Reflection on Rejection

Applying to College Admission Stories
1

I want to start off by saying I’m not exactly sure why I’m making this thread; I guess I just want to tell people my story. I hope it can serve as an example for other people.

I began my college search as a typical freshman - naive about what really mattered in a school. I bounced around between several first choices as the years progressed, but I eventually settled on Georgetown University. Visiting the campus only confirmed my hunch - it was the school for me. I convinced myself that was where I was meant to be. I also put together what I thought was a good mix of seven other schools:

Yale
SLU
Stanford
Middlebury
GWU
Dartmouth
Wash U

There were a couple reaches, some matches, and a couple safeties; I thought I was set. I don’t really want to get into stats/ECs, but some context is needed; I had a 4.0 GPA and received a perfect score on my ACT. I’m an Eagle Scout, did a varsity sport, and was involved in a good mix of extracurriculars with a focus on politics and law (with a couple leadership positions thrown in there, too).

While I may have been optimistic (as I always am about things), I certainly didn’t expect to get into all of those schools. I expected a healthy assortment of rejections and acceptances (and maybe a waitlist or two). However, after the process was over, I found myself with one acceptance - to a safety school (SLU) I liked well enough but never dreamed of attending. My mom cried multiple times throughout the week of April 1st because she felt so bad for me.

Now, you might be expecting this next part to be where I rant about affirmative action and claim I was only rejected or waitlisted because I’m a white male, or where I say my life was ruined because of the admissions officers at <em>insert school here</em>… Sorry to disappoint you. :wink: To be honest, from my perspective my life is going great right now. My senior year - regardless of my experiences with the college admissions process - was definitely my best year of high school by far. Due to a lot of different factors - an amazing retreat I went on with some classmates/teachers, naturally becoming more outgoing, growing more in my faith, or for whatever combination of reasons - I met so many great people, made a lot of new friends, and had some of the best times of my life.

I guess the point I’m making is that I value being able to look back on a senior year filled with lots of laughter and nice memories instead of bitterness and regret. You can’t let a rejection - or two, or three, or however many - get you down. An admissions decision (as my friends and family have affirmed many times) isn’t a characterization of you as person; just because you were rejected doesn’t mean you’re worthless or not good enough. I want to say again - that is absolutely not the case. We all have the potential to succeed, no matter where we end up.

Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise that my whole college application process turned out the way it did; I’m a big believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. Even though it may seem impossible, you can’t be afraid to proudly accept whatever life throws your way. I think a quote from one of my favorite books, Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, would be appropriate:

“The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity — even under the most difficult circumstances — to add a deeper meaning to his life.”

Thanks for hearing me out. To any of you who may be in a situation similar to mine - don’t let a school (or schools) ruin your life. Enjoy it to the fullest - no matter what it throws at you.

2

My son’s best friend put together a list very similar to yours and was accepted only at his safety school. It was a huge shock to him and surprising to everyone. In retrospect, he feels he should have applied to several other safety schools and invested more of his time and thoughts on them. Because safeties are the likely schools, they truly should be the schools students spend the most time choosing, but it is rare that happens. More fun to daydream and discuss the big name schools. The problem is that it hurts like crazy when the likely does end up happening.

And it is completely unrealistic and setting oneself up for a fall to fixate on a school with single digit or low double digit accept rates. It’s very easy to get used to switching the mindset from a safety to a reach. The other way around is painful.

My second son did not get into his top choices either and chose among schools that he really did not want. For him,it was the program he wanted. He got into schools he liked but not the program he wanted in those schools. But he learned his discipline well where he went and enjoyed his 4 years at his school which truly had everything he needed and wanted other than the the prestige.

3

You’re telling me you didn’t get into George Washington with a 4.0 and a 36? That actually sucks.

4

No, he said “Georgetown,” not “George Washington.” Big, big difference.

5

^GWU is George Washington U.

@OP, your story is actually inspiring in the way you’ve learned to accept your situation. These schools have missed out on an amazing student. Good luck at SLU! My father went there, and he liked it.

6

You will do well where ever you go. Save the big name for grad school/law school.

Unfortunately, a match school simply means you match the 25-75% stats. Problem is, many match schools have 25,000 applicants for 1000-2000 spots. It was a shocking year for many, both this year and last. You had the stats for every one of those schools, they just did not have the room for you.

Where were you waitlisted? And did you mean to have both Georgetown and GW on your list? I think you posted on both threads.

You will be a standout in the Honors program at SLU. Network, do some research, take advantage of the profs. You will come out ahead in 4 years. And likely with little to no debt.

