<p>Boston College’s wait list letter was weird… It talked about how competitive and qualified the applicant pool was opposed to you. It kinda rambled on for awhile before it finally told you that you were waitlisted.</p>
<p>Boston college’s acceptance letter was nice. It had a white folder with an embossed seal of the school and info on admitted student days and orientation. Kenyon’s Rejection was pretty standard telling me how it was competitive and they couldn’t accept all qualified applicants but they spelled my name wrong even though the name on the address was spelled correctly.</p>
<p>Rice University has a nice rejection letter, in my opinion. it’s cliche, but long and soft.</p>
<p>Dear [applicant],</p>
<p>The Committee on Admission has completed a careful evaluation of your application for admission to Rice. I regret to inform you that the Committee is unable to offer you admission to our freshman class. We take seriously your choice to apply to Rice, and you should be aware that every application receives a thorough and holistic consideration. For this reason our decision is final, and we are unable to consider appeals of any kind. We want you to know that our decision is a function of the limited number of available spaces relative to a very large applicant pool and does not necessarily reflect any weakness or deficiency in your application.</p>
<p>The competition for admission to Rice has grown considerably in recent years. Although the number of applicants is more than sixteen times greater than the number of available spaces, the university remains committed to maintaining our small size. It is unfortunate that we are not able to offer admission to more students from our very talented applicant pool.</p>
<p>I am personally sorry to have to send you this news, and because I am aware that it may be disappointing to you, we will not send a separate notification to you by mail. Should you wish for an additional paper notification of this decision, you may request one by emailing <a href=“mailto:riceapps@rice.edu”>riceapps@rice.edu</a>, with the subject line: Decision Letter Request.</p>
<p>Because of your ability and potential for success, I am confident that you will discover other rewarding options for achieving your higher educational goals. We appreciate the time and effort you put into your application to Rice, and we extend our best wishes for every success in your collegiate career.</p>
<p>Yours sincerely,</p>
<p>Julie M. Browning
Dean for Undergraduate Enrollment</p>
<p>Possibly the single greatest thing I have read in my entire life, but because it represented the culmination of everything I stand for and all the hard work and late nights I put in. I still can’t believe it, when I saw the CONGRATULATIONS bubbles spelled at the top of the screen, my heart skipped a beat! </p>
<p>Congratulations! It is my great pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted to the University of Chicago’s Class of 2016. With your exceptional academic record, strong voice, and impressive accomplishments, you have distinguished yourself in the University’s largest and most competitive applicant pool to date.</p>
<p>For over a century, the College’s academic tradition has thrived because of students like you who crave ideas that captivate, ideas that provoke and transform. We imagine you in our laboratories and on our performance stages, in our libraries and on our athletic fields, immersed in your passions and learning about the challenges that make knowledge worthwhile. As part of our residential house system, you will cultivate friendships that endure; in our classrooms, you will create and inhabit a vibrant intellectual space with your peers and professors.</p>
<p>In the coming weeks, I invite you to explore all that UChicago has to offer. Join us in April for one of our Admitted Student Open Houses, at which you’ll experience firsthand our rich community of scholars, friends, and neighbors. We look forward to receiving your reply as soon as you are ready but no later than May 1, 2012.</p>
<p>We invite you to be part of a school with a glorious history and an exciting present. We look to you to help us grow, to grow with us, and to be part of a tradition that elevates us all.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>James G. Nondorf
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid</p>
<p>Barnard’s acceptance package is fabulous. The folder is pretty cool looking - it’s black with Barnard written on it and checkers like an NYC taxi on the bottom. The letter itself is fairly generic (it’s personally signed by the Dean of Admissions, although I’m too lazy to go get it and write out the message right now), but the other contents of the folder are what make it so great. They give you a big packet that tells you how to enroll once you’re done “dancing on the couch” and it’s filled with interviews with Barnard alumna, professors, students, and a guy who works at a Halal cart near the school. They also give you a map of NYC and a subway map! </p>
<p>I only applied to three other schools (all of which were gigantic state school safeties) so they were all pretty generic and impersonal, but Temple Honors had a cute little packet that had “so, you’re smart” written on the front. It had tons of pictures and quotes from current Honors students and it seemed personal even though it was anything but.</p>
<p>Northwestern’s acceptance is nice.</p>
<p>Dear [applicant],
*
Congratulations and welcome to the Class of 2016 at Northwestern University! On behalf of the Northwestern faculty, students, and alumni, it gives me great pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted to the [school of choice].
*
The admission committee evaluates tens of thousands of applications each year, and your considerable academic achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and impressive character stood out as truly exceptional. You will be joining a community that includes engaged faculty, students with diverse talents and backgrounds, and spirited alumni.
*
Northwestern will immerse you in an environment with limitless possibilities to learn, make a difference, and define your path for future success. We are confident you will make a significant contribution to the life of the University, both in and out of the classroom.
*
It is our good fortune that you chose to apply to Northwestern; I look forward to welcoming you to campus next fall. The time you spend on our campus will be among the most memorable years of your life.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Christopher Watson
Dean of Undergraduate Admission</p>
<p>UCLA sends out a very poorly written waitlist email. My daughter read the first few lines and was ready to close the portal. If I hadn’t stopped her, she would have never known that she was actually waitlisted! Seriously, read the first paragraph … it sounds like a flat-out rejection.</p>
<p>Dear (applicant):</p>
<p>After a thorough review of your application, we regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you admission for fall quarter 2012 at this time. UCLA received over 72,000 applications for admission to our freshman class for an entering class of just 5,425 students, so admission this year was exceptionally competitive. We regret that we are unable to offer a space to more of our hard-working and exceptionally talented applicants. </p>
<p>However, based on the strength of your academic and personal achievements, we would like to offer the opportunity for admission should a space become available after May 1. This waitlist offer is available to a limited number of students and is not a guarantee of admission. Please note that this offer requires you to opt-in to the UCLA waitlist by indicating whether or not you would like to be on the UCLA waitlist by 11:59 PM on Sunday, April 15, 2012. At this time, we cannot predict whether you will receive an offer of admission by being on the waitlist. </p>
<p>You can get answers to questions about the waitlist status and procedures by reviewing these frequently asked questions, which also lists the mandatory deadlines. </p>
<p>Sincerely,
Susan A. Wilbur, Ph.D.
