Four Rejections In A Row?

Applying to College
1

<p>I received four rejection letters in a row (three in twenty four hours) from UChicago, NYU, BU and GWU. I wasn't expecting to get into UChicago and was definitely unsure that I would get into NYU but BU and GWU? I did get into a safety school (Columbia College Chicago) but that doesn't make me feel much better after four in a row saying they don't want me.</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure that I didn't get into BU and GWU (maybe NYU) because my former high school (which I attended for two years before transferring to my current one) never sent the transcripts that they told me that did back in January. I just found out last week and wasn't able to fix it in time. Though my current high school counselor sent them info about my GPA/credits/classes/etc. at my former school. On Friday they just promised me they'll send it on Monday, like that helps anything.</p>

<p>The school just didn't send two and a half years worth of my transcripts to any of the colleges I applied to. And they wouldn't release a copy to me either so that I could send it! How does that even happen?</p>

<p>When I spoke to my regional admissions counselor at NYU, she told me that they didn't even know I went to a school before my current one. I made that very clear on my common app, I wrote an entire letter.</p>

<p>I'm waiting to hear back from Barnard College, American University and Eugene Lang College (The New School) and Barnard and Lang both have a part of that transcript because my former counselor sent it to them directly.</p>

<p>Just in case you were wondering my stats:
SAT: 1980 (CR 680, W 700, M 600)
GPA: 3.68/4.32
School doesn't rank
Leadership roles in a bunch of school extracurricular (newspaper, lit mag, student gov, volunteer association), founded online magazine, volunteered at daycare and women's health center, worked during summers full-time and part-time during school-year
My essays were amazing, I had my counselor and parents read over all of them and review them through a rubric I made.
And I spoke to my admissions counselors at each university to express my interest a few times.</p>

<p>I'm terrified right now and don't know what to do. My mother is having me apply to some schools in London (School of Oriental and African Studies, Goldsmiths) because I didn't have time to do it when I was focusing on my applications to the universities I applied to. </p>

<p>I don't know what to do. Does anyone have some advice?</p>

2

<p>I don’t think that’s the reason you got rejected. if those schools were missing materials that were needed to make an admissions decision they would have notified you, or at least have told you that that’s the reason that you were denied admission. </p>

<p>Usually, when you move school, your prior school sends a copy of the transcript to your new school, which then combines the grades under your name. (that’s what happened to me as well.) Don’t assume anything until you’ve confirmed it. I really really doubt your hypothesis.</p>

3

<p>They did notify me, last week. And when I talked to my counselor he told me that all he received from my former school was a summary of my classes and GPA, but not a transcript. And he’s pretty sure that is why I didn’t get in to BU and GWU. Plus, they require official transcripts from each school that you attended.</p>

4

<p>You can send a letter of appeal with the missing transcript and request to be reconsidered at those schools that did not have full information. I know some kids who were turned down for reasons like that who were admitted when the full package was submitted. It is a long shot, however.</p>

<p>Hopefully one of the schools you have left on your list will accept you. If you are unhappy with the results this year, take a gap year and reapply. You can take solid course or two to bolster your transcript and find a solid community service or academic study project that will enhance your resume too. You can earn a few bucks to help towards the cost and do the college app process as a pro the second time around. Also, there are a number of schools that have open spots available in May. The list will be released then, and some of them are some pretty good schools. You can contact them and see what they have available when that list comes out. There are also probably some open enrollment schools in your area that may take you. I know one young lady a few years ago who stayed at home and took some courses as an non matriculating student at some schools, worked her way to taking some at NYU and is now a transfer student there. There are many ways to get into a school other than the front door.</p>

5

<p>Don’t let it get you down. You have very good stats, to be honest; you WILL get into at least one college. Unfortunately it will not be your first choice, but you’ll soon see that going to college in itself is a privilege that many do not receive.</p>

<p>And let’s not forget about transferring. You can always transfer to the school of your choice.</p>

6

<p>Thank you so much for your advice everyone.</p>

<p>I’ve decided that once I get that transcript sent out (Monday, finally) and hear back from Lang, Barnard and American I’ll make a decision. If I get into Lang, which is very likely and a school that I love, then I’ll matriculate there definitely. I’m not keeping my hopes up for Barnard because it was always a bit of a reach. I’m completely unsure with American.</p>

<p>If I don’t get into Barnard, Lang or American then I’ll probably go ahead and appeal at Boston University since they’ll have new information on that transcript. NYU doesn’t do appeals but I’ll contact my admissions counselor there and ask her if I can be put on the waitlist once I provide that additional transcript.</p>

<p>As I said before I’m looking at schools overseas, which I wanted to do really badly anyway but didn’t have the time for, and will probably go ahead and send in a couple of applications.</p>

<p>I did get into one school, which is really great because I know some people who haven’t gotten any acceptance letters yet and that must be even more terrifying. At this point I figure I’ll end up where I’m meant to and will do well because I’m still a smart and driven girl. A few rejections don’t make me less intelligent or academically capable.</p>

<p>I’m trying to look on the bright side, obviously :)</p>

<p>Again, thank you so much for your advice and help!</p>

7

<p>My D was also rejected from BU. They received over 42,000 applications this year. I don’t think you were rejected just because of a missing transcript from a former school. Their acceptance rate was less than 10% I believe, so the numbers were just against you. I am sure they were really able to take students with better GPA, SATs, ECs, etc. You will get into the right school for you. My D has been admitted to American, and right now, that’s where she is headed, but not until next spring. It’s not her first choice, but the opportunities are many there, and she is excited about working in the fall to make money, taking courses that will transfer in to American, and then heading to DC in Jan. We will only have to pay for 7 semesters, instead of 8. Works for us!</p>

8

<p>Your not alone. I got rejected from NYU and Boston College on the same day. To add insult to injury I also had a 5 page research paper to do this weekend. Now I’m waiting for my last 2 schools, UPenn and Cornell. I know whats going to happen I just have to prepare myself. I also got rejected from Stony Brook which really disappointed me because it was a safety for me. I also got rejected from Villanova. So as you can see I have a lot of problems. The really bad thing is that I paid or rather my parents paid 4500$ for a company Ivy advocate to help me get into at least one reach school. Unless something happens and I get into Cornell, all a big waste of money. I will probably go to the University of Scranton which gave me zip meaning I’ll have to pay full tuition 48,000 which is not going to happen unless they give me aid money. Well Wednesday is my last hope. Hopefully I’ll get into Cornell, but reality comes knocking and it has a baseball bat. So as I said your not alone we just have to go to the best school we got into, smile, do very well, and get into a good graduate school. Good luck!!!</p>

9

<p>Your essays were amazing, huh?</p>