Waiting List Students Lose Admission Chance

A completely unexpected rate of acceptance of admission offers by the Class of 1966 has virtually eliminated the admission of any waiting list candidates, according to Fred L. Glimp '50, dean of Admissions. "We consider this yield to be ridiculous," he said.

With over 100 people still to be heard from, the Admissions office has already received 1160 acceptances for a class whose target size was 1185. It's size may now be forced up to 1200 students or more.

Glimp asserted that even if the number does overshoot the 1200 mark, it wouldn't present any serious problems. "There wouldn't be any trouble in the Yard dormitories, and it would only mean another three or four men for each House after next year."

However, these last 100 replies are always the most unpredictable and usually have a higher percentage of rejections, he pointed out. "But, we'll be watching the mail with bated breath from now on."

Last year, approximately 100 candidates were admitted from the waiting list. The Admissions office had planned to admit only about 50 or 60 this year. But, now, "only a handful at most can make it from the waiting list," said Glimp.

Pointing out several factors that he had counted on to keep down the rate of acceptance, Glimp observed, "It's very difficult to understand how this could have happened--Harvard's popularity must be on a crest."

Fifty more scholarship applicants were admitted this year without receiving stipends. But the rate of acceptance among this group is actually running higher than last year, instead of having the expected lowering effect on the acceptance rate.

Late Reply Date

In previous years, Harvard's letters of admission were sent out a month after some of our "fairly close, friendly rival" colleges' reply date. Thus, when a candidate accepted one of these other colleges (which he had to do before Harvard letters even went out), he would withdraw his application to Harvard. He was then not included in the Admissions office's prediction of the size of the incoming class.

This year, Harvard sent its letters at the same time as these other colleges (with the same reply date). Thus, the candidates who were destined or intended to refuse Harvard were included in the Admissions office's prediction and they therefore expected a lower rate is acceptance. Apparently it hasn't worked out that way this year