College decisions are out, and while our 91̽ clients got into their top choice schools, we know that there are many people out there wondering: what happened? People want to know: “how come I didn’t get into my dream school?” This might sound cheesy but it’s worth noting: getting into a certain college has literally nothing to do with your value as a person. Rejection is hard, and while we can’t make you feel better, we do think it might be helpful to read the below. We don’t know your life, we don’t know where you applied, but we are familiar with how this process works. Here are a few reasons why might have gotten rejected:
1. You applied to the wrong schools.
Coming in at number one: the overly ambitious school list. When colleges went test-optional last year, everyone thought it was a gift. Well, it wasn’t. It’s been reported that 40% more people applied to Harvard last application cycle, and that figure was mirrored at many other top-tier colleges. When the barrier to entry is lowered, everyone throws their hat in the ring. This makes the competition even steeper, and you don’t need us to tell you how difficult it is to get into college these days. Many people created school lists that simply didn’t make sense, in hopes of being the outlier that gets into Stanford with a 2.6 GPA and no test scores.
2. You gave up as soon as the pandemic hit.
2020 was hard and motivation was low, we know. We also know that 91̽ clients, and ambitious high school students around the world, did their best with the resources at their disposal. We saw people take on passion projects, teach online courses, learn new skills, write books, and start businesses. If you applied to college last year and relied on what was accomplished during your freshman and sophomore year, it’s likely that your application was overlooked.
3. Your common app essay didn’t hit the mark.
We wrote a blog post about the New York Times’ findings on common app essays, linked here. Most people wrote about the pandemic, race relations, racism, and what it was like living through these treacherous times. We don’t want to take away from what you went through, but those essays got placed in the pandemic pile. Please, please, please read through the blog for ideas about how to write your common app essay and what it should be about. Colleges wanted to read about who you are and how you think, not about your thoughts on a situation that the entire world was going through.
4. You’re a legacy, but you didn’t apply early.
If you’re a legacy with the chops to attend Harvard, or any school for that matter, you need to apply early. If you don’t, they know that you’re not serious about going there. When you wait, it doesn’t paint you in a positive light. Being a legacy can give you a boost, but you have to apply at the right time.
5. The school knew you wouldn’t choose them.
Safety schools are important. We all need them. Balance out those school lists, kids! But if you got a 36 on your ACT and have gotten straight A’s all throughout high school, your safety school might take a hard pass. Why? They know you won’t go there. They don’t want to mess up their yield rates or give a spot to someone who is likely going to say no.
Like we said earlier, we know that this isn’t going to mend your broken heart. But we say with certainty that things will get better. Take a look at your acceptances, make a decision about what makes sense, and try to get excited about the possibilities of the future.
Contact us here if you need help with the college application process. We’re pros at this.