Being rejected is not fun. You worked extremely hard to be a qualified applicant. You studied for tests, labored over homework, and participated in extracurriculars while some kids watched TV. We know you wanted to be done and we know this hurts. And we want to remind you that it’s not personal. College admissions are incredibly competitive. WAY more competitive than they were back in your parent’s day. In fact, Stanford’s acceptance rate hovers around 4% these days!!! So, first thing first: you need to understand that this isn’t a reflection of who you are and additionally, that you’re going to be okay. Here are some tips about what to do next:
Take a Beat
Getting rejected Early Decision can feel like a little bit of a heartbreak. We know you had your heart set on Stanford. We recommend taking a couple of days to just mope. Be sad if you’re sad. Veg out. Watch your favorite show. Take a little break. Then, be ready to get the ball rolling again.
Consult Your List
The good news is, you have a great place to start! By now, you should have a college list. The students we work with apply to a minimum of ten schools that are a good mix of reaches, targets, and safety schools. Start off by checking out your list. How many targets do you have? (There should be about 4-5). Do you have enough? That doesn’t mean your reaches (another 4 or so) are going by the wayside. While it’s easier to get into reaches Early Decision, you should not knock them off your list totally for Regular Decision. It just means you need to hedge a little bit more on target schools in the Regular Decision round. If you don’t have a list yet, stop everything you’re doing and create one. Research the test scores and GPAs for a school to know whether or not it’s a target for you.
See What’s Up with Your Common App
Next, re-read your full Common Application. Take a very close look at the essays. This is really crucial. Remember, Stanford’s acceptance rate is extremely low. You were up against many, many, many applicants with great GPAs, extracurriculars, and test scores. So how do you stand out against someone who’s just as good as you are in the grades and scores department? Make sure you have superior essays. We have several guides on how to write standout Common App essays and supplements. Look them over. The primary objective should be to let personality traits that aren’t present elsewhere in your application shine. You want to make sure you come off the page as a three-dimensional human being. We help our students tell stories through essays that really give the admissions committee a fuller window into what kind of person they are and why their character is a great fit for that school. Rework your essays if needed. Get someone else to take a look. If you don’t know where to begin, call us. We can help!
Write Down a Plan (and Stick to It!)
We are great at helping students develop a contingency plan. It all starts with a well-balanced list. Once you have one, start thinking about Early Decision 2 and pick a school to shoot for. Not all schools have Early Decision 2, but many do. The strategy here should be to think about whether you want to use your ED 2 option on a target or a reach. If the last experience made you really nervous and you want to be safe, go for a target school. If you’re still feeling a little ambitious, go for a reach.
Get a Little Help
We have what’s called an “It’s Going to Be Ok” package. If you’re feeling behind or just like you need to run your plan by someone who’s done this many times before, we can help you! We understand that in addition to dealing with the stress of senior year, getting a rejection you weren’t expecting isn’t ideal. We’re here to help you create a really great strategy, and above all, help you manage that stress.
Getting rejected Early Decision can be really gut-wrenching, but the trick is to just move forward and know that your work is not in vain. You can build upon the things you’ve already accomplished and even tweak existing applications when applying to other schools for Early Decision 2 or Regular Decision.
Need help modifying a college list? We’re experts at helping students match with their perfect schools. Call us!