Fierce competition for Fall 2021 admissions, if lots of current seniors defer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a guess, but I imagine admission offices might have some hard number of deferments they are not willing to go over. First come, first served sort of approach. Those 2020 who want to defer should get that done ASAP.

Hopefully we'll know more next week perhaps, for schools with May 1 deadlines.

I was speaking with a relative about this. She is a VP for a very well-known and respected university with a >10% acceptance rate. The colleges and universities will only allow a limited number of deferrals. It is a decision they make for financial reasons. Like all businesses, they need the revenue for this upcoming year, not the year after. They aren't going to hold a vast number of student slots open for 1.5 years from now. That would be like Amazon saying, 'Sure, it's fine. We'll hold your TP for you and deliver it in 1.5 years when you're ready to pay.' Nope, not gonna happen.

My DD is in at 3 schools with >10% admit and has talked to them each about deferring. None of them have a problem with it and all have said they have greatly expanded this option for admitted students knowing the uncertainty of the times. She has accepted 1 deferment already and may do another in a few weeks.

How is it possible to accept more than one deferment? Most colleges require an enrollment deposit before deferring, which can only be done at one school. (Some colleges require additional deposits during the coming year, 1-5k)

PP here -- both schools have a less than $500 deposit to enroll.

Are you really that much of a selfish person that you would take multiple spots in future classes for your child to give them a year to decide? And all while knowing it could screw other students like her in next year’s senior class?

She has not only spoken to her HS college counselor but also both schools. Their decision not yours. You can chill out.

So she told her high school counselor that she's going to double deposit and hold both schools for a year and they said sure? AND she told both colleges that while she's accepting and deferring she is ALSO doing that for another school as well and may not choose them in the end? And everyone is totally ok with this? This is shocking to me. I could see if she asked her HS counselor about deferring and they said why not and she asked each college if she could defer and they agreed but I find it incredibly difficult to believe that they are all fine with her holding multiple spots for over a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:That's why student who want to defer should not be allowed to do so. They should have to reapply next year.

Yes because they haven't been screwed over enough this year.

Other than missing graduation (which is boring AF anyway), how have they been more "screwed over" than the class of 2021? I would argue the juniors have it even worse. Many fewer times for testing. Missing out on the most important semester for grades into their transript--and now the 2020 class taking away possibly up to 20% of possible spots for top colleges next year.

I have three teenagers. One in college, one senior, and one sophomore. By far the worst hit is the senior, no comparison. They miss everything related to the end of school, including saying goodbye to their friends. Yes, my Sophomore missed her spring sport which she was trying to be recruited and has to take two on-line AP Exams. It is not a win for anyone but the enormity of disappointment is overwhelming for my senior. If she loses her summer job that will be a huge hit. Her college has not announced that what they will do in Fall BUT they did tell her that if it is on-line, she will be able to defer. That is not normally an option. I feel bad for the next two years of students applying to colleges, especially the juniors because unfortunately I do think they will be the toughest admissions class in quite a long time. So that sucks for them, but there are still plenty of options. They will probably have a more mature outlook on life in the whole process because they have now lived through "anything can happen". However, no class has it worse than the senior class of 2020. I am sad for them and all teenagers but we will get through it.

Nope. The 2020 class can have some sentimentality over it, but the 2021 class is completely screwed by all the 2020 Mommies who are too scared to sent their kids and too weak to just say to them: It's not what you planned, tough luck. Imagine fi you did that, then your senior could have "a more mature outlook on life..." just like you expect from the 2021s. This thread makes me so upset, because it never occurred to me that the class of 2020 is going to so completely screw my junior. What a mess.

[Anonymous]

I haven't seen any data on how widespread the virus was around campuses. Is there any? This virus was in the States by January, and presumably international students must have come back from China and Italy. But I just don't hear that there were outbreaks on campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's why student who want to defer should not be allowed to do so. They should have to reapply next year.

Yes because they haven't been screwed over enough this year.

