Getting a rejection in the Early Decision round is definitely not easy. But the good news is, it’s really just the start, and that one rejection has no bearing on how you’re going to do with other, similarly competitive schools. The thing about Early Decision is it comes alone and it comes first. It’s sometimes easier to tolerate a rejection when it’s preceded by several acceptance letters. College admissions are extraordinarily competitive these days and the Ivies are just more competitive than any other time or place in history. That’s it. It doesn’t get harder. And Columbia in particular has just a 4% acceptance rate! So, if you’ve been rejected in the Early Decision round, don’t despair. We have some advice about how you might go forward. (And don’t worry, it’s really not that much more work!)
Rejected Restricted Early Action from Yale 2023
Experiencing the disappointment of getting a dreaded rejection letter from your dream school during the Early Decision phase can be truly disheartening. You've invested your heart, soul, dedication, and countless hours into becoming an exceptional candidate. It's crucial to remember that this outcome doesn't define your worth or your potential. Your bright future still awaits, and there are other really, really good options out there.
Rejected Early Decision from Dartmouth 2023
Getting a rejection letter from your dream Early Decision school can be really tough. It’s natural to feel deflated. You've dedicated your heart, soul, time, and countless hours to becoming an outstanding candidate. Your bright future still lies ahead, and there are other exceptional options available. College admissions have unquestionably become fiercely competitive, and the Ivy League is in a category of its own. Dartmouth’s acceptance rate is just 6% according to U.S. News & World Report. But keep in mind that a Dartmouth rejection doesn’t mean the Ivies are out of your league. Here’s our advice about staying on track for the rest of your reaches:
Rejected Early Decision from Cornell 2023
Experiencing the disappointment of a rejection letter from your dream school can be disheartening. You’ve put your heart and soul into getting into Cornell Early Decision. It can be crushing not to get what you want. But it’s really important to remember that this outcome doesn’t define your worth, your potential, or your future. There are still bright things on the horizon for you despite this setback. College admissions have undeniably become exceptionally competitive. In fact, Cornell’s acceptance rate is only 7%! And by the way, a rejection from Cornell doesn’t mean you can’t apply to other Ivies regular decision, either.
Rejected from UVA Early Decision 2023
Receiving a rejection letter from your dream school in the Early Decision round can seem like a heavy blow. You’ve put in countless hours of hard work to be a strong candidate and had high hopes for your future at UVA. It’s really important to remember, however, that the outcome here isn’t a reflection of your potential (or your worth). College admissions have become incredibly competitive and UVA’s acceptance rate is just 19%, according to U.S. News and World. And by the way, we don’t think this means you’re not qualified to get into similarly competitive schools. So, don’t despair. Read our guide below on what you should do next:
Rejected from NYU Early Decision
We understand that receiving a rejection from your dream school, like NYU, in the Early Decision round can be disheartening. You’ve invested countless hours making yourself a great candidate and had a clear vision of your future there. First and foremost, we want to emphasize that this outcome is not a reflection of your worth or your potential. College admissions have become exceptionally competitive! And NYU’s acceptance rate, according to U.S. News & World Report, is only about 12%.
Rejected from Harvard Restricted Early Action 2023
Receiving that deflating rejection letter from your dream school during the Early Decision phase can be really disheartening. You’ve poured your heart, soul, sweat, and tears into becoming a standout candidate. It’s really important to keep in mind that this outcome doesn’t reflect your value or your potential. You still have a bright future ahead. College admissions have become incredibly tough. I mean, Harvard’s acceptance rate is about 3%. (3!!!) And by the way, a rejection from Harvard doesn’t mean you’re not a qualified candidate for other Ivy League universities. So, don’t get too discouraged.
Rejected from USC Early Action 2023
We know it doesn’t feel great to get rejected from your top-choice school. You spent a lot of time working to get in and really envisioned yourself there. Before we go any further, we want to make sure you know that it’s not personal. Like, really! College admissions are insanely competitive these days.
