A lot of those schools have high early decision admission rates. Regular decision is much harder, especially with demonstrated interest being important.

There was a podcast about some student applying to Yale and the admissions officers just flat out said it looks like this applicant just applied to the top 20 schools without anything indicating why he wanted to attend Yale.

So demonstrated interest plays a big part.

OP, we're in a similar situation. DC initially wanted to try transferring, but we persuaded DC to plan for graduating in three years by leveraging the AP credits and aiming for a top graduate school. Many of these schools offer 1-year Master's programs. Ultimately, where you attended undergrad matters less if you hold an MS from a prestigious institution (if that kind of prestige is important to your DC).

That’s why I liked that my kid’s HS only allowed 10 applications. He didn’t waste day of them on long shots.

Sounds like the OP allowed too many long shot applications. Next time, don’t bother.

I had a friend in the same boat last year. Very surprising results in a bad way. Was going to transfer. However he ended up loving the safety school and will now stay there.

Good luck to OP. Your child will recover and may like the safety in the end.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WLs all done. None came through.

DC is heading to a school w/ 80% admit. Stats, awards, research and still waitlisted everywhere. Transfer plans are in the works. Anyone else in the same boat?

You sound awful.

80% admit rate unequivocally does NOT mean low quality.

Going to a 4 year college with the intention of transferring sounds awful. You should have built your list from the bottom up and found safeties you’d be happy to attend. I have zero sympathy for you.

Don't be a pretender.
There's a clear correlation.

I think the key to picking safeties is make sure each one has at least one really attractive attribute, so even if you aren’t thrilled about the school overall, at least you can focus on that one exciting characteristic. Like Hawaii & San Diego State have incredible weather. Indiana, Oklahoma State, & Kansas have especially pretty campuses. Alabama & LSU are usually going to have great football teams. Etc.

Anonymous wrote:WLs all done. None came through.

DC is heading to a school w/ 80% admit. Stats, awards, research and still waitlisted everywhere. Transfer plans are in the works. Anyone else in the same boat?

You sound awful.

80% admit rate unequivocally does NOT mean low quality.

Going to a 4 year college with the intention of transferring sounds awful. You should have built your list from the bottom up and found safeties you’d be happy to attend. I have zero sympathy for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plenty of solid acceptances on that list of eight schools! I don’t know why you suggested the student was only admitted to one safety school.

Your kid couldn’t get excited about PSU or Syracuse? I don’t see the need to focus on transferring under these circumstances? The post feels kind of deceptive, it’s not as dire as suggested.

She's not getting “excited” about a school she didn’t want to apply to in the first place. We’re allowed to be disappointed and look ahead at the same time.

+1
These pretenders are judging

Anonymous wrote:Well, reading between the lines, it seems pretty obvious that OP’s kid made no use of ED1 or ED2 or, if they did, it was aiming too high. So kid probably ended up “lower” as a result. Want to avoid that outcome? Make strategic use of ED.

Strategic admission planning has become am advisable part of this process, it seems. For example, this, from 2021, is from a prominent boarding school, St. Paul's School: "While the College Advising Office routinely encourages students to think strategically about their early applications, that advice felt 'more important than in past years,' according to Ainor."

It also might be of interest to view the variety of schools to which these students applied and were accepted: "Among those who offered the most acceptances to members of the Form of 2021 were Georgetown University, Fordham University, Northeastern University, University of St. Andrews, University of Vermont, Trinity College, University of California San Diego, University of Virginia, Columbia University, and Hamilton College."

https://www.spshorae.com/spring-2021/2021/6/9/sps-today-an-unusual-year-for-college-admission

congrats on picking Drexel - fine school and a hidden gem in many respects

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WLs all done. None came through.

DC is heading to a school w/ 80% admit. Stats, awards, research and still waitlisted everywhere. Transfer plans are in the works. Anyone else in the same boat?

name the schools or don’t post - this is a waste of our time without you naming the schools. Cardinal rule of DCUM, name the school or don’t bother

Not accepted:
- Yale
- Brown
- Gtown
- Columbia
- Emory
- NYU
- Northeastern
- BC
- W&M (In-state)
- UVA (In-state)
- Vanderbilt
- Richmond

Admitted:
- VCU
- JMU
- GMU
- Rutgers
- PSU
- Drexel
- Hofstra
- Syracuse

Will not be disclosing which she will attend.

Looks like you were aiming too high. She got into great schools. You are the problem.

How many wait lists, and which schools?

Well, reading between the lines, it seems pretty obvious that OP’s kid made no use of ED1 or ED2 or, if they did, it was aiming too high. So kid probably ended up “lower” as a result. Want to avoid that outcome? Make strategic use of ED.

I’ve heard great things about Drexel’s co-op program.

Maybe she’ll end up liking JMU—go Dukes!