Northwestern 2011 Applicants Forum

[dcwumpus]

Also held. A bit crushed. But checking the "still interested" box and moving on...

[rupret1]

Held. Probably going to withdraw b/c #1 - I think this batch of non-decisions is BS and #2 - if I wanted to wait until May for a decision I wouldn't have applied October 3.

[Ratchet Jackson]

nulawadmissions just posted a tweet about a blog post with additional info into the hold process.

[rbarcelo9]

From the tone of their tweet one would think there was good news going out as well...i can't imagine they are so excited about sending out a big batch of holds...

EDIT: I guess johanns tweet may imply that people would be freaking out when they got this decision

[Hannibal]

nulawadmissions just posted a tweet about a blog post with additional info into the hold process.

Yeah saw that. I'm thinking I actually won't withdraw and instead get one of my bosses to send in a CPE. They both love me, might as well give it a shot.

[Ratchet Jackson]

nulawadmissions just posted a tweet about a blog post with additional info into the hold process.

Yeah saw that. I'm thinking I actually won't withdraw and instead get one of my bosses to send in a CPE. They both love me, might as well give it a shot.

Yeah, there's really nothing to lose but we def wont know about our NU fate until way later in the cycle.

[WhatSarahSaid]

Also held.

Is anyone else as frustrated by holds as I am? I honestly believe that there's no point of sending out a notification for anything except an acceptance/denial/WL.

I guess I'll print out this letter and submit it so that I can have the exciting opportunity to be considered for a waitlist spot or denial a month after first deposits are due at other schools.

[Hannibal]

nulawadmissions just posted a tweet about a blog post with additional info into the hold process.

Yeah saw that. I'm thinking I actually won't withdraw and instead get one of my bosses to send in a CPE. They both love me, might as well give it a shot.

Yeah, there's really nothing to lose but we def wont know about our NU fate until way later in the cycle.

I guess I'll start planning for UIUC/Michigan if I get in there, and if NU doesn't give me huge money I'll tell them to go ______ a _____.

[BackToTheOldHouse]

nulawadmissions just posted a tweet about a blog post with additional info into the hold process.

Yeah saw that. I'm thinking I actually won't withdraw and instead get one of my bosses to send in a CPE. They both love me, might as well give it a shot.

Yeah, there's really nothing to lose but we def wont know about our NU fate until way later in the cycle.

I guess I'll start planning for UIUC/Michigan if I get in there, and if NU doesn't give me huge money I'll tell them to go ______ a _____.

"Huge a child"?

[swimmergirl1303]

Can someone please explain how holds/waitlists help with rankings? Do they not have to count people they waitlist (even if they later accept them) in their statistics?

[justhoping]

held too. i thought i'd be rejected since i checked off the box "no interview". undecided as to whether to withdraw.

[Flustercluck]

Step 1 - Accept applications

Step 2 - Mass hold leads to self-selected attrition by those on hold who are otherwise not as interested in NU. Said self-selecters, by virtue of their withdrawls, were less likely to attend NU if admitted in the first place. Pool of applicants is thinned by self-selection, remaining applicants are obviously more interested/invested in attending NU, and are therefore offered admission based on demonstrated interest and likelihood of attendence as opposed to purely based on numbers, which are relatively equivalent for all those held. Yield protection is acheived, USNWR ranking is secured.

Step 3 - Profit

[Lou9]

Held. Probably won't be waiting it out.

[bk1]

Step 1 - Accept applications

Step 2 - Mass hold leads to self-selected attrition by those on hold who are otherwise not as interested in NU. Said self-selecters, by virtue of their withdrawls, were less likely to attend NU if admitted in the first place. Pool of applicants is thinned by self-selection, remaining applicants are obviously more interested/invested in attending NU, and are therefore offered admission based on demonstrated interest and likelihood of attendence as opposed to purely based on numbers, which are relatively equivalent for all those held. Yield protection is acheived, USNWR ranking is secured.

Step 3 - Profit

You forgot the part of step 2 where all the neurotic law school applicants, especially those with high GPA's and/or LSAT's, decide to killself in response to the mass hold thereby reducing even the ones who wanted to go to NU.

[kch3684]

Held although since I didn't' submit a CPE or do an interview I actually can send them something new. Also will probably do 1 or 2 of the hold essays

[rs2004]

so today's decisions were all holds? no rejections no acceptances?

