duke distinguish between a kid who would be admitted to hypsm and one who would pick Duke? How do they pick the one who is strong enough for Duke but not necessarily hypsm?

I'm not sure -- but when I met Duke's (interim) Dean of Admissions, I'm fairly certain she could peer directly into my soul.

Funny enough, I stumbled upon a Tiktok/Youtuber who was so polished. I don't know how a high schooler can be so polished on camera. She applied to all the Ivies and other top privates, and the two she was accepted to were Duke and Penn (Wharton).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke knows it doesn't compete with HYPSM per se; if a student gets into one of those 5 colleges they go there and not Duke.

So with this in mind Duke definitely engages in yield management.

So, how would Duke distinguish between a kid who would be admitted to hypsm and one who would pick Duke? How do they pick the one who is strong enough for Duke but not necessarily hypsm?

I'm not sure -- but when I met Duke's (interim) Dean of Admissions, I'm fairly certain she could peer directly into my soul.

Funny enough, I stumbled upon a Tiktok/Youtuber who was so polished. I don't know how a high schooler can be so polished on camera. She applied to all the Ivies and other top privates, and the two she was accepted to were Duke and Penn (Wharton).

Makes perfect sense knowing what those 2 look for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UNC and UMich let in several top 20% type kids, test optional, from our high school but deferred the valedictorian with a 1550 SAT

Yes this happens with Michigan at our HS all the time. They know the Val isn’t coming.

[Anonymous]

The top kids don’t go to Michigan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UNC and UMich let in several top 20% type kids, test optional, from our high school but deferred the valedictorian with a 1550 SAT

Yes this happens with Michigan at our HS all the time. They know the Val isn’t coming.

Might be your school. My kid's freshman roommate was an OOS Val.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UNC and UMich let in several top 20% type kids, test optional, from our high school but deferred the valedictorian with a 1550 SAT

Yes this happens with Michigan at our HS all the time. They know the Val isn’t coming.

Might be your school. My kid's freshman roommate was an OOS Val.

Hmm. Possibly. Our Val/sal is usually HYPS.

Not a DC private

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke knows it doesn't compete with HYPSM per se; if a student gets into one of those 5 colleges they go there and not Duke.

So with this in mind Duke definitely engages in yield management.

So, how would Duke distinguish between a kid who would be admitted to hypsm and one who would pick Duke? How do they pick the one who is strong enough for Duke but not necessarily hypsm?

Many students that are competitive for HYPSM will apply ED to a handful of other schools, including Duke. HYPSM do SCEA, not ED. So Duke gets those students first since they do ED. HYPSM leaves so much talent on the table by not doing Early Decision. As for the rest, what is Duke's RD acceptance rate? 3 percent? 4 percent? They pick and choose, but they already have the academic talent from the ED round. Now they are looking to fill out their class. Could be a tuba player. Could be a writer for the school paper. Could be many things as they fill up their class from the gazillion applications they receive from strong students. At this point, they don't care about Harvard or Stanford. They already have the Harvard and Stanford students from the ED round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UNC and UMich let in several top 20% type kids, test optional, from our high school but deferred the valedictorian with a 1550 SAT

Yes this happens with Michigan at our HS all the time. They know the Val isn’t coming.

This is smart of a large public like Michigan. You are rarely the top destination of the standouts, but you don't need to be. There are many more just below that who will attend so you aim for that. The HYPSM Caltech caliber student isn't going to Michigan.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Why do kids apply to any safety school? If all else fails, it could be the best available option.

Top students shouldn’t use schools like Syracuse and BC as safeties. Even if they get in, there will be very few other strong students at the school, because the school actively turns such students away. They’d be better off at a state flagship where at least there will be top in-state kids.

Please tell us more about BC having very few strong students.

Please tell me how a strong student could possibly get into BC. Everyone in this thread says that their scores and grades disqualify them, because BC cares more about yield!

They get in ED1 and ED2. By regular decision BC only takes middle-of-the-class kids from most privates. They waitlist or decline the strongest kids.

My 4.8 WGPA/1600 SAT MCPS magnet kid was admitted to BC.

If a domestic student, only about 325 students in America have those qualifications. I'm going to assume your son came from a Catholic high school and wants to study business or finance.

Nope. As I said, an MCPS magnet grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke knows it doesn't compete with HYPSM per se; if a student gets into one of those 5 colleges they go there and not Duke.

So with this in mind Duke definitely engages in yield management.

So, how would Duke distinguish between a kid who would be admitted to hypsm and one who would pick Duke? How do they pick the one who is strong enough for Duke but not necessarily hypsm?

Many students that are competitive for HYPSM will apply ED to a handful of other schools, including Duke. HYPSM do SCEA, not ED. So Duke gets those students first since they do ED. HYPSM leaves so much talent on the table by not doing Early Decision. As for the rest, what is Duke's RD acceptance rate? 3 percent? 4 percent? They pick and choose, but they already have the academic talent from the ED round. Now they are looking to fill out their class. Could be a tuba player. Could be a writer for the school paper. Could be many things as they fill up their class from the gazillion applications they receive from strong students. At this point, they don't care about Harvard or Stanford. They already have the Harvard and Stanford students from the ED round.

Riiiight. REA/SCEA is the "we don't yield manage" flex. Duke and the rest of the ivys-plus yield protect with ED. Thanks (genuinely) for pointing out the obvious.