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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Article in Ny times.. by Jeff Selingo

“That mind-set makes acceptance to a highly selective college feel like a game. The rules are set by colleges, then carried out by admissions offices, and are stacked against the vast majority of teenagers. Fewer than a tenth of applicants win that prize of getting into one of the nation’s most selective colleges. If that weren’t enough, every year elite colleges move the goal line with new rules for getting across it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/opinion/college-admissions-seniors-stats.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

I doubt most people will learn anything from his book or article. We keep playing this game and colleges keep winning..[/quote]
Selingo says in this article you can’t do anything about the rules set by colleges. It’s called legislation. Abolish ED.[/quote]

Nonsense, they are private institutions. People can choose to apply or not to apply but private schools have every right to create an admissions process that works for their interests.[/quote]
It is a simple act of Congress. Or Mass can do it at the state level to get it started. Or enforce existing anti-trust law.

While we are at it, limit waitlists to some reasonable number — not in the thousands.[/quote]

Why?  Why do you care?  Colleges are businesses whose ultimate goal is to fill the freshman class with X students.  Not X+100 and not X-100.  Both create different ramifications for the school.  You can either get on a WL or not.  Up to you.  But in general it's best to assume you wont get off any WL, and make your best pick by May1 and proceed with attending in the fall.

But the school needs to ensure they have X students matriculating for Fall semester.  WL are part of that management.

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Sure, why should anyone care if colleges have 5,000-person waitlists for 10 potential spots? Nothing wrong with that — at all. It should even be celebrated. Thanks, colleges. [/quote]

So you would rather your kid get put on ZERO Wait lists?  When a college sends out a WL offer, they have no clue how many spots there will be.  Their jobs is to fill their freshman class.  You can choose to accept a WL or not.

If your kid is "qualified " for a T25 school, they can literally find tons of merit and mostly acceptances in the 30-75 range.  If you find schools outside the T25, you won't have so much stress and will be happier
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What are you, nutty? Yes, 4,500 kids would be done a tremendous favor if it was mandated that the waitlist be limited, in this example, to, say, 500 kids. What you fail to understand is that no more than 100 kids had any chance in hell of getting off that waitlist, let alone 500, let alone 5,000. It is totally unnecessary and borderline emotionally abusive.[/quote]

I don't "fail to understand" anything.  My kid knew that WL is really a rejection, sure get on a few lists if you really want, but mentally pick the best choice school by May 1 and move forward assuming that is where youre going come august/sept.  If you as a parent manage those expectations, your kid would be happier (and so would you).  My kid knew going in that their reaches were just that---reaches with single digit acceptance rates, so don't take it personally and move on.  You do your job as a parent and your kid will be fine
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