<p>When I found out I wasn't accepted at Cornell and someone else I knew was, I was really heartbroken. However, after hearing so many stories of people that did not get in and had such amazing stats seriously makes me consider my intial response to the rejection.</p>
<p>I know two guys with scores of 2250 on their SAT I exams and 96 GPAs. However, they both got rejected from the Ivy League schools they applied to. These are two unbelievably smart students (I mean one of them took Calculus AB as a sophomore!) and now they're going to their safety schools. For one it's a SUNY (which is not so bad, but is no Ivy) and for the other it's a mediocre college. Now is that fair?</p>
<p>Also, I happen to know two amazing young ladies that attend one of the best high schools in NY. They both have SAT I scores of over 2200 and like 98 averages. However,both of them didn't get in the Ivies they applied to and one of them got waitlisted at Columbia. And now they have to attend their safety schools as well. </p>
<p>Now this situation just gets me so freaking angry. I don't understand what colleges and universities want from us. These are some of the most intelligent and hardworking people I know and yet they have been rejected. Right now, there's no emotion to express how I feel. But, then on the other hand, I have learned to not complain.</p>
<p>To all those that have been rejected and to all those that have been waitlisted or what-have-you, remember that someone else is always far worse than you are. Colleges can be a pain in the butt and the best thing to do is forget about your rejections, and look forward to the college you'll be attending and make the best of your time there.</p>
<p>Colleges are really a crapshoot. There are so many factors that we don't understand, and a lot of subjective views on who an "ideal applicant" is, that no one is guaranteed anywhere. I'm sure there's more to the story of those people you mentioned that you aren't hearing, as well.</p>
<p>No I mean I know them personally. They are brilliant. I don't know what the **** is going on. I mean I know someone who got into an Ivy with a 1600 score.</p>
<p>OP, GPA and SAT are just part of what it takes to get into the most selective colleges. How about extracurricular activities, national & state awards, essays, letters of rec?</p>
<p>There's no doubt your friends are qualified and could suceed, but that label fits far more than they can take. So they use other factors. And geographical diversity definitely is going to hurt bright kids from NY.</p>
<p>There is a huge number of students at my very elite public high school that have near perfect gpas, above 2200 SATs and couldnt get into any HYPSM or other ivies because of their weak ECs. Most of them got into Berkeley, but Berkeley places much more weight on grades and scores than ECs.</p>
<p>In conclusion. It doesnt matter if you bust your brain 10 hours a day and get a 4.0, a 2400, and 5s on 12 APs. If you don't have decent or at least mediocre ECs or awards, there is little chance of you getting into the elite privates.</p>
<p>The problem with some of the responses is that you assume these 2200+ 96+ GPA individuals had no EC's. That's not the big problem.</p>
<p>At ivy league schools and equally competitive colleges like Stanford and MIT, there are tons of applicants perfectly qualified, very smart, and very hard working. But there's something else that's also true: There just is not enough space. College A is awesome, and one of the best in the country. It's freshman class has 1000 spots. They have a yeild of 50%, and accept 2000 students out of the 16000 that apply. 12.5% accepted . . . . out of the 14000 rejected, maybe more than 10000 of them were perfectly qualified, hard working, 2200+ 96+ great EC'd individuals that just barely missed acceptance because the simlpe fact is: So many people apply that great students are bound to be rejected. I'm sure everyone knows this, and I'm not saying I don't sympathize with your freinds, it's terrible, but the numbers of admissions offers available often make for a lot of qualified rejectees . . . and it's getting even worse.</p>
<p>That's because colleges aren't looking for shut-in academic types. Not that any of the people you describe necessarily are, but if that's the vibe admissions people get from the application...</p>
<p>as to what muraski said, i couldnt agree more. that's when those little factors (geography, interest,etc) could really come into play to tip the balance in favor of one applicant over another seemingly same applicant.</p>
<p>Seriously, don't consider numbers as the only key factor for getting into top colleges (or else my 2000 isn't going to get me very far), perhaps all of your friends failed to show a well roundedness, or even more likely they were victims of that which is the college admissions game. It's pot luck for dinner, and where anyone is going to end up into college is a mystery. So, personally speaking, I guess I had just gotten lucky to get what I got with my numbers, so perhaps there's more to it then colleges are willing to admit to.</p>
<p>Why didn't these kids apply to some match schools. And if they are unhappy that they have to attend their safety schools, why did they apply to a school they didn't want to attend?</p>
<p>I know two guys with scores of 2250 on their SAT I exams and 96 GPAs. However, they both got rejected from the Ivy League schools they applied to. These are two unbelievably smart students (I mean one of them took Calculus AB as a sophomore!) and now they're going to their safety schools. For one it's a SUNY (which is not so bad, but is no Ivy) and for the other it's a mediocre college. Now is that fair?</p>
<p>I don't see how that is 'unfair'. If he didn't want to attend this 'mediocre' school you speak of, then why did he apply?</p>
<p>Because the mediocre school was obviously the kid's safety. Whether or not the school is actually mediocre, nobody likes what they can have easily. </p>
<p>Having gained some perspective and distance from the crazy game known as elite college admissions, it's upsetting to realize that so much of it is out of the applicant's control. So many posters ask what they themselves did wrong when it's really a terribly flawed system that is influenced by politics, wealth, stereotypes and everything else that goes against this American ideal of meritocracy to which we all subscribe. Couple that with the biggest baby boom in years, institutional goals and people's ability or inability to capture the essence of their being in five pages and you're bound to see a lot of really deserving people get the shaft. It's usually not the applicant; it's the institution, and this increasingly competitive and flaky process that yields a lot of losers. </p>
<p>It's really easy to be demoralized and think that hard work means very little after seeing all the thin envelopes mailed to such awesome people. So while college admissions reveals the very disturbing truth that America isn't a complete meritocracy, one should take comfort in the fact that the beauty of America lies in the fact that someone can be equally successful at their reaches, matches or safeties. I would say over 95% of your cohort throughout the world isn't that lucky. If you're willing to work hard and pursue your passions, you can have the good life anywhere and still with relative ease. I hope that offers some words of comfort, although you guys are still young and have yet to really see that.</p>
<p>Because the mediocre school was obviously the kid's safety. Whether or not the school is actually mediocre, nobody likes what they can have easily. </p>
<p>well he should have applied to a safety school that he wouldn't mind attending.</p>
<p>Your reach/match/safety schools should be schools you'd like/love to attend if accepted. So, an individual should look for fit, rather than rank. I know it's hard to get away from that...but the idea is to be happy at the schools on your list. If you're happy at the college, you'll usually get better grades, stay involved, and be quite content. That's the idea, anyway.</p>
<p>I understand the disappointment of not getting into reaches, but that is why you have match/safety schools. BTW, I did get into a couple of reaches and waitlisted at the college I want to attend, and which most would consider more of a safety. I''m okay with it, though. I'll wait it out until May 1st, when I'll hear about the waitlist. In the meantime, I'm planning to choose from one of the other collegs/universities. Pan A and Plan B. Can't go wrong with either, although I do prefer the former.</p>