Why did I get rejected by ALL Universities with 2250 SAT????!!!!!

Applying to College
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<p>I got rejected by all schools I applied to: UCLA, Brown, Boston University, U Penn, Cornell, Yale, Princeton. I thought UCLA is my safety school. I'm totally confused now. Here is my info:</p>

<p>High School:
I studied in a top Chinese high school and got average 94/100 score. We don't have any AP courses and it's very different from an American high school. I decided that I wanted to study in the U.S. so I dropped my high school in my junior year and attended a High School Completion Program in a Washington State community college. I already explained the situation in my application. I earned twice as many as college credits needed in the same amount of time. I got 88.5 credits (an AA degree needs 90 credits) within a year. My unweighted GPA is 3.98/4.0 ( the college does not offer ranking and weighted GPA).</p>

<p>I self-studied SATs and AP:
SAT: 2250 (690R, 800M, 760W)
SAT2: Math II 750, Physics 710
AP: Calculus BC 5, Psychology 5, Microeconomics 4
TOEFL (a English qualification test for international student): 112/120
I know it's not super high and I have less AP scores than most other applicants. But my high school does not offer any AP course or related subjects. Moreover, I have so MANY community college credits.</p>

<p>I have read so many admission essays and I do not think mine is much worse than those essays. I can PM you if you want. I think it's qualified. And many other people think so too (my adviser, college professors, family members, etc)</p>

<p>My recommendation letters are really nice. My professors wrote long and detailed letter for me, I have seen both of them.</p>

<p>I have many extracurricular activities: I went to Africa to paint kindergarten murals for a month (I have a great recommendation letter from the headmaster of that Kenyan kindergarten); I took care of elders with Alzheimer's for three years; I was the Director of Public Relation department of my high school student committee, where I fund-raised ￥12,000 (Chinese currency) for my school; I wrote ancient Chinese poem and did seal-cutting; I run cross-country and I do weight-lifting; I played piano in a church; but I got rejected by all.</p>

<p>I'm clear in my essay that I want to major in philosophy. It wouldn't be a "hot" major in any school. My philosophy professor acclaimed me as the "best" student he has ever known, not "one of the best". I have passion for academic works and philosophical reasoning.</p>

<p>I know I might not be the best candidate for Ivy, but why would I be rejected by even UCLA and BU? What's wrong with my application? Does my study in a community college but not a high school make me "worse-off"? I would be enormously glad if you can offer me any insight on the situation. I'd like to share any information you need. </p>

<p>p.s. I got a very early admission in Feb. from Rutgers, whose philosophy department ranks No.3 in the nation. It offers me a transfer admission. I didn't really mean to apply to Rutgers at first, since I was so obsessed with all the colleges above and their decision of letting me in.</p>

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<p>UCLA isn’t a safety school for anyone, is it? Not with a 22% acceptance rate. :frowning: Should have applied to less selective schools as well… Really sucks, though. Look for schools with open deadlines or take a gap year?</p>

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<p>Rutgers it is…</p>

<p>Perhaps hubris permeated your personal statement.</p>

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<p>Almost the same situation! I got : SAT 2280 TOFEL: 110/120 SAT2: Math, physics, chemistry 3*800
My school didn’t offer APs either, and I made my decision very late.
I knew my essays and activities are not supper good, but I thought they were at least decent.
Yet up to now I still only have my safety schools…and I had a much more wide spread college selection than you!
rejected by BC, UCB, UCLA, UVA, NU, and waitlisted by Washington University.
Competition in China( or for Chinese students) is extreme this year. I was so surprised that there are others so “ill-lucked” as me.
Did you apply to some hot majors like econ? I think that is one of my problems. I claimed business or econ all the time, and all the schools I applied to have a very competitive Econ/Business.
“Given your academic qualifications, I know that you will receive other attractive admission offers. I wish you every success in achieving your educational goals.” I received this 2 times! where are the other “attractive offers”!?</p>

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<p>You have a very eclectic assortment of stuff going on here, and I don’t think going to the community college helped. And speaking of the community college, covering that much of a course load in one year says a lot – and what it says might not be good. Schools probably think about the student body they’re trying to create, and consider how you’d fit into that. Your extra-curriculars are interesting, although maybe over the top for a senior in high school. (Maybe there’s such a thing as…too much…?) Your post seems rather intense, and maybe that came through in your application. Maybe schools want students that will generally fit into their culture; and you may appear (at least on paper) to be an outlier. Oh, and by the way, your SAT score is not that phenomenal for the schools you’re considering. It’s decent, but not exceptional for the top schools.</p>