Interim Deputy Director</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon’s acceptance letter is by far the best I have received. It really makes you feel good and honored that you were accepted.</p>
<p>Dear ____,</p>
<p>Congratulations! It is an honor to invite you to join Carnegie Mellon University’s Mellon College of Science for Fall 2012.</p>
<pre><code> Each year, Carnegie Mellon receives an increasing number of applications from very talented students. After reviewing the academic and supporting credentials of all of our applicants, we believe that you can be very successful at Carnegie Mellon.
On behalf of the university, I want to express our confidence in you. We know that you will greatly contribute to our campus community, both in academics and extracurricular activities. As a university, we are committed to meeting your need for intellectual and personal growth, and we hope you will make Carnegie Mellon your university.
To accept our offer of admission please send $800 by check, money order, VISA or MasterCard, along with the enclosed form, to the Office of Admission, postmarked on or before May 1, 2012. This deposit will be credited to your account and is not refundable or transferable. Details pertaining to residence life, course selection and registration will be sent after we receive your deposit.
Because of space limitations and the large number of students who are interested in the Carnegie Institute of Technology and School of Computer Science, we are unable to offer you admission to these programs at this time and have placed your name on our waiting list. It is important for you to know that every year some students are successful in gaining admission from the waiting list. If the enrollment in the Carnegie Institute of Technology and School of Computer Science is not complete in late May, we may be able to offer you a place in these programs. If you would like to keep your name on our waiting list, please complete and return the enclosed form.
You may continue to check on your admission and financial aid status on our website. In order to ensure the security of your information, your unique Admission ID 1729229 must be used when accessing this particular set of screens on the website. Our web address is: Admission > Undergraduate Admission. Click on the Where am I in the Process? button under Quick Links to access your information. Our offer of admission is based on the assumption that you will maintain the level of academic performance that has resulted in your acceptance to Carnegie Mellon. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the university. The admission staff joins me in congratulating you on your admission and in wishing you every success in your college career. We are proud to have you join the Carnegie Mellon family.
</code></pre>
<p>Sincerely</p>
<p>Michael Steidel
Director of Admissions</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd’s EDI rejection letter basically told me that they weren’t accepting me because they thought more qualified people would apply later.
I definitely cried.</p>
<p>UBC Vancouver has been my favorite so far:
‘Dear ms (my last name),
Yes!’
I fell a little in love with UBC right then :). So simple and heartwarming.
Still waiting on others.
My sister claims her acceptance letter from Reed came with glitter…</p>
<p>The big white envelope said on the outside “this is the big white envelope you have been waiting for”! And had a WONDERFUL scholarship offer with it. It was in a beautiful folder, nice paper, it was magnificent!!! Then my daughter got waitlisted at Marist and Flagler college…two schools she was MORE than qualified for, I don’t get it! Whatever, she is thrilled about Rollins, it is a gorgeous school in beautiful Winter Park, Florida, couldn’t be happier!</p>
<p>Simmons College in Boston sent a lovely acceptance letter along with a sticker, a banner, and a wonderful letter also, in a nice folder, it was very, very nice. They did offer a halfway decent scholarship offer but not near as generous as Rollins, so my daughter won’t be going there, but she considered it.</p>
<p>Reed gives glitter!? That’s so unique!! :)</p>
<p>First time i have heard of Reed including glitter!! that is cool. I graduated from Reed many years ago and it truly changed my life for the better. congratulations</p>
<p>Dear College or University,</p>
<pre><code> Having now reviewed the many rejection letters received in the last few weeks, it is with great regret that, despite your college’s outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I must inform you that I am unable to accept your rejection at this time.
This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. Unfortunately, the number of rejection letters that I can accept is very limited. It is for this reason that I was forced to reject the rejection letters of many qualified institutions. Please understand that this is in no way a judgment of you as a college or as an institution, since my decision has more to do with the rejection pool than anything else— with such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.
This was not an easy task. Each rejection was reviewed carefully and on an individual basis. Many factors were taken into account, such as size of the institution, student-faculty ratio, location, reputation, cost and social atmosphere. Elimination under this system does not mean your university is not suitable for rejection, but merely reflects the high caliber of colleges and universities competing for my acceptance of their rejection letters.
I am aware of the disappointment that this decision may bring, for these were not easy judgments. Throughout my deliberations, I have kept in mind the importance to you of this decision. I wish it were possible to cite specific reasons for each of the determinations I have made but, frankly, it is not.
It was even necessary for me to reject some letters that were clearly qualified as rejections. This is surely my loss. Since all of my decisions are made at one time and all available rejection spaces have been committed, all decisions are final. Therefore, I am sorry to say I will be attending your university this Fall. I look forward to seeing you then.
I appreciate your disinterest in me, and, although it may seem inappropriate to you at this time, let me take the opportunity to wish you the best of luck in rejecting future applicants.
</code></pre>
<p>Sincerely,
Me</p>
<p>A sense of humor and resilience in the face of - dare I say it - Rejection - are the marks of one who will succeed wherever life takes her/him! Thanks for this bit of levity, Semi!</p>
<p>Yeah, love it!!! I was rejected to 8 schools, man!!</p>
<p>Yale and Stanford letters were very nice (Rejection).
Waