The day after…
This is, by far, one of the hardest parts of our jobs.
After spending 6 weeks poring over essays and transcripts, recommendations and resumes, DVDs and newspaper clippings, we had to narrow the field from 965 applicants to 180 Candidates.
There are hundreds of truly deserving candidates.
There are hundreds of students who could be amazing contributors to the Olin Community.
You are all talented and incredible people.
As trite as it may sound, we wish we could bring you all to Candidates’ Weekends. But being the tiny institution that we are, we can only bring about 180 to campus.
We know many of you would like to know the EXACT reason why you were not invited to Candidates’ Weekend. And yet, as unsatisfying as it may be to you, it ultimately boils down to the numbers… 180 spots waiting to be filled by 965 talented, extraordinary people. We agonized over these decisions – there were tears and tantrums, and even some marathon team meetings. Please know that there was nothing “lacking” in you or your application. The letter from us should have no bearing on how you see yourself as a student or a person. In the end, it isn’t about what you “didn’t do” or could have “done better” but that there are just too many terrific students applying for only a handful of spots.
We hope that others are telling you this as well: you will have plenty of great college options this year. 
Next August you will be schlepping your laundry basket and your computer into a dorm room somewhere, and you will embark on a fun and exciting four-year journey. You will stay up late having philosophical discussions about crunchy Cheetos vs. puffy Cheetos and you will learn the true meaning of the “all-nighter.” It will be fun, and you will be happy. It’s hard to picture it now, but take it from us…your determination and hard work are what make you successful in life, not where you go to college for four years.
Take the same passion for learning that you shared with us, and carry it with you, no matter where you go in life. It will serve you well, and in the end, that’s way more important than a letter from a college.
Stay well, and best wishes from the entire Olin Admission Team.
~Emily, Caitlin and Allison
Another year…another fantastic and heartbreaking job, ladies. We in the Olin ‘fan club’ salute, applaud, commend and bow down to you!
We know how the Admissions/application team(s) at Olin become fast ‘family’ members to the pool of applicants and having to say no to just one (let alone 700!), creates an emotional dent in your hearts armour.
And to the applicants, especially those who’s lives will diverge to another path, good luck and *know* you are better humans for surviving the agonizing process!! Life awaits. Grab hold with both hands and carpe’ diem!
Ellen
Comment by ellen — February 5, 2008 @ 8:21 pm
Hey, just curious,
how many international students applied, and how many were invited to the weekend?
Comment by navigator — February 5, 2008 @ 10:36 pm
navigator - 72 nonUS citizens completed applications and 11 were invited to CW
Comment by Allison Bahme — February 6, 2008 @ 11:16 am
Wow that surprises me. I thought I would have a better shot at admission because I’m a non-citizen, but I guess not… Got lucky though! How many of the accepted internationals were permanent residents and how many are not?
Comment by Johannes Santen — February 6, 2008 @ 8:40 pm
Allison,
Did you ever get to redeem those “all nighter companion” coupons?
(When I visited, Sallen had mentioned it and you had yet to use it)
(I can only hope that they lay unused)
Comment by Chris Fitzhugh — February 6, 2008 @ 9:17 pm
Further to prior question, how many of the applicants were US citizens living and studying overseas; how many invited to CW? For non-US applicants (72), what regions/continents did they represent? Thanks for your diligence in this process.
Comment by MaIsa — February 7, 2008 @ 12:21 am
You had a tough job and I trust you did it as fairly as humanly possible. Only one observation - there has to be a more humane way of notifying all applicants of your decisions essentially simultaneously (e.g., email?), rather than advising that decisions have been sent and then having lots of great kids anxiously watching and waiting for a delivery truck that isn’t going to come.
Comment by Steve — February 7, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
I’m pretty sure permanent residents don’t count as internationals. I was a permanent resident when I applied, and I counted as a domestic student.
Comment by Helen — February 11, 2008 @ 1:26 pm
Hi Allison,
Would it be possible to provide some information on how the order for the CW standby list is determined? Thanks.
Comment by David — February 11, 2008 @ 5:12 pm
Chris - I *totally* forgot about that! Hmmmm… must think about how to best utilize them…
David - Quite simply, our wait list is not ranked.
If we need to go to the wait list, we take a look at everybody and go from there.
Comment by Allison Bahme — February 12, 2008 @ 9:34 am
I agree with Steve. Although I was able to remain calm during those couple days, it was still tough waiting it out, then receiving the (rejection) letter and then the confirmation online.
By the way (slightly off topic), regarding the application, could you have made it possible to see the essays we uploaded? When I was filling it out, my OCD kept making me reupload those essays since I wanted to make sure that I was submitting the right one for each.
Comment by Andrew L. — February 13, 2008 @ 4:16 am
Have you notified students on the stand-by list yet? Also, if we are on stand-by and do not make it, will you tell us, or do we just figure it out because you haven’t said anything?
Comment by Jackie — February 16, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
Of this year’s 781 applicants not invited to CWs, how many were invited to be placed on standby status? How many of those standby applicants actually received CW invitations? How likely are you to receive last minute cancellations (e.g., did you receive any in 2007)?; and how many students have indicated they would be interested in coming to CWs in that event?
Thanks for taking the time to answer these queries. Good luck to all of the 965, the 75 who end up at Olin AND the 890 who will be honoring other schools with their attendance!
Comment by Gail — February 17, 2008 @ 12:51 pm
Just curious…
When should those of us on the wait list expect anything about our status for either of the Weekends?
Alyce
Comment by Alyce — February 22, 2008 @ 11:20 am
Been rather swamped with Candidates’ Weekend stuff and (oops!) forgot about all of you reading/commenting here!
That definitely qualifies me for slacker status!
We have officially reached “full house” capacity for both Weekends. A few students were invited from the standby list and, at this point, we have no plans to invite any more. I wish the news were better for those of you who have been waiting but, alas, there simply is no more room.
We wish you the very best wherever you choose to attend college and it was truly an honor and joy to read your applications.
Take care,
Allison
Comment by Allison Bahme — February 25, 2008 @ 9:08 am
I haven’t even been rejected yet, and already I feel warm and fuzzy inside! I’m a Junior in High School right now, and to be perfectly honest I only just found out about this college last night, but my heart is already set on it. A college that will let me persue liberal arts AND engineering?! I want in, I want in, I want in!
Unfortunately I know that it’s going to be a tough admissions process, but I appreciate seeing that the faculty at Olin will at least be very nice to me if I’m beaten out of the competition.
Comment by Chris — February 29, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
This is just exactly what I had prepared to tell my nephew should he not be accepted. We were all very excited but all applicants have great options and what is to be, is.
Comment by Gayle — March 25, 2008 @ 11:05 am