<p>This is a question I can't seem to find answer to .
For example :
I applied to Princeton last year , I had good academics , high grades but terrible scores ( not to talk about SAT II ) , terrible overall presentation and a even more terrible essay ( all blame on me ) . Now let's say I reapply .</p>
<p>According to the Ivy Coach.</p>
<p>'' You are doomed '' They'll trace back to my first app , read it all again , be disgusted by it and toss my new application in the trash.</p>
<p>According to Peterson's .</p>
<p>It's okay they'll have a good laugh at my previous app and if this one is fine why not ?</p>
<p>According to some random post I saw on CC a while ago. </p>
<p>He called Yale and they told him they don't keep files of previous applications. </p>
<p>Unless you haven’t matriculated at a college and are taking a gap year, you can’t reapply to Princeton because it doesn’t take transfer applicants.</p>
<p>You need to consider what will different from your first application.
Will you be taking a gap year or starting college elsewhere? Will your college GPA be higher?
Will your standardized test scores (assuming that you will be applying as a first year transfer) be higher than when you first applied? Will you have taken advantage of classes in the school you’ve chosen to attend?
Will your essays be substantively better? Will you be able to effectively communicate to them WHY you feel the need to transfer, particularly if you’re doing so well at your current college (see what I did there…)??</p>
<p>To answer your question of “How does it work?” the easy answer is all schools are different.
Some schools keep applications for one year, some for two. Almost ALL schools will ask you if you’ve previously applied. While they may not have kept your application, they will know that you were not accepted or wait listed. For schools like Princeton who because of the high volume of applications work on a ‘regional’ rep basis, chances are that the regional rep reading your application the second time will be the same rep as the first.</p>
<p>A good book to read regarding the admission process and what happens behind closed doors is, “The Gatekeepers” by Jacques Steinberg</p>
<p>I am taking a gap year and I count on improving my application
But my question was more general can a bad application determine your fate the following year ? </p>
<p>How terrible are your scores and why are they so terrible? Low SAT and SATII tests would seem to indicate a consistency in your scores which will likely be tough to improve. I assume you took the SAT more than once before you applied to Princeton.</p>
<p>What is your GPA and class rank? Realistically, are your credentials good enough to get into Princeton. Perhaps it’s time for a little introspection and accept that you will not be going to Princeton and consider one of the many other fine schools.</p>
<p>Where else did you apply and what were your results this year? Did you turn down your acceptance to Harvard because you want to reapply to Princeton next year? </p>
<p>Okay sorry I used my experience with Princeton as an example but my question applied to any school really lol I am an international students so we don’t have a GPA but my grades would put me in the top 5% .
The reason for my scores was my crushing senior year program and I didn’t really have time to study . We have pretty much 13 subjects for semester studied at college level , it’s much harder than the IB program so along with research and volunteering I messed up my applications .
I don’t think I was ever accepted to Harvard haha Oh trust me I’m open to any fine school but like I liked the needblindness of Princeton ( I’m considering Williams ED for instance ) </p>
<p>Unless something changes substantially between the two applications, expect the same result. </p>
<p>What were your test scores last time and what do you expect them to be this time? </p>
<p>Most essays are terrible, despite what everyone thinks - they can definitely make a difference, but if your last one wasn’t good for your top pick school, what will you be doing differently this time?</p>
<p>What did you actually get in this time - anything close to Princeton level?</p>
<p>If Princeton is a “no” next time, what is Plan B?</p>
<p>You can give it a try but unless there are substantial changes to your application and you are doing something worthwhile with your gap year I’d expect the same result. Princeton is a reach for everyone – even those with the highest test scores and best essays. While ti is fine to reapply to Princeton, I’d expend more time and energy coming up with a list of alternate (less competitive) schools you can be happy attending.</p>
<p>I didn’t even send the SAT subjects scores in time last time lol
There will be significant changes
I’ll be definitely looking at more schools than Princeton !
My last essay was terrible because I wrote it in one hour , I can write quite good essays in other conditions but my application happened during a mixture of school issues preventing me from doing a lot this round
I had like 28 act :O</p>
<p>I just don’t understand this disconnect. You work so hard to get the grades and then come up with the comment that you wrote your essays in one hour and did not prepare for your standardized tests. These two factors are just as critical as your grades.</p>
<p>There’s nothing in what you’ve said that would indicate a shred of hope for an admissions pool as competitive as the international applicants to Princeton. You’re lying to yourself otherwise.</p>
<p>Alright let’s put it this is way : I used Princeton as an example for a general question .
Going back to Princeton , you are kind of unfamiliar with how italian schools work , I’ll try to put it into perspective as much as I can.
Italian schools are not like American ones . I spent six months in an American school and got straight A’s without even studying much but when it comes to our school you just don’t have time . You don’t have time to study for tests or time to write any essay because we have so much study to do , it’s like being in the finals week for nine months ! Also you must keep in mind I was extremely unfamiliar with the relevance of the essay in the admission process and I did not put much effort in it because my high school was so engaging .
But then again Princeton was only an example to explains my doubt about the reapplying process .</p>
<p>@Penny95…sorry but you don’t really sound serious to me. You haven’t provided your last SAT scores and you say you had “like” 28 ACT…common dude speak with facts. Whatever…I don’t think any school will judge an applicant from his past application except you still provide the same stupid essay and disheartening exam scores…get serious… </p>
<p>I believe I am serious enough . I don’t have SAT scores so I can’t provide them. I had a 28 ACT , forget the ‘’ like ‘’ . You guys are all so worried about me having rushed the essay and so you inferred I am not serious .-. The thing is I can’t be judged as ‘’ not serious ‘’ because my test scores sucked or my essay was terrible because I wasn’t familiar with the process . Period . All the other deductions are and will be deductions .made on weird assumptions (?)</p>
<p>Penny, are your parents able to pay full price if they have to? I think, for International students especially, that can make a lot of difference.</p>
<p>@Penny95: We’re in the same boat, except that I have good standardized scores(2360-SAT). I too was rejected this time and, coincidentally, the reasons of rejections (at least what I think they were) were a SUPER lousy essay, horrible CSS profile that was completely out of phase with what I described in my essays.
I have something excellent to do in this summer and thereafter.
What about you?</p>
<p>Penny: it means you need to choose a variety of schools: not just 6 the need-blind ones.
But also Berea (you can only apply if you meet financial guidelines; thanks to generous donors and alumni, every admitted student receives a full tuition scholarship; then they’re allowed to work and their first year that’s considered enough to pay for their room and board.)
And also universities that offer merit aid - aid that doesn’t come from the budget allocated to internationals, but depends on your test scores, plus activities, achievements, etc. regardless of nationality.
Universities will always ask you if you’ve applied before and yes, being turned down once indicates to them that you didn’t make the cut the last time. Your reader may even be the same since it’s not likely there are readers for multiple areas of the world. So your application needs to be much better. Not just one higher test score, but definitely better. </p>
( I’m considering Williams ED for instance ) </p>
</p>
That’s why I was looking at need blind schools