Accepted to Ivy leagues but not "less selective" schools

[poanli2017]

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Question answered. Thanks.

 

[makoons]

I'm not super informed about admissions but here are some thoughts.

Could be that schools thought you weren't interested in them from the interviews.
Some schools only want to offer spots to people they think will go there.

 

[BoomerSooner-ang]

Well, it's very possible you have good grades but you aren't personable or very likable.

Ivy's tend to value stats and academic ability more than other schools, which are usually focused on finding students that they can make into good healthcare providers.

Don't buy into SDN's stats hype, just because someone has good grades, doesn't mean they're a good applicant, I know a few people this cycle denied from "easy" schools despite excellent stats because while they're great people and nice, they're awkward and not really warm personalities.

 

[poanli2017]

.

 

[Incis0r]

Did you demonstrate interest in all of the schools you applied to?

 

[poanli2017]

Yeah and I was even complimented throughout the interview. I'm extremely happy with all of my acceptances, but I was just a little baffled with why that certain school did not accept me so I thought maybe there is a reason.

 

[8_man]

Those "less selective" schools could smell the scent of Ivy on you.

 

[Likkriue]

All schools are selective. Outside of Mississippi (who takes 0 OOS students) almost every other school has a 10% or lower acceptance rate for their applicants. Meaning 90% of applicants do not end up getting in.

That is a large number. Thus just because you have the stats, that does not mean you are guaranteed in.

 

[DentalAptitude]

They have seats they need to fill, they don't had out acceptances just because someone has great stats or even when they interviewed well. They have to meet a certain "goal" of acceptances out of offers made, in order to come back in January and make more offers. Retention and matriculation are valuable stats to schools, plus they need to have a full class! That and it could be something to do with demonstration of interest as others had mentioned


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[BoomerSooner-ang]

They have seats they need to fill, they don't had out acceptances just because someone has great stats or even when they interviewed well. They have to meet a certain "goal" of acceptances out of offers made, in order to come back in January and make more offers. Retention and matriculation are valuable stats to schools, plus they need to have a full class! That and it could be something to do with demonstration of interest as others had mentioned


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In one of my interviews the adcom started discussing acceptances. Someone asked if knowing a student has been accepted some where else plays a role in whether or not their school offers then a spot. She said it didn't, that they would still make the offer and if the student didn't think they were a good fit that was fine.

Idk why people are always going on about how "schools won't offer you if they don't think you'll settle for them" I just don't think that's true, and I've never seen anything that supports that sentiment.

Most likely OP just wasn't a fit for their classes, and is more of a fit for the style of student the ivy's are looking for.

As @Likkriue said, almost all schools are selective, they're just selective for different traits.

 

[poanli2017]

They have seats they need to fill, they don't had out acceptances just because someone has great stats or even when they interviewed well. They have to meet a certain "goal" of acceptances out of offers made, in order to come back in January and make more offers. Retention and matriculation are valuable stats to schools, plus they need to have a full class! That and it could be something to do with demonstration of interest as others had mentioned

I guess I had not thought about the retention and matriculation stats of a school. It's an interesting topic to think about.

 

[Frychicken]

Each school exists as a separate entity and admission decisions are made independent of one another.

The ivy admissions director is not going to call all of your other "less selective" schools, as you phrased it, and say "Sooooo, we just accepted Poanli2017 and because we are the more superior dental school, you must automatically accept him/her into your inferior program. Cool?".

 

[wengerout]

Ivy's tend to value stats and academic ability more than other schools, which are usually focused on finding students that they can make into good healthcare providers.

I disagree with this. I only interviewed at one Ivy but they were not even close to coming off as the most focused on my GPA/scores during the interview day. Yes they have higher average stats but it takes way more than high stats to get into any dental school, including the Ivy's.



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[wengerout]

OP I think it comes down to a few things. For one, all schools are just as selective as the others including the Ivy's. Yes some self selection occurs due to average stats, but that is arbitrary.

Secondly, it could have come down to your interview, your interview day, and just chance. My state school takes 10% OOS which equals 10 literal seats. They had over 800 people apply for those 10 seats. At that point good stats aren't good enough anymore. You have to connect with the admissions committee/students on a personal level(which usually requires prior contact). They aren't kidding when they say the entire interview day is an interview. You can kill the interview but if you are looking depressed the entire day besides the interview, they will take notice.


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[Farvahar13]

.

 

[wengerout]

It's not at all about the program being "inferior", as you phrased it, but rather the fact that I thought I had great interviews and connected well with the students and still wasn't accepted to the school (with acceptance rate of 70-80% of interviews, that's what I meant by "less selective"). Regardless, why beat a dead horse at this point.

You got into dental school, all that matters


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