Rejected from Duke Early Decision
Getting rejected can be really awful. We know you had your heart set on Duke, but it’s important to remember that the college admissions process is extremely competitive. So much so that Duke’s acceptance rate is about 6% these days. That’s crazy low! The good news is, things aren’t hopeless. You’re still going to get in and go somewhere great. Yes, it’s going to take a bit more work, but you can do it. (And a lot of the work is already done). Here are our tips on what to do next:
Rejected from Michigan Early Decision 2023
Getting rejected from your dream school can be really tough. We want you to know that admissions are really competitive. In fact, the admissions rate for the University of Michigan is only 18%, and that includes in state. It’s a lot harder now than it was a generation ago. Additionally, we have some thoughts on what you should do next and in the run-up to your next round of applications.
Rejected from U Chicago Early Decision
The college admissions process is at its most competitive in human history. If you applied Early Decision to the University of Chicago and you were rejected, we want you to know that you’re still amazing. It’s not a reflection of who you are. And there are things you can do to move forward. We’ve put together a guide of what you should do next:
Rejected from Stanford Early Decision 2023
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:
Read this if Rejected Early Decision
Rejection is always hard. Getting rejected from your early decision school can feel like the end of the world, but it's not. It’s the end of the road with that school but not with this process. We work with students every year that come to us after getting rejected from their ED school. We sometimes call it our “everything's going to be ok” package. Because, we promise even if you have gotten a tough rejection, everything is going to be ok.
Rejected for Early Decision
Getting a rejection sucks. There is no way around it. But if you get rejected during early decisions, it's not over, even if it can feel like the end of the world. You might feel like the only one of your friends who didn’t get into their ED school, but not getting into an ED school is really common. And we wanted to give you some tips and tricks if you got rejected during ED.
Getting Rejected by the Ivy League during Covid
College decisions are out, and while our TKG clients got into their top choice schools, we know that there are many people out there wondering: what happened? People want to know: “how come I didn’t get into my dream school?” This might sound cheesy but it’s worth noting: getting into a certain college has literally nothing to do with your value as a person. Rejection is hard, and while we can’t make you feel better, we do think it might be helpful to read the below. We don’t know your life, we don’t know where you applied, but we are familiar with how this process works. Here are a few reasons why might have gotten rejected:
Can You Apply to the Same College After Being Rejected Early Decision?
In keeping with our miniseries on forging ahead after deferrals and rejections, we’re here to answer a question that we get frequently. In short, no, unfortunately you can’t reapply to the same college during regular decision if you were rejected early decision. This is a harsh reality, and one of the reasons why we always suggest being realistic when it comes to choosing early decision schools. With that being said, the road does not end here.
What To Do If You’re Rejected Early Decision
Getting rejected early decision is undeniably difficult. We suggest that you take a day or two to be upset! It’s not an easy situation to be in, but it does provide true clarity – and you have no choice but to move forward. Setting those wheels in motion, and ASAP, is the best way to figure out more realistic next steps that will result in acceptances at other colleges.
Rejected Early Decision with No Backup Plan
Being rejected early decision is not easy. We recommend taking a day to feel however you’re feeling and clear your head. It’s understandable that you’re upset, so try doing something to take your mind off of what just happened before diving back into the process. And we aren’t saying that being rejected isn’t painful! Rejection is hard. But you now need to make a lot of moves in a short amount of time, and getting that process started might be a welcome distraction from focusing on what isn’t going to work out. Before you start, remember this: it’s going to be okay. This happens a lot. And while that doesn’t make it any less upsetting, knowing that many other students are in your boat might offer a sense of comfort.
What do I do if I’m Rejected ED?
If you’re reading this in the fall, before you’ve heard back from your ED/EA school:
This is a great place to be in. It’s not too late for anything. Start your other supplements today and put just as much work into them as you have into your ED/EA school. Work equally on the array of schools on your list––safeties, targets, and reaches. To find guidance about how to write the supplements for your schools, poke around the blog. We have dozens of detailed blog posts for supplements (like this one, this one, or this one).