Rejected at all Colleges, Reapplying next year.

Applying to College
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<p>I have a question, one which Im not too thrilled to have to ask. Being rejected to all colleges (actually I was accepted at oxford college georgia without financial aid so... yeah, can't go) I'm going to retake the SATs and do this insane process al over again. </p>

<p>What's up with my last year's CommonApp? Do I have to create a new account? Are all my transcripts, essays, Letters of Rec lost? </p>

<p>Which are the steps to take if I wanna do this process all over again and do It the best way possible? Im talking about everything here. I'm an international student, so I don't know the best way possible to do all this. I realize now I made several mistakes last time. Everything that could be useful would be appreciated. From how many colleges should I apply next year to tips for the SAT and the Common App. </p>

<p>Thanks for everything.</p>

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<p>I’m also taking a gap year. Any advice on Common App/LORs and general process for non-senior students will be appreciated!</p>

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<p>Bumppp</p>

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<p>The common app account is deleted after a year, so your data will not be saved and you have to create a new account. Hopefully your school will save the LORs and will be willing to upload them again. Contact your counselor and discuss this possibility asap.
The best way is to have a balanced number of reach, match and safety schools. Ideally the safety school is a safety from both admission and Financial point of view, one where you are well above the required stats and you can afford to go.
Give yourself enough time to prepare and practice tests before retaking them. Good luck</p>

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<p>Thanks. Im going to study a lot for the SATs. I dont want then to come in the way of getting in a college so… Ill talk to my counselor too. Thanks</p>

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<p>I would confirm somehow that the LORs were not a weak point. Maybe a different perspective teacher-wise might be good. Just be careful in thinking it was just test scores, unless you were told that specifically. Weak LORs are more damaging than slightly lower than average test scores.</p>

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<p>^ This very much depends on the schools you applied to. Some colleges don’t even consider LORs.</p>

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<p>I’d suggest you get a bit more realistic with your targets. Apply to a few schools that you know you can afford and will take you. Maybe even as a spring admit…In the mean-time, get a job, make some money and gain some experience.
Good luck.</p>

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<p>Thanks very much for the advice. Just one question and it may seem something stupid to ask but im not familiar with all the terms used in this forum. What are LORs?</p>

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<p>Letters of Recommendation. </p>

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<p>@render142 - letters of recommendation :"> </p>

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<p>Thanks! Im not very concerned about LOR, all my teachers loved and I read the letters and they were great. Im gonna try to obtain a LOR from someone import by doing an internship with a professional writer or someone like that. I think that would up a lot to my application ( I wanna be a creative writing major by the way)</p>

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<p>Aren’t you not supposed to look at LORs?</p>

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<p>Yeahh… But the relationship with teachers we have in my country is different from the usa. So…</p>

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<p>Why are you not supposed to look at recommendation letters?</p>

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<p>From my experience, colleges generally want them in a sealed envelope from the teacher. (There are ways to get around this) But this is so the teacher doesn’t feel pressured to only write good things about the student. </p>

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<p>Only thing is that your options are very limited since you are seeking for financial aid as an international student. All the schools that are offering need blind financial aid to international students would be reach schools for you. Therefore you really need to use this time well. (great SATI/II scores, great LORs (not just good), great essays etc) </p>

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<p>@TransferGopher, nice Manziel picture! Many teachers submit the LOR in a sealed envelope but also give a copy of the LOR to the student. </p>

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<p>@princeton2031 thats exactly what I wanna do. I want to convert all those reach schools into an actual possibility. Im just asking for the best way to confront this situation</p>

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<p>render, after all the admissions madness dies down and the disappointment cools a bit, you need to take a cold hard look at the feasibility of what you’re trying to accomplish.</p>

<p>You need to accept that colleges that rejected you and colleges that didn’t give you enough aid the first time around are not likely to do so next year. I’m sure it happens but do not count on it. It is very rare.</p>

<p>As an international who needs financial aid ( and I’m assuming your need a lot of aid) you’re in a double bind – few internationals are admitted and few receive a lot of aid. Improving your scores isn’t going to move the needle enough to make a substantial difference. I don’t know how bad or good your scores were, but colleges put students who are not native English speakers in a separate category, so your scores may not be what worked against you.</p>

<p>A few months back you indicated that your GPA was 3.5. Although this is a respectable average it is not in the range for the most selective colleges/universities. Right now there’s nothing you can about your grades, so you might have to re-think your overall strategy and widen your list considerably.</p>

<p>Oxford College is a wonderful opportunity. If there’s any way that your family can manage it financially, you should jump on the chance.</p>

<p>If that’s not workable, then you should look at options in your home country or region. If you do well it’s possible to transfer to an American school or ultimately attend graduate school in the U.S.</p>

<p>If you’re determined to have another go at the U.S. make sure you use your gap year wisely. To me, this is the factor that will swing the scale for you – what you accomplish, what you learn, who you meet. Bear in mind that gap year’s are costly. If your resources are already strained, don’t make it worse.</p>

<p>And lastly, accept as an international who needs aid you may have to drop down a few tiers in ratings (though not necessarily in academic excellence.) Look at generous schools in the Midwest – like Grinnell, Macalester – who may be attracted by your demographic. Also schools in rural locations may need to recruit internationals to up their diversity percentages: Rochester, Colby.</p>

<p>It’s good to be persistent, but be clear-eyed too.</p>