7

Yale - Reach for everyone
SLU
Stanford - Reach for everyone
Middlebury - Dont know much about it but I understand it is a reach as an LAC.
GWU
Dartmouth - Reach for everyone
Wash U - Number 14 in listing so semi reach
Georgetown - It is 21 so high match at 4.0 and 36.

As chippedtea mentioned GWU should have admitted you and I think Georgetown should have admitted/waitlisted you. As silverturtle’s example shows, 2400 and 36, number 1 rank can also get rejected by Yale and Stanford.

I wish you have more choices on the list since 8 schools is no longer a good distribution of schools and at least one State flagship public school (is your state MO?).

It is really good that you feel content about SLU and that is what matters in the end.

8

To clear some things up, I was waitlisted at both Georgetown and George Washington, and my state is not Missouri :slight_smile:

9

FWIW, you should have been admitted at both. How come you had no state schools on your list?

10

It is a shock to most who get rejected for one of the first times in their lives when they apply to colleges. Those who can “roll with it” and find the silver lining are the ones who move forward with their lives. This is one of the reasons us stuffy parents always remind students & families to “love thy financial & academic safety!”

11

You’re inspiring. I think that:

A) You are going to be something amazing in the future.
B) Each and every one of those schools should have accepted you.

Whatever, i’m happy to see that you are not bitter over the rejections. Keep your current positive attitude my friend. I’m sure that it will serve you well in this life.

xoxoxo

<ul>
<li>blanket92</li>
</ul>

12

Thank you so much for sharing your story and reflection. It truely was inspiring. The best of luck to you and your future endeavors!

13

There is clearly something he’s holding back, like he most likely did something that would be a huge negative factor on his application. Something like he was suspended, committed a small crime, got terrible recommendations, wrote bad essays, or came across as nothing more than a number (which is oftentimes the case for students who just focus on grades and scores). I’m not saying you definitely are one of these, it’s just ridiculous and impossible that you weren’t admitted to GWU, which isn’t even a selective school to begin with.

14

Sometimes **** happens. You could plan all you want and work as hard as you can, and you just have bad luck. For very high reaches, OP just wasn’t lucky enough to get in, and for those safeties, they knew they were OP’s safeties. Every raising senior needs to be prepared for an outcome like OP’s. The point of this thread is OP is not letting the college process define his high school experience or him as a person, which is very admirable, and his attitude will carry him far in life.

My older daughter had a horrible colleg application process. She was rejected or WL at her top choices. On the Ivy release day, she didn’t get one acceptance. She ended up going to a school she never really considered seriously before because of it’s location. She ended up having 4 best years there. It was the perfect school for her. She got a job offer from her junior summer internship. She had a very stree free college senior year. She said it was the ED she never had in high school. So she got lucky this time.

15

Quote from post #13 “There is clearly something he’s holding back”

Maybe, and maybe NOT.

Three years ago a kid I know personally chose to apply (unwisely) to seven very selective universities, as in single and low double digit acceptance rates. His stats were just about the same as the OP.
He didn’t get in anywhere. He went to a CC and now is a rising senior at Rice.

This thread’s OP is both a cautionary tale and an inspiring post. The attitude makes me want to adopt you, emaytay213. But I suspect you were raised right and don’t need a thing

16

WhiteboyNJ123 - My essays were all read by my parents, teachers, counselors, and friends, and I’ve always had a knack for writing; I don’t think they were the problem. I don’t think my recommendations were bad at all. I don’t have a criminal record, drink, or do drugs; I don’t even have a speeding ticket. I honestly don’t think I’m holding anything back.

205mom - I believe you are the first person who has ever told me they would like to adopt me, but I think it’s one the highest compliments I’ve ever been paid! :slight_smile:

17

Just a little story as an adjunct to the OP’s - hope it’s not hijacking. My oldest son had a friend who was denied or waitlisted at every one of his schools, including the one his sibling attended. No one could figure out what had happened - he was a very likable kid who was salutatorian of his class and an all-state athlete, and this was six years ago, when acceptance rates were higher. He finally got in off the waitlist at one of his lesser schools, had a great four years, worked for Teach for America after graduation, and just got his acceptance… to Harvard Law!

18

What was your course load like? Specifically, how many AP’s (with Scores if possible)?

19

It’s honestly just -insert school name-'s loss and SLU’s gain :slight_smile:

You are a very mature, wise and inspiring person!

The world needs more people like you! :slight_smile: