<p>One of my son's friends applied ED to American University and was rejected--not deferred, but flat-out turned down-- on Christmas Eve.</p>
<p>Bad timing, SuNa. Friend's D received rejections to her top two on her April birthday. So the poor kid is not alone, but doubt that helps. The good news is that these kids almost always end up very happy with the alternate outcome. Deferral is its own kind of limbo and pain; so it may be best that the outcome is certain; he can pick himself up and move on. </p>
<p>Some kids are able to immediately see these rejections as the school's loss - not theirs; sort of a "f*** you and the horse you rode in on" attitude. If you can direct him a little into that mode of thinking, it might blunt the pain a little sooner.</p>
<p>Last year, I found out that I was rejected from Northwestern on Easter Sunday since their rejection notifications wouldn't open online that Saturday when they originally said that everyone's would. Only the accepted and waitlisted applicants' notifications opened on time. It hurt then, but now, it doesn't bother me. I'm so happy at the University of Michigan.</p>
<p>It's fabulous that you are happy of UMich, reeses, congrats!</p>
<p>I must say that I was a bit worried for my D when we found out she'd be checking her on-line decision to Yale in a hostel in Chicago without us parents around. That day a colleague at work told me that his son had been rejected EA there several years before and that the rejection was pretty blunt. He said that he was expecting something like "Again this year we have had XXXX thousand applications from excellent students for whom we do not have spots, yahdayahdayahda." He said instead it was a one-liner of the ilk "You have been denied acceptance at Yale." Fortunately, my D didn't have to see that line. And I don't know what the rejection screen looked like this year.</p>
<p>quiltguru - Ouch. Yes, that one-liner rejection would be horrible. Thank goodness mine was the longer version. ;) Also, thank goodness that I never really had to get used to receiving multiple rejections last year. Northwestern was the only school that denied me, and almost immediately afterwards, I started receiving interview requests for scholarships. (I ended up receiving four outside scholarships in the end.) Free money is an easy way to make me feel better! </p>
<p>By the way, congrats to your daughter on getting into Yale!</p>
<p>i got the letter of rejection from UIUC today - it's my birthday. Illinois is loosing to Iowa...</p>
<p>My son received a rather blunt rejection from New England Conservatory last year. I didn't save it, but it was something about how many applications they received, and "unfortunately you were not among the best." (may not have been exact words, but something to that effect)</p>
<p>He hadn't expected to get in, so it didn't really bother him. (And he had already received some acceptances by that time.)</p>
<p>p.s. Happy Birthday. blue! Hope you get better news from your other schools!</p>
<p>Susantm--why do people do that? --it's kind of like 'rubbing it in. I'm glad your son got in elsewhere. That reminds me of a local community theatre that sent a letter to a girl I know (her parents told me about it) who was in high school at the time, telling her she did not get a part in the play and to not bother to ever try out there again!</p>
<p>I know, it seems a little shortsided for a college to send out snotty rejection letters. I know these top schools are inundated with applications and perhaps have no need for additional, positive PR, but it certainly doesn't cost anything to be kind, especially when dealing with kids.</p>
<p>And you never know who will turn out to be filthy rich and have no one to leave their money to. . .</p>
<p>There was a woman last year on this forum. Her daughter must be a sophomore or junior at Yale now. She used to tell us how her daughter was deferred SCEA at Yale and then rejected - flat out rejected- at Brown, Columbia, Amherst (I don't remember the list, but it was about 5-6 colleges) and all of her selective RD choices. She did get into her safeties but I guess wasn't keen on any of them. She was heartbroken. The Yale RD announcement was last and she was in tears all this while until she found out she was accepted at Yale on April 2nd or something like that....anyway, it was pretty tough journey for her that year.</p>
<p>We talk about tough rejections by college; how about tough rejections by students? Here is the story:</p>
<p>There was a student that I know who didn't get into Penn despite having a darn good high school GPA (4.6 weighted and 3.96 unweighted)and 1475 on old SAT plus 775 in SAT II in literature and writing. He ended up going to the top honors program at UMD and graduated in the top 3 students at University of Maryland in duel majors of English and Political science but bombed the LSAT. He got rejected from many of the better law schools,although he was admitted into U MD Law school. He ended up in the top 5% of UMD law school too. </p>
<p>He wrote a letter to Penn noting what a mistake they made in not taking him as an undergraduate and attached his transcript as proof. He then contacted the College Boards noting that his LSAT score didn't corelate with his top grades in law school, which he attached a transcript as proof.</p>
<p>Finally, if that weren't enough, he contacted some of the law schools that rejected him ( such as Georgetown and George Washington) and noted that despite his fabulous college GPA, he was still rejected by them because of his LSAT score. He then attached his UMD law school transcript to show how well he succeeded at UMD law school, with an accompanying statement that "maybe they should reevaluate your reliance on the LSAT."</p>
<p>I guess this guy was a bit peeved.</p>
<p>taxguy, that fellow sounds like he needs to get over it and let go. There's 'peeved' and then there's just being ridiculous.</p>
<p>from quiltguru:</p>
<br>
<p>And I don't know what the rejection screen looked like this year.</p>
<br>
<p>At the Yale Forum, kids posted SCEA deferral and denial letters,
which is the screen that one would see if def/denied.
It's a very polite letter, in either case.</p>
<p>Parent of Yale 2008 & 2010.</p>
<p>
[quote]
taxguy, that fellow sounds like he needs to get over it and let go. There's 'peeved' and then there's just being ridiculous.
[/quote]
alwaysamom, that guy was merely following an advice by Princeton Review in 2003:</p>
<p>Then, years from now, after you've become rich, famous, successful, and admired, you can send them a letter to tell them they missed out.</p>
<p>Somehow I don't think that PR meant that 'advice' to be taken literally. And, if they did, I still think it's ridiculous. :)</p>
<p>At least he didn't sue them...</p>
<p>Needlessly hurtful: When I was rejected as a transfer at Columbia, they sent me the decision in a huge package. I came home to find my mom so excited for me that she was literally dancing as she handed it to me. Then I opened this giant envelope and found that it was a rejection letter and a heavy catalog for the continuing-studies program. Talk about a letdown.</p>
<p>Re: calling schools later to tell them they erred in failing to admit you: talk about tacky and immature. That's something you joke about with your buddies, not something you actually do.</p>
<p>fbc, I found the deferral, but can't find the denial. Can you link?</p>