<p>I'm an international student who didn't get into Yale last year. I opted for a gap-year and will be applying again this year. Considering Yale as the college to apply to for ED, I was wondering if I could get a broadened perspective on how I would fare the second time. I have a pretty decent profile, and actually got into Cornell last year (money matters intervened though). So, what is everyone's input on a "rejectee" applying for ED?</p>
<p>First off, ED refers to “Early Decision”, which Yale DOES NOT have. Yale has EA, “Early Action” – specifically SCEA, “Single Choice Early Action.” To understand the difference between the ED, EA and SCEA, see:[Early</a> Decision & Early Action](<a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/applications/early]Early”>Early Decision and Early Action – Counselors | College Board)</p>
<p>Secondly, there must have been some reason that Cornell accepted, but Yale rejected. Yes, Yale (6.2% overall acceptance rate) is more selective than Cornell (16.9% overall acceptance rate), but what did Yale find lacking in your previous application? Only you can answer that question. Was your GPA too low? Were your SAT/ACT scores not as competitive? Were your teacher recommendations not stellar enough? Maybe your essays were flat? Was your overall profile just not strong enough for Yale? There is a whole range of possible reasons, but you need to realistically look at your “decent profile” and determine what went wrong.</p>
<p>libra: were you waitlisted at Yale and eventually rejected? If not, then you have to realistically know that there was a body of students Yale actually preferred above you. Another thing to consider.</p>
<p>My sister is doing just that except she was waitlisted last year. OP, congrats on Cornell. I say try to do something exceptional during your gap year and make your app stronger. Also make sure you have a good explanation for taking a year off.</p>
<p>@T26E4 Do you think since my sister was wailisted, and doing a lot with her gap year, she’ll have a decent chance this year?</p>
<p>Thank you icecream6. I have done quite some work in my year off but I know it will come down to how I explain it on paper. Any advice with the ‘explanation’ for the year off?</p>
<p>To gibby,
Yes of course, writing Action was what I actually meant to do. 
my GPA is 4/4 weighted
class rank: 1
Sat reasoning: 2200 (wr:770, cr:740, m:690)
SAT subjects: [Phys:780, Chem: 770, Math2: 750] (I will be appearing for Literature and possibly US History in October.
Writing about EC etc is extensive so I will give you a general idea that my strong suits lie in writing (own publications, editor etc), leadership (includes internationally) and volunteer work (worked with many NGOs, independent fundraising and organization of self-started charity and community-service events)</p>
<p>What I mean to ask you while posting this is that if you had any advice on how to present myself this time. Because its really about how you market yourself. You seem like you really know your stuff so I wanted your input. If its okay, I can correspond with you via email too. Just say the word. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>". . . any advice on how to present myself this time. Because its really about how you market yourself." </p>
<p>It’s NOT about marketing yourself – it’s about content!</p>
<p>I’m not sure what happens at Yale, but at other colleges, the Admissions Office keeps an electronic file of every rejected applicant for three years. In that way, if an applicant applies a second time, an Admissions Director can refer back to the original application and read the content of an old file (with comments from readers) along with the new file. That is why it so important to understand why you were not accepted the first time around. And only you can make that assessment.</p>
<p>I would not encourage a person who was rejected last year to apply early this year, unless there was something really impressive during the gap year.</p>
<p>^ Agree. Based on anecdotal evidence of what we see here on College Confidential, reapplicants after rejection fare worse than the average new applicant even with any additional insight they think they have to improve their application…</p>
<p>Go ahead and reapply</p>
<p>I agree with YaleGradandDad.</p>
<p>One of the reasons I think re-applicants, after rejection, fare worse than the average new applicant is because Admissions does have an electronic version of the original file. So, whatever they didn’t like the first time around is likely to rear-up again and bite you. Unless, of course, there has been SIGNIFICANT insight and improvement.</p>
<p>There are exceptions to everything, I guess, but I don’t think I have ever heard of a student being successful reapplying to Harvard or Yale a year after being rejected or waitlisted there. The OP should probably accept that Yale is off the table and concentrate on other colleges (and other means of financing college).</p>
<p>Years ago, there was a famous thread on CC about “andisson”, a top student who somehow managed to get rejected everywhere he applied, including what he thought was his safety school. He had a very productive gap year, and also did a great job analyzing what might have gone wrong with his original applications. He applied to a broader range of colleges the second time around, and received a number of admissions offers; he ultimately went to one of those colleges that goes by a single initial here on CC and has an admission rate to match. </p>
<p>But . . . not one single college of the colleges that had rejected him the year before accepted him when he reapplied. With his new-and-improved application and great gap year, he was accepted by almost all of the colleges to which he applied for the first time, and rejected by every college to which he reapplied.</p>
<p>So, reapply if you want, but don’t give up any real opportunity to give your reapplication a better chance, because your reapplication probably has no chance no matter what you do.</p>
<p>JHS, interesting story. Think about it … as an organization/school, they stand by what they said the first time…No. Imagine the numbers of kids that would start taking gap years if they really thought they could reapply the next year?</p>
<p>Truth is, your chances are slim to none…but you never know unless you try. You could be the exception.
You should definitely also apply to other need-blind schools. I know Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, MIT, and Amherst are all need-blind/full-need for international students.</p>
<p>My suggestion would be to apply to Princeton, the admissions statistics (though admittedly the sample size is small) indicate a more favourable early admissions rate, though, unlike Yale, they do require the SAT subject tests regardless of the ACT (just pointing this out because I didn’t read most of the thread).</p>
<p>I applied as a Regular applicant last year, and I was rejected. My high school counselor and my school teachers have been really helpful in finding the reason why I was rejected. We discovered that there was a big discrepancy between my actual grades and that which was reported on the transcript that was sent in last year with my school forms. I also had low SAT Scores.
So, I am considering re-applying SCEA this year or applying to Princeton. I will be sitting for the ACT in October. Also, my school counselor said he will make mention of the grade error in his recommendation.
What are my chances of getting accepted?</p>
<p>Apply to Princeton, assuming you have sufficient SAT Subject Test scores.</p>
<p>Considering my SAT Subject Test scores, I think I’d rather apply to Upenn.</p>
<p>However,I’d like to know what my chances are if I do sit for the SAT Subjects in November.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that it would be too late.</p>