Denied instead of Deferred? Was I a Sub-par Applicant?

Hi everyone.
Today I got my ED results back from Dartmouth, and was a bit surprised to see that I was flat-out rejected, and not even deferred (I don’t mean to sound arrogant). I have read that most decent/competitive applicants at schools like Dartmouth are very often deferred. So… Does this essentially mean that I wasn’t a very good applicant? I should note that my grades and test scores were all quite competitive for Dartmouth, with a 1540 SAT and an approx 96 GPA with many AP classes, and SAT II scores of 760 (Bio) and 800 (Math II). Also, I had several leadership roles in ECs and college-level research conducted at a Yale lab… Maybe I’m just freaking out and still going through the healing process from the rejection, but is it possible that there was something off-putting in my application – maybe in my Recs or essays – that led to a complete denial? I am mainly asking to see if there are some changes that I should make to my common app essay or application format for the regular decision round. Thanks.

It could be your recs or essays. You might ask your GC to review those components, since you may not be a good judge of how your essays come across, and presumably they can get a look at your recommendations. If that all seems in order, then I’d put it down to bad luck.

Don’t open multiple threads on the same topic, please.

@intparent could back luck really be responsible? Is it possible for a few qualified applicants to get put into the denial pool? Just anxious now since the RD deadline is in 2 weeks and I’m now seriously questioning the strength of my application.

OP, did you write an essay about theft, as you proposed on other threads?

I would review the essays, but beyond that, I wouldn’t read too much into it. Schools have been under a lot of pressure to accept or deny kids in the early round rather than defer, only to deny or WL in the regular round. Perhaps Dartmouth just felt you were a bad fit for them. I have a friend who was turned down at Stanford in the early round and got a likely letter from Yale. They are not all looking for the same things.

I am sorry for your disappointment. Think of it as a gift. You can move forward and get excited about other possibilities without the “maybe” of Dartmouth hanging out there.

Make sure you have a couple of solid matches, though. There are lots of high stats kids who don’t get into any of the super reach schools every year. You want to have good options if you are one of them.

Agree with the think of it is a positive if you can. Deferrals are not an easy ride, more a slippery slope. They keep your hopes up but the wait can be crazy stressful. Please look at your list and see the other schools that will make you happy. Love the school that loves you back.

S18 also got denied, not deferred, from his ED choice. In his case the fact that another kid from his small school was admitted may have something to do with it. Or maybe it didn’t. Who knows?
Take time to mourn - it’s worthwile to acknowledge your feelings of anger, disappointment or embarrassment. But not too much time. Then find some schools who want you as much as you want them.
Good luck!

@itsgettingreal17 my common app essay was about a theft, yes. I went over it several times with my AP literature teacher and it didn’t seem to have anything that would significantly harm my application.

Virtually everyone gets denied from at least one college. They can’t defer everyone.

AP lit teachers aren’t always thinking like a college admissions officer. It may be well written, but that does not mean it played well in terms of making them want you on campus. I’d look hard at that component.

@aristicslobe Your academics are very strong. Agree could be the essay or recs. Is there someone else who could read your essay? Are you in a very competitive area of the country? So sorry, big disappointment.

Your family getting robbed by people you knew may not have been the best topic to let colleges learn about you. A lot of qualified applicants get deferred and/or rejected though. Have you applied to a range of safeties and matches?

Your common app essay topic sounds dicey.

OP, I suggest you choose another essay topic for the RD round. That was not a good essay choice, imo. That topic could have gone over very poorly with some ad coms, as they were your friends and could reflect on your judgment in selecting them as friends in the first instance.

Agree with above posters about essay topic. Also, ask your guidance counselor to review your teacher recs. Good luck.

As someone who deals with robbers [or the consequences of robbery] on a daily basis, as well as someone who reads a lot of college essays and is the father of a Dartmouth alum, I am available to take an outsider’s look at your essay if you would like. Just PM me if that would possibly help.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I definitely understand that the topic of theft may not have been the best choice, and will consider other essay topics. I would like to mention though, that the main aspects that I highlighted in the essay involved my acceptance of the situation, forgiveness, and considerable self-growth.