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As I read through old posts, I see mention of schools sending out likely letters. Is this something that just LAC do, or do larger schools also do this? Which schools do send likely letters and how many students receive them? Is it realistic to assume if you get a likely letter that you will be accepted, or are there students who do in fact get rejected after receiving a likely letter?

I had never heard about likely letter until I started reading CC.

By Tropicanabanana (Tropicanabanana) on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 11:22 pm: Edit

schools I know that do it - Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Bryn Mawr, Smith.

I seriously doubt they would reject anyone after sending a letter saying they're likely to get in. Why on earth would they do that?

By Caseyatthebat (Caseyatthebat) on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 11:46 pm: Edit

My S got a likely letter from Dartmouth, but he was a recruited athlete, and there was a very specific reason for his receiving such a letter. He had to decide whether to forego other Division I scholarship offers by Nov.10, so he submitted his Dartmouth app early had it reviewed and received his likely letter. As a lawyer (and a mom)I studied it carefully, I could never figure how a school could act contrary to the wording in the letter my S received. I also know Harvard issues letters of this nature in similar circumstances.

By Sybbie719 (Sybbie719) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 07:28 am: Edit

Williams sends and Early write which is their verson of the likely letter. Amherst also sends likely letters.

My daughter applied RD and got a likely letter from Dartmouth and an early write from Williams literally days apare (Dartmouth letter came on a Saturday, Williams on Monday). It really did help to alleviate some of the stress in our house during the "march Madness". Daughter cried so hard, I thought she lost the dog, because she was going to walk the dog, when she took the mail out of the box.

I have attached the following artlice which will help give you a better understanding of likely letters:

{Schools' 'Love Notes' Quietly Say, You're In
By ANNE MARIE CHAKER
Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
From The Wall Street Journal Online
Jan. 27, 2003 --

Early-decision admissions policies may be falling out of favor at some top universities, but many schools are quietly using an array of other tools to win over the best students early.
In increasing numbers, colleges are wooing their top choices with notes of praise and hints of acceptance letters and scholarship money to come. The idea is to win their affections by getting them some good news before the competition does. This courtship, which can take place up to several months before formal acceptance letters hit students' mailboxes, comes in various forms: everything from "likely" letters -- which tell students that they're likely to get admitted -- to "love" letters, or handwritten notes from admissions offices complimenting a student's essay or some other aspect of the application. At least one school, Mary Washington College, goes a step further. It outright accepts the student early, even though it recently did away with its formal early-decision policy."

Post edited to remove the rest of the article since posting entire articles violates copyrights.
Moderator DoveofPeace

By Nyugrad (Nyugrad) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 08:54 am: Edit

In response to the original poster. I'm not sure of others, I can only speak for my family. My son received likely letters from Duke, Columbia, and Cornell and was later accepted by all three. (not an athlete).

By Rhonda63 (Rhonda63) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 08:58 am: Edit

I know someone who got one from Amherst (not an athlete).

By Achat (Achat) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:01 am: Edit

I think the LACs send 'early writes' and then ask the students to keep quiet about it. That said, I don't know about Amherst, maybe Amherst sends likelies. My son got an early write from Swarthmore on March 12th. And then a letter confirming that on April 1st.

By Sokkermom (Sokkermom) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:02 am: Edit

Wake Forest sent an extremely personalized hand written likely letter.

By Sybbie719 (Sybbie719) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 11:07 am: Edit

Link to the article:

Schools' 'Love Notes' Quietly Say, You're In
By ANNE MARIE CHAKER
Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
From The Wall Street Journal Online
Jan. 27, 2003

http://www.collegejournal.com/aidadmissions/newstrends/20030127-chaker.html

By Pokey318 (Pokey318) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 12:09 pm: Edit

Thank you for the link. I now have a better understanding of these letters.

By Rhonda63 (Rhonda63) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 12:16 pm: Edit

Achat -- I may be thinking of an early write re Amherst. I'm not sure what the difference is (more jargon problems!) I believe it was about the same time as you mention for Swat, mid-March.

By Anonymom7 (Anonymom7) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 12:56 pm: Edit

Son rec'd a likely email and then a call from a professor last year at Northwestern. Why they just don't mail the acceptance out first is strange/or just part of the game I guess....

By Chinaman (Chinaman) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 01:24 pm: Edit

I am not sure if it is a routine letter or just a courtsey call as our applications are not in. Has anyone experience of getting a personalized letter from the few head of the departments of IVYs which gives more details (brochures) about each faculty and their interest. They also provide in a letter about speicifc grants where they are looking for people. Is this marketing stratgeis?

By Emptynester (Emptynester) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 01:41 pm: Edit

Chinaman, my sons did receive these sorts of letters from schools which later sent likelies. Good luck!

By Motheroftwo (Motheroftwo) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 01:42 pm: Edit

How would you view a letter from an admissions officer of a small LAC which tells a student that her interviewer (interviewers are senior students at this school) listed her as "one of the favorite people interviewed" from the admissions officer's region? The letter encouraged her to apply etc. but was mailed before she had sent her application, so that the admissions officer had no knowledge of her grades, SATs, etc. I think it was sort of a form letter sent to a group of students, but that it was not sent to everyone who had been interviewed. Do colleges routinely sent these, or is this unusual?

By Searchingavalon (Searchingavalon) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 01:43 pm: Edit

Chinaman, D didn't receive exactly the letter you're referring to, but did get an email (distribution list hidden) from the head of the Classics department at one of the IVYs. I took it as a marketing strategy and/or courtesy; D hasn't sent in an application yet.

By Emptynester (Emptynester) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 02:08 pm: Edit

I think maybe we are talking about different types of letters. Our very limited experience, in order of receipt: form letters with a (usually) stamped signature from dept head, etc; more personalized letters possibly targeted to individual student;likely letters; phone calls from profs/students in dept. There is so much talk about expressing interest and imho these communications are a good time to do so with a thank you and maybe additional questions. But in the end it doesn't matter if a student is accepted early or off the wait-list in the summer; they are all in the same place in sept.

By Emptynester (Emptynester) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 02:21 pm: Edit

one more thought. I have a hunch these communications are at a certain point targeting not necessarily just the most attractive students but those the schools know are considering & comparing other similar colleges... like Chinaman's son. Wonder if other parents feel the same? That is my only explanation for why some very high stat students don't get likelies from their first choice schools and other comparable students do.