Other than missing graduation (which is boring AF anyway), how have they been more "screwed over" than the class of 2021? I would argue the juniors have it even worse. Many fewer times for testing. Missing out on the most important semester for grades into their transript--and now the 2020 class taking away possibly up to 20% of possible spots for top colleges next year.

I have three teenagers. One in college, one senior, and one sophomore. By far the worst hit is the senior, no comparison. They miss everything related to the end of school, including saying goodbye to their friends. Yes, my Sophomore missed her spring sport which she was trying to be recruited and has to take two on-line AP Exams. It is not a win for anyone but the enormity of disappointment is overwhelming for my senior. If she loses her summer job that will be a huge hit. Her college has not announced that what they will do in Fall BUT they did tell her that if it is on-line, she will be able to defer. That is not normally an option. I feel bad for the next two years of students applying to colleges, especially the juniors because unfortunately I do think they will be the toughest admissions class in quite a long time. So that sucks for them, but there are still plenty of options. They will probably have a more mature outlook on life in the whole process because they have now lived through "anything can happen". However, no class has it worse than the senior class of 2020. I am sad for them and all teenagers but we will get through it.

Nope. The 2020 class can have some sentimentality over it, but the 2021 class is completely screwed by all the 2020 Mommies who are too scared to sent their kids and too weak to just say to them: It's not what you planned, tough luck. Imagine fi you did that, then your senior could have "a more mature outlook on life..." just like you expect from the 2021s. This thread makes me so upset, because it never occurred to me that the class of 2020 is going to so completely screw my junior. What a mess.

+1

Class of 2020 moms can sit down and shut up. Their child got into college. I don't want to hear how important mom thinks it is for their kid to walk across the stage. Your kid doesn't care half as much as you!

For those of you who think they can make "multiple deposits" or whatever. That is not how it works. Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't seen any data on how widespread the virus was around campuses. Is there any? This virus was in the States by January, and presumably international students must have come back from China and Italy. But I just don't hear that there were outbreaks on campus.

Most campuses cleared out by March 16, at the latest - that is why you don't hear much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a guess, but I imagine admission offices might have some hard number of deferments they are not willing to go over. First come, first served sort of approach. Those 2020 who want to defer should get that done ASAP.

Hopefully we'll know more next week perhaps, for schools with May 1 deadlines.

I was speaking with a relative about this. She is a VP for a very well-known and respected university with a >10% acceptance rate. The colleges and universities will only allow a limited number of deferrals. It is a decision they make for financial reasons. Like all businesses, they need the revenue for this upcoming year, not the year after. They aren't going to hold a vast number of student slots open for 1.5 years from now. That would be like Amazon saying, 'Sure, it's fine. We'll hold your TP for you and deliver it in 1.5 years when you're ready to pay.' Nope, not gonna happen.

My DD is in at 3 schools with >10% admit and has talked to them each about deferring. None of them have a problem with it and all have said they have greatly expanded this option for admitted students knowing the uncertainty of the times. She has accepted 1 deferment already and may do another in a few weeks.

How is it possible to accept more than one deferment? Most colleges require an enrollment deposit before deferring, which can only be done at one school. (Some colleges require additional deposits during the coming year, 1-5k)

PP here -- both schools have a less than $500 deposit to enroll.

Are you really that much of a selfish person that you would take multiple spots in future classes for your child to give them a year to decide? And all while knowing it could screw other students like her in next year’s senior class?

She has not only spoken to her HS college counselor but also both schools. Their decision not yours. You can chill out.

So she told her high school counselor that she's going to double deposit and hold both schools for a year and they said sure? AND she told both colleges that while she's accepting and deferring she is ALSO doing that for another school as well and may not choose them in the end? And everyone is totally ok with this? This is shocking to me. I could see if she asked her HS counselor about deferring and they said why not and she asked each college if she could defer and they agreed but I find it incredibly difficult to believe that they are all fine with her holding multiple spots for over a year.

Not how it works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A high school is only going to send one 'final transcript' to one school. So one could double deposit, but it will get kind of awkward when the second school doesn't receive said transcript.