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<p>Getting in to US colleges involves much more than scoring high on the tests. And you don’t mention your financial situation, which can have a great deal to do with admission of international students. Plus, as others have said, applying only to “name-brand” schools is generally not a good strategy. The reasons for rejection can be complex, but I don’t think someone advised you very well on the process.</p>

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<p>@NCalRent</p>

<p>No, my personal statements are about 1) how I make the decision to study in US; 2) my love for philosophy. It has no hubris and I didn’t write as if I think any of the schools is my “safety school”. I’d like to send you my PS if you need. Probably you can make a better judgement than I can. Thank you for your comment!</p>

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<p>Me too, 2240, rejected from all ivies. Umich is too expensive, rutgers it is.</p>

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<p>Rutgers has a good philosophy program.</p>

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<p>Dear @Linda2350</p>

<p>No I applied to Philosophy major and I made it super clear. </p>

<p>Do you know agency companies in China? I thought I could go through all the process by my self and I probably has made some mistakes. Do you think it’s because I haven’t be assisted by any agency? (You might know a lot of Chinese students are assisted by agency)</p>

<p>You have very impressive stats. I hope everything goes well with you. I’d like to know your final decision. I’m preparing to attend Rutgers. :)</p>

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<p>Nvm, I see you were accepted to Rutgers. Good for you, that’s an excellent school.</p>

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<p>I’m thinkingyou had too much college credit. Did yyou apply as a first year or transfer. That’s probably what screwed you</p>

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<p>@PTigerMomAlum</p>

<p>Thanks a lot for your comment! It’s very helpful and I agree with most of your points.</p>

<p>I think finishing many college credits in a year only means that I can handle more rigor course requirement. I didn’t mention it at all in my personal statement (the transcript would show).
My post is rather intense because I just got all my Ivy rejections five minutes ago.l’m sorry about that. But I don’t think my PS has same kind of mood.
It’s interesting that you mentioned about being an “outlier”. Can you please explain it to me? My instinct told me that you’re probably right but I don’t know what it really means yet. </p>

<p>Thank you again!</p>

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<p>@MrMom62</p>

<p>Yes you are right. It’s not very wise of me and I don’t get much assistance in the process. I’m not upset about going to Rutgers, but I just want to know what’s wrong with my application so that I can avoid the same mistakes in the future. Probably I can even figure out something wrong with my personality in the whole. Thank you for your comment!</p>

<p>p.s. I have no financial difficulty. </p>

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<p>@Nekogami</p>

<p>I apply as a first year. I don’t really mid that whether the credits can be transferred or not.</p>

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<p>@walkingdead1480</p>

<p>Are you going to Rutgers? What’s your major?</p>

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<p>It’s not only about your SAT. One of my buddies got into Harvard with 2070 SAT. But he had bronze & silver in the IMO & IPhO, did build an effective training organization by himself. And yes he was an international with full need. Besides the essays matter much more than the SATs. At least in the ivies and LACs.</p>

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<p>I am sorry to hear about your disappointment. Without seeing your applications it is hard to comment, but you are correct in perceiving that these schools responded very consistently. You are clearly academically capable, but it is possible (as prior posters speculated) that you did come across as intense, and that you did not demonstrate how you would contribute to a college community’s vitality. Schools choose people to build a diverse, interesting and engaged community. One of the challenges in this process is getting across how YOU will add to the community, rather than just showing a list of accomplishments. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Having an agency may do some help, since it will help you select schools and correct your essays( or rearrange it). Yet the fee is very high and I don’t really think anyone that have an American experience shall hire it. The main function of an agency is to help one get familiar with the American application system. 
Ps: I hired an agency, and here I am. I just could not give up my dream in Econ, since junior high school I have been so fascinated by the major. The lucky thing is that UCSD have a decent Econ( this is my safe school) Rudger is good, as long as your major ranks high! Cheer up! </p>

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<p>Thinking UCLA was a safety was a mistake. If UC was your target you should have gone to CC in CA. UCLA has many more qualified Int’l students than it admits. The gpa/sat makes it look easier because standards for instate are different.</p>