I have been rejected from all the schools I applied to besides my safety schools, and I’m devastated. I applied to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, UPenn, Dartmouth, Northwestern and then a few in-state schools. Granted, all of these schools are very difficult to get into. However, I feel like I had a very strong application and should have at least gotten accepted to a couple! I wasn’t even waitlisted at any of them, just completely rejected.
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.7
SAT score: 2300
ACT score: 34
Took 10 AP classes total and got three 4s and 7 5s.
Extracurriculars:
Played cello for 13 years, in a youth orchestra, in a lot of state orchestras, won a couple competitions. Extremely involved with cello and music.
Played varsity tennis for all four years.
Vice President of National Honor Society.
Also a part of Key Club.
Volunteered at middle schools, libraries, and hospitals.
Shadowed doctors and volunteered in a research lab.
I also felt like my essays were strong, and I had a lot of people look over them.
I don’t understand why I wasn’t at least waitlisted to a couple of these schools, and I am just very upset about all the rejections.
Decisions haven’t been released for those schools. At most, you could only know one of them.
This actually happened last year, but I was recently talking to somebody who’s been rejected to a lot of the schools she applied to early action, and I just wanted to see if it was reasonable for me to have expected just a couple acceptances or at least waitlist.
I’m shocked that you didn’t get into any state schools. Which state do you live in? Did you only apply to some elite honors colleges or ultra-competitive STEM programs? I’m surprised that you were rejected from all of those schools. Did you take a gap year, or did you find a college later? What suggestions would you have for the class of 2016, in terms of the application process, and for anyone in the class of 2015 who might find him or herself in a similar predicament?
@woogzmama I’m not sure those were state schools. The OP stated in-state schools (shade of difference). I do wonder if the OP is in college or on a gap year. I also don’t see what the issue is if the OP did get into safety schools since the definition of a safety includes “would be happy to attend”.
Looks like the application list was thin in the middle. No (or not enough) “match” schools.
I would expect someone with those stats to be able to get into a top ~75 college without too much difficulty (while still being unlikely to get into any particular top 20 national university or top 10 LAC). At least a couple of offers should have resulted from 4-6 applications to the likes of Colby, Boston College, Rochester, Brandeis, Case Western, Lehigh, BU, Oberlin, Macalester, Holy Cross, etc. These are great colleges (selective but not crap shoots, with relatively small classes, good post-graduation outcomes, decent need-based aid, etc.) Still, an in-state public school may have met the OP’s needs better, or at lower net cost, so maybe it did not make sense to apply to such schools.
Yale had 30,000 applicants last year and admitted only 2,000. Yet an estimated 90% of their applicant pool was qualified. So you are in very good company with your rejections, and it is not surprising because so many well qualified students from all over the world are seeking a relatively few number of slots at the elitist of the elite US schools.
I hope you have had a productive and rewarding year, OP. If your “safeties” included a slightly less prestigious school with top-notch academics (there are dozens if not hundreds of these), then you have indeed had a great year.
Whether it is a “top” university, a prestigious job, or the perfect mate that someone is seeking, there are a whole lot of people in this world, and a huge amount of competition all the way around. One year is a very long time to remain upset. Try to set aside the disappointment and make some of your own opportunities by doing well wherever you are now.
Decisions have not been released yet. Either OP is pulling our leg or is referring to last year as a gap year student.
“This actually happened last year” - OP in post #2.
so what is the point the OP is saying? and waht is happening now?
He/she applied last year - didnt get in and still isn’t over it?
I live in Arizona. I did get into the state schools, so I attend Arizona State now. I’m enjoying my time here and I’m doing well. @woogzmama i would probably recommend applying to a few schools that are more in the middle. Mine were all kind of on the extreme ends.
I am glad you are doing well where you are. I would have applied to even more reach schools (because I think you were a contender and they are so unpredictable) or added in some match schools. If you would have been happier at your safety than any of the match schools, then no point in doing that.
OP, next time just write a real post.
If this was a year ago, I’m not sure why your posting now. Sorry you got rejected and all, but please move on.
On the other hand though, this is a good reference thread for CC historical purposes - reinforces the fact that highly qualified applicants can and do get rejected from selective universities. It’s not fun, but it’s a reason not to set your heart on one particularly difficult to get into school. (Not pointing fingers at you OP, this is more for other CCers that insist on going to HYPSM etc.)
My SIL’s stepson also applied only to Ivies, Chicago, and Stanford, with similar stats and played football for 4 years, president of the Math Club, etc., and didn’t get into any of them. His dad refused to allow him to apply to any safeties at all. This was in 2011. His parents scrambled and got him into Case Western, but he had so much baggage from feeling like it was a last resort school that he could not handle it and quit. He still isn’t in college. His dad learned his lesson and let his younger son go to the college he wanted, St. Andrews in Scotland. He is happy as can be.
Kudos to the OP for going ahead and enrolling at ASU. I’ll bet she is over most of the rejection and is getting a perfectly fine education. She can always try for grad school at an Ivy.
Glad to hear you are doing well @Stringandwood . Best wishes for a great semester.