Wrote this letter tonight appealing to Boulder about my rejection. I’ve been accepted to Drexel and West Virginia University, but I really want to give myself every chance possible with Boulder. My original essay on my common app was about how my ADHD has been hard for me academically but it is beneficial when it comes to my art. Worth it to send?
I want to start by saying that it is not in my character to appeal. I am the kind of person who is always willing to look at a bad situation and find the good. That has been one of my favorite qualities about myself and it has gotten me very far in life. However, my situation with Boulder is one that I have tried to accept and simply cannot until I can see that I have done everything in my power to accomplish a dream that I have had for as long as I can remember.
The decision about my rejection was based upon my cumulative GPA from freshman, sophomore, and junior year. Freshman and sophomore year I had a 2.33. Junior year I had a 2.67. This year, my first interim grades were a 3.1. I met with my Boulder admissions counselor this summer about my chances of acceptance and told him all of this information. He told me that if I worked hard enough to keep the upward trend going with my grades, I would at least be deferred. Unfortunately, this was not the case and I was rejected.
I ask that you please reconsider your decision. I am not my grades. Anyone who knows me can tell you that when I am passionate about something, I wholeheartedly pursue it. My 14 and 15 year old self was not in the least bit passionate about schoolwork. I will not say I was lazy, I was uninspired. And that lack of inspiration has affected me now in ways that, at the time, I never considered. Junior and senior year, I realized how much I was holding myself back and I can honestly say today that I have developed a solid work ethic and will undoubtedly be able to handle the work load at Boulder.
I have a lot to offer your school. My SAT score of 1860 shows my intellectual potential. Going to Boulder would provide the right circumstances for me to reach this potential. I am extremely affected by my surroundings. I know for a fact that the nature of Colorado brings out my best self, and I consider it to be a home away from home. I have spent almost all of my free time since I was seven years old at my vacation home in Leadville and exploring the rest of the state. From the astounding beauty of its nature to the types of people who live there, I feel like it is the place for me, and I feel as if attending another school in another area will be doing myself a disservice. When I am in an environment that inspires me, I feel as if I can accomplish anything. High school taught me a lot of things, but it also was not that environment. Boulder is.
I love photography, and unfortunately I was unable to submit a portfolio as a part of my application to Boulder. Because I plan to major in art, I believe that it is important for the admissions office to actually see my photos. Along with this letter I have attached a link to my online portfolio.
Along with photography, I have passions for skiing, graphic design, learning about and connecting with other people, and being a leader. All three times I have visited Boulder, the number of clubs there are to join has invigorated me and I would be a largely contributing member to the school. I would be a member of the ski team, the Boulder photography club, and a member of Greek life. I hope to grow as an artist not only through Boulder’s Arts and Sciences department, but also outside of the classroom surrounded by the rich landscape and nature. I want to minor in business, so that the career I am hoping for in art will also be based in knowledge of how to financially succeed in my field.
I want to make your school proud. I want to be fair to myself and not accept less than I believe I deserve. I ask that you please take a closer look at me, beyond my grades, and let me learn from your remarkable school while doing everything I can to enrich your community. Thank you for your time and your reconsideration.