Do schools only accept as many students as spots are available?

[sassymomsf]

Anybody know how the model works for the private schools? Do they only accept however many students they have spots for? Or ist there a different model? Thanks in advance.

[cookiecakepie]

I've heard there are two models that are used. One is a yield model where they over accept and expect a certain percentage will decline. Another is to actually only accept for # of spaces and then go to the wait pool/wait list when someone declines an offer. I think this really depends on the school.

[wildermama]

Most schools were on the yield model a couple years ago. A few of them decided to move away from that approach when they got much higher yield one year. Now they accept as many spots as available and go to the waitpool if one of their acceptances go elsewhere. The one upside is that the waitpool does move for those schools.

[boymom]

I think most schools still admit a few more than they have spaces for, like 4 or 5, instead of the previous 10-15. They know that some kids will be accepted at more than one school, so there will be a small amount of attrition. That said, the numbers are really tight, and most schools have experienced a "bubble" class that the ADs would rather not repeat.