Scratching our heads over rejection

Parents Forum
1

<p>My daughter did not get into her first choice college. Using our high school's historical data for applications to this college,(previous 2 years) she was average as far as sat scores in comparison to other students. However, her overall gpa was higher, and her weighted gpa was higher also. She is in the top 10% of her class with the most demanding curriculum. She had wonderful recs, and is very involved in all aspects of hs. </p>

<p>She visited the college twice and also met with the rep when he visited her high school. Only a few kids showed up to meet with him that day, so they had a good chat. He sent her a follow-up letter (I realize they are form letters) telling her how much he was looking forward to reading her app. He even wrote some personal little note on the letter. This college accepts 80% from our hs, btw. GC actually told us that he would be very surprised if she did not get into this college, although I know the whole process is a crapshoot.</p>

<p>The one big negative that we are aware of is that she has two siblings in college (both private colleges). Could this really have impacted her application??</p>

<p>This is a popular college (about a 50% acceptance rate), but not a national highly selective university. She was not even waitlisted, just flat out rejected. Two other kids (that we know of) got in with lower stats, which has made the rejection sting even more. She applied to schools close to this school on the usnwr list (I guess you would call them competitor schools) and was accepted to both --and one of them offered her a nice scholarship.</p>

<p>I know that it's not just about stats, and this college was clear to state this during the visits. But, the GC told me on a visit last year that she was a highly desirable applicant and that she should do well with college admissions. He was not paying lip service either, since I have been through the process with her siblings and he was not quite as positive. </p>

<p>She is a tough cookie and will survive this major disappointment. She has excellent options and when this blows over she'll be fine. She really likes all the schools she applied to and this is her only rejection. I remember the "love my safety" advice from years ago on this forum--thank you to whoever posted that thread! I have recited that mantra many times:)</p>

<p>I think I read here on cc sometime back that a low efc (not really that low, imo) could result in a rejection if the student was not at the top of the applicant pool. I didn't want to believe it! Why not accept her and just give her a back finaid package? It would then be up to us to decide what to do. </p>

<p>I don't really know if there's a lesson in this for any parents who might read this. I guess I'm not really asking for advice--just venting a bit. I have been on and off these boards for a few years now--and I know that kids have a knack of ending up where they're supposed to be. (Most of them, anyway!)
I'm just wondering if my suspicions are correct--I'll never know of course.</p>

2

<p>I'd have the GC make a call.</p>

3

<p>....Monday</p>

4

<p>Yes, it really stings....I preferred to tell D last year that MIT just did not "accept" her, and we all knew it was THEIR loss!!! </p>

<p>Did your D apply to a specific program or major? Maybe there was just more competition in those areas than "usual". Maybe this year, the school relied a bit more on test scores than usual? It could be a million things. I agree w/ curm, and see if you can get any feedback via the gc calling the school.</p>

<p>Otherwise, to heck with them. The disappointment will fade soon, hopefully.</p>

5

<p>My heart goes out to you. As I have posted before, last year my daughter's result was so unexpectedly bad, she was hyper ventilating, literally couldn't breath. Based on our discussion with her GC, her list of schools were very much in line with her stats. Due to many factors, and maybe just bad luck, she didn't get into many of her top schools. But at the end, she did get into ONE that was perfect for her. A year later, she is very happy where she is.</p>

<p>This must be very hard for you and your daughter right now. Sometimes it is just meant to be. There may be a school on her list that's going to be better for her than the school she just got rejected from. Best of luck to your daughter this Spring.</p>

6

<p>It would definitely be wise to have her gc call the school. Maybe something got messed up. You'll never know if you don't look into it. </p>

<p>I am guessing this is a rolling admissions school. When did she apply? A couple years ago, quite a few kids from my D's highly regarded parochial school did not get into MI State ... simply because they didn't apply early enough. They really didn't apply all that late, but it just happened that so many qualified kids applied earlier that they missed the boat. It's a possible explanation for your D's rejection.</p>

7

<p>It is entirely possible they felt that she wouldn't attend if offered a spot. This is especially true if they knew or guessed which other colleges were on her application list, and they knew the others could offer her more money. Did she list the colleges to which she was applying on her app?</p>

<p>Unless this is her first choice college, I wouldn't pursue it beyond mentioning it to the GC. She has two other acceptances - emphasize those. Congratulations!
EDIT: OK, I just saw that it is her first choice. In that case, have the GC call and emphasize that this was her first choice. Find out what happened. But I would not be surprised if they truly thought she would not attend with her stats.</p>

8

<p>I appealed a similarly surprising decision and was accepted as did a former student. I agree that the GC should make the call.</p>

9

<p>Thanks to all of you replying. She applied early action. Was not even deferred to the regular decision pool. She did not apply to any "reaches". She has been accepted to 5 schools--2 of which the GC thought could go either way, as they are out of state publics. No problem! The other two were competitor schools (competitors of the one she got rejected from)--I say that because they are a few ranking numbers apart on usnwr. Only one would be considered a true safety--her sister attends that school and she is probably in the very highest part of their appliicant pool. So far, she has two separate scholarship offers--one from a competitor, and one from her sister's school.</p>

<p>She sobbed for an hour, got up and went to her game--so she's doing okay. I'm not happy she was rejected, but I try to keep these things in perspective. She works hard and can be successful wherever she ends up. But your heart breaks when your kid gets a blow like this. We just weren't expecting it--although I have never been one to count chickens before they are hatched. She's realistic and has a lot of support from her wonderful friends. I'm saving the "maybe it wasn't meant to be" talk for another day. </p>

