Reply to Yale breaks own record with # of applications for 2016

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Me too -- interviewing for a different HYPS.  Nice kids, reasonably intelligent, but many don't seem to stand out in any way.  Could they do the work at an HYPS?  Probably -- it's just not that hard to get a B at these schools.  Would you find any reason to pull them out of a pile in which they look like 5K other applicants?  No.

So maybe it's not zip codes but different definitions of what constitutes a "no hope" application.[/quote]

Just out of curiosity, what is the difference for you between a standard candidate who could do the work but is otherwise "meh" and one that stands out as some who would be admitted? [/quote]

Not the PP, but basically it's all about being memorable and unique. Most kids don't have the perspective to differentiate themselves from the thousands of other high-achieving athletes, engineers, musicians, whatever. This is where the process is really unfair, because kids with better counseling have help in spinning a good story about themselves.

You need to have a base level of academic achievement (3.5+, 2100+), but from there on out its about the story you tell. For better or for worse, there's a formula for the best stories: "I am an XXX who aspires to be XXX because of XXX experience and overcoming obstacle XXX. To do this I need to XXX and your school is the perfect fit because XXX. I've taken advantage of XXX opportunities at my high school and have made a lasting impact on XXX, and I want to continue that in college by doing XXX and achieving XXX."

Most kids can't hit all those points, whether it's in their essays, recommendations, or interviews. If you're a legacy or go to an elite school that sends many grads to these schools, you have a leg up because you can tell a much more personal story of why you fit at a particular school.[/quote]

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