+1

Other PP is full of crap and trying to wind up the other parents. Ignore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So in light of all of the above, trying to best position 2021 junior who is: full pay, URM, >1500 SAT, lower-than-typical GPA. From where things were prior to coronavirus, a couple of T30s were the reaches for a potential ED. Does the full payer consider aiming higher than they were originally?

I would aim the same as before for ED. You will have things both going for you and against you (full pay is a plus, effectively smaller class size is a minus, URM is always a plus before or after Corona, SAT/GPA is a wash here). Hope it helps.

2021 will not be a smaller class, because the colleges will only hold a very small number of seats, if any.

Fact.

[Anonymous]

I have a senior and a junior. Senior has no plans to defer. Junior is having a harder time right now than senior. Not a competition, and no one knows how this will play out.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how this factors in but for next year there would presumably be fewer international students. Also, colleges generally have a certain portion of students studying abroad each semester. If those abroad trips are cancelled (likely at least for fall) those kids will need beds on campus. So there may be more students on campus at least for fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how this factors in but for next year there would presumably be fewer international students. Also, colleges generally have a certain portion of students studying abroad each semester. If those abroad trips are cancelled (likely at least for fall) those kids will need beds on campus. So there may be more students on campus at least for fall.

This seems to have been the case already at my kid's college. Housing selection has already taken place (except for freshman dorms) and it was obvious that campus will be a little more full than usual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume that, if lots of seniors defer and hold places for next year, there will be fewer slots for next year's applicants. Right?

Colleges and universities will only hold so many spots. Period.

This makes sense but isn't what they're currently telling students.

DCUMers only want to know what they can Google.

Truth is, colleges will be happy to refund money to those who did not or will not start the year. No one has “rights” to “reserve” a space. Colleges and universities can essentially do as they please; and there is absolutely no incentive for schools to “save anyone’s spot”. That would be ridiculous and bad business sense. Where are you people getting this bad information?

This.

The amount of $$$ 2020 parents pay for college tuition is relatively fixed. That amount is not magically bigger than that of 2021. The number 1 priority of any college administrator right now is to maximize the 2020 tuition dollars coming in. It makes zero sense for any college to defer 20% of the revenue to next year.

If they defer students, they will also pull from the waitlist. $ will be coming in this year.

Your math doesn't add up. In your dreamt up scenario, 2020 parents are expected to supply 100% of the tuition dollars this year, and 20% of the revenue next year. What makes 2020 parents so rich?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how this factors in but for next year there would presumably be fewer international students. Also, colleges generally have a certain portion of students studying abroad each semester. If those abroad trips are cancelled (likely at least for fall) those kids will need beds on campus. So there may be more students on campus at least for fall.

This seems to have been the case already at my kid's college. Housing selection has already taken place (except for freshman dorms) and it was obvious that campus will be a little more full than usual.

Several colleges have eliminated triples to allow for more distancing.

[Anonymous]

"sane person" poster is back.

Well, seniors around me are getting into dream reach schools left and right off wait lists. I think my prediction of 25% or so 2020 seniors deferring seems about right. We'll know more eventually.

As expected, the parents of those seniors are happy to pay their money to better colleges.

Ok, Juniors, your college entry will be the toughest year in decades. You will have a lot of deferred kids a year older than you in your classrooms. It will suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"sane person" poster is back.

Well, seniors around me are getting into dream reach schools left and right off wait lists. I think my prediction of 25% or so 2020 seniors deferring seems about right. We'll know more eventually.

As expected, the parents of those seniors are happy to pay their money to better colleges.

Ok, Juniors, your college entry will be the toughest year in decades. You will have a lot of deferred kids a year older than you in your classrooms. It will suck.

So your anecdotal predicts a nationwide 25% deferral. But somewhat the schools can still get 100% of the revenue this year and 25% next year from the same 2020 parents. This whole thread is built on a silly assumption that class of 2020 is so special that colleges want 125% of them and their parents are so rich they will provide 125% of the tuition dollars.