<p>One more thing--two of the schools she applied to are her siblings' schools. They asked on the app where she was applying and she answered honestly. Do you think they just assumed she would go to one of those schools? </p>

<p>I already emailed the GC--he's close to all of my kids, but especially fond of this one. He will be absolutely livid. In my email I did ask him to call the school and ask for an explanation as you suggested. This school mailed out all their letters the same time, so we have a pretty good idea who got in. So far she is the only one rejected that we know of. One girl was waitlisted--her rank was about 20%, gpa lower, sat score about the same. They asked for her 1st semester grades. She is not active in school functions, either. </p>

<p>Can you see why we are so perplexed by this? Thank God she has 5 other great choices--she'll end up loving one of them I'm sure. Big brother called and put in a pitch for having his little sis with him next year, so maybe things will work out for the best :)
Thanks again.</p>

10

<p>My oldest is 15, so I have no insight at all, but wanted to say I'm sorry that this happened and hope you can gain some kind of understanding. I'm so not looking forward to this in a couple of years.</p>

11

<p>I am as perplexed as you are, chocolate. It sounds like this is a school that has pretty transparent admissions policies, and your D somehow was rejected when she really should not have been. Please keep us posted & let us know what the gc finds out. This one is puzzling.</p>

12

<p>DS, with stats that far exceeded our state flagship U, (as well as excellent EC's, etc.), was rejected. I thought there had been some kind of mistake. Called the school to make sure they had his grades and scores correct. They did. He was going to appeal, but in the end went to the Honors College at another state university, where he is very happy.</p>

<p>I do understand how you feel. I felt like I'd been hit in the stomach. It was so unexpected, and so unfair (I thought). My thoughts go out to you and your daughter.</p>

<p>Only today I found out that another of my son's classmates, who is now attending a much MORE selective school than flagship, who had HIGHER stats than my son (and we're talking HIGH), was also rejected by FU last year (pun intended). The admissions process is really inexplicable.</p>

<p>If the call from your GC, etc., don't change anything (and don't count on that) I hope that you and your daughter come to truly believe that things happen for a reason, and work out for the best. Both my son and his friend are EXTREMELY happy at their respective schools, and both, in 20/20 hindsight, are at the best place for them.</p>

<p>Good luck to your daughter.</p>

13

<p>You just never know. I'd look over a copy of the application that was sent. Were there any serious typos? Did her transcripts get received and were they accurate? There are so many pieces of information that constitute the application and so many areas where something can go awry. My D says it's amazing to walk into the guidance office at her HS and see them scurrying around stuffing envelopes, slapping address labels onto envelopes, etc. I'd check the accuracy of everything that got sent. Since this was an EA application, it may still be possible for her to get accepted RD.</p>

14

<p>My son was accepted to schools that were 'harder' to get into than other schools he was rejected at. And there was NOTHING in the application, transcript, scores, etc. that could have been screwed up. Just the way of college admissions. If this school is her first choice, I would have the GC call, I'd have her call, write, whatever. It can't hurt! I do harbor suspicions that there may be more to the FA issue than meets the eye.</p>

15

<p>Please listen to Mammall and others that something may be amiss with your daughter's application. If the guidance counselor won't contact the admissions dept, call yourself. Friend's son had stats similar to your daughter and everyone was stunned when he was rejected at State U. Parent called and found out the younger sibs transcript had been sent.</p>

16

<p>I'm sorry. It does sound like maybe there was a problem with the application--does your DD have a common name, maybe? It's possible that some incorrect piece from another applicant got put in with her materials. </p>

<p>And one more question. I take it this was not a school or major where admission includes a portfolio or an audition or anything like that? I have a friend whose DS was applying for architectural school, and he got accepted to all his reaches and matches...but was rejected from a school that should have been his safety. Kids from his HS with lower stats than his were accepted to the program. When the GC called to ask about what she considered a clear mistake, the safety's admissions office looked at the boy's file and said simply, "We didn't like his portfolio."</p>

17

<p>"I'm sorry. It does sound like maybe there was a problem with the application--does your DD have a common name, maybe?"</p>

<p>My son, who has a common name, got repeated calls from the football coach at one of the schools he applied to. Not a football player. That could happen. </p>

<p>If its a mistake, the GC will be able to sort it out. If not - then go with the 'there's a reason for this' philosophy. My son had two favorites - one accepted him, the other waitlisted him. In retrospect - the school that accepted him was a much better fit. Of course, I'm still mad at the school that waitlisted him - but he's way past that!</p>

18

<p>Hi chocolate. I just wanted to say that I am sorry.</p>

19

<p>Sorry, I would check everything but I suspect the financial aid was the issue. When one of my kids applied to colleges a few years back, she <em>only</em> got into her safeties. She didn't get into her matches and I've come to suspect it's because we had a very low EFC. Most schools are not need-blind. It stinks (and I still feel guilty) but it's life. I hope that's not the case with your daughter and there was something amiss but that might be it.</p>

20

<p>chocolate - Something's not right here. An EA from a superior student has no business receiving an outright reject. I agree with all the posters who say your D will be fine at one of the schools that accepts her. But I'm also in agreement that having the GC look into this is solid advice. Unless your D's case is one of those random lightning strikes, it's likely that whatever put your D's app in the reject pile will occur with other students from the HS too. Best wishes to you and your D.</p>