[fatduck]

Step 1 - Accept applications

Step 2 - Mass hold leads to self-selected attrition by those on hold who are otherwise not as interested in NU. Said self-selecters, by virtue of their withdrawls, were less likely to attend NU if admitted in the first place. Pool of applicants is thinned by self-selection, remaining applicants are obviously more interested/invested in attending NU, and are therefore offered admission based on demonstrated interest and likelihood of attendence as opposed to purely based on numbers, which are relatively equivalent for all those held. Yield protection is acheived, USNWR ranking is secured.

Step 3 - Profit

to discourage this sort of behavior, it would be best if no one withdrew their held applications (or if everyone withdrew, now that would be hilarious)

[Flustercluck]

Step 1 - Accept applications

Step 2 - Mass hold leads to self-selected attrition by those on hold who are otherwise not as interested in NU. Said self-selecters, by virtue of their withdrawls, were less likely to attend NU if admitted in the first place. Pool of applicants is thinned by self-selection, remaining applicants are obviously more interested/invested in attending NU, and are therefore offered admission based on demonstrated interest and likelihood of attendence as opposed to purely based on numbers, which are relatively equivalent for all those held. Yield protection is acheived, USNWR ranking is secured.

Step 3 - Profit

You forgot the part of step 2 where all the neurotic law school applicants, especially those with high GPA's and/or LSAT's, decide to killself in response to the mass hold thereby reducing even the ones who wanted to go to NU.

Self-terminating 0Ls were destined for Cornell anyway...

[bk1]

so today's decisions were all holds? no rejections no acceptances?

That's what it seems like so far.

[swimmergirl1303]

Can someone please explain how holds/waitlists help with USNWR rankings? Do they not have to count people they waitlist (even if they later accept them) in their statistics?

Anyone know?

[Flustercluck]

Waitlisting/Holding = Yield Protection

Part of the evaluation of a school is what percent of accepted students attend. Someone with good enough numbers for admission to NU could have good enough numbers for acceptance to another school, ranked lower or higher, that they would prefer to attend. Thus, they may self select themselves out of the process and ensure a higher return rate on the acceptances they give out. (See my previous 3-step post)

Also, it allows them to continually fine tune the class to uphold the median LSAT and GPA, which in turn affects rankings as well.

[originalmutt]

What purpose is served by withdrawing? Why not give the adcomm more work to do to spite them?

I just see no benefit in withdrawing an app other than to protect one's ego, but maybe I'm missing something. Even if you plan to go elsewhere seems like you have nothing to lose keeping your app active.

[bk1]

Waitlisting/Holding = Yield Protection

Part of the evaluation of a school is what percent of accepted students attend. Someone with good enough numbers for admission to NU could have good enough numbers for acceptance to another school, ranked lower or higher, that they would prefer to attend. Thus, they may self select themselves out of the process and ensure a higher return rate on the acceptances they give out. (See my previous 3-step post)

Also, it allows them to continually fine tune the class to uphold the median LSAT and GPA, which in turn affects rankings as well.

This is why the waitlist low and average numbers.

The reason is that schools waitlist high numbers (which is what is more commonly referred to as YP) is:

Acceptance Rate (.025)
The proportion of applicants to the full-time program who were accepted for entry into the 2007 entering class.

You want this to be as low as possible. If you accept somebody then it hurts this score. You have to accept people to fill your class, but ideally you would accept exactly the number of people in your class. Because you know people with a 180/4.0 probably are going to Harvard and not Michigan, you either waitlist them or throw lots of money at them with their acceptance.

[arism87]

What purpose is served by withdrawing? Why not give the adcomm more work to do to spite them?

I just see no benefit in withdrawing an app other than to protect one's ego, but maybe I'm missing something. Even if you plan to go elsewhere seems like you have nothing to lose keeping your app active.

Huge benefit! Also, I withdrew from a WL in UG because I wanted to get excited about where I was going, not constantly have a deep secret hope that I wouldn't end up there.

(Not that logically it isn't better to stay on the list.. I'm silly like that.)

[bk1]

What purpose is served by withdrawing? Why not give the adcomm more work to do to spite them?

I just see no benefit in withdrawing an app other than to protect one's ego, but maybe I'm missing something. Even if you plan to go elsewhere seems like you have nothing to lose keeping your app active.

The only reasons I can think of:

1. Be considerate to other applicants as it helps speed of the decision process of adcomms and thus help all others on hold/waitlist.

2. Because you want to spite them in some odd way. Some people feel good about rejecting the school (in an odd way).

3. Just to put it out of your mind so you can plan. (This one is a bit irrational.)

But yes, you technically have nothing to lose by keeping it open.