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I was waitlisted to Columbia, Cornell, and JHU.

I have an 1560 SAT I, and my SAT IIs were all above 700s. I rank in the top 5% in my class. I am president and captain of 3 clubs, and do other clubs. I play numerous instruments. Do i have any chance if there are spots? Plz do not flame me if you get angry at what i wrote.

By Kenenisa (Kenenisa) on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 09:56 pm: Edit

Sure you do! I'm surprised you were 0/3 at those schools. Don't write them if you don't have a reason to, but come up with any excuse to write those colleges (new awards/achievements), and tell your favorite that it is your number one. Supposedly that will help.

By Breeze (Breeze) on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 10:09 pm: Edit

Tell ALL THREE that they are your number one.

By Qwert271 (Qwert271) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 10:02 pm: Edit

Everyone on the waiting list is in the same boat. Your stats don't really come in that much handy once you're on the waiting list. In many cases, it's a courteous rejection because they don't want to miff anyone that is so nice on paper. In other cases, they sincerely wanted to admit you and didn't happen to have the space this year (yet, perhaps).

Obviously, your credentials are not what made them pass on you this time around. It must have been the other components of you app: essays, recs, interest in what you do, passion for what you do. If you feel that you can convey something new about yourself/you have come to a realization about something/gained new perspective/had an epiphany, etc. in an additional letter or essay, then I would encourage doing so. Otherwise, keep in mind they're certainly flooded with appeals to be accepted off of the waitlist. Don't be another 'Columbia has always been my top choice and my SAT is higher than your average' kinda person. Be fresh.

By Rageagnstessays (Rageagnstessays) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 12:36 pm: Edit

Mindrna--you sound very similar to me in stats and activities. I also got waitlisted by Columbia College (and Harvard...but, hey, I got flat-out rejected by JHU).

A VERY IMPORTANT question: Did you apply to Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? The engineering college has a low yield while the College's is very high. I put some stats about the waitlist from last year on another "waitlist" thread on this board.

For Columbia college, even if Columbia has the need to fill their class from the waitlist, there's close to a thousand people on it and they can only admit a few...so figure you have a 3-5% chance if they do in fact use the waitlist. and keep in mind, this is a measly percentage among an applicant pool where EVERYONE is qualified.

However, for columbia engineering, the accept rate of the waitlist last year was something like 20%. check out my other thread "Waitlisted" for the details and link to the actual statistics, i don't remember them exactly. so for columbia engineering--i think there's some hope.

I don't think stats matter from now on...what matters is what you bring to the school. If you're an amazing bassoon player and all the bassoon players columbia admitted choose to go somewhere else, then maybe they'll call on you. stats arent going to make you stand out among the waitlist pool.

i haven't really changed since i applied to columbia, and i don't have any major new awards or ec's, so i'm not going to send them a letter or anything.

By C_Vasoontara (C_Vasoontara) on Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 03:10 pm: Edit

I got waitlisted at Columbia SEAS.

1330 SAT (760 M, 570 V)
730 IIc
690 Physics
610 Writing

Decent EC's, 4th in New England in tennis.
Got into Johns Hopkins, U of Chicago and Bowdoin.

What are my chances of getting in off the waitlist? I'll probably go to Hopkins if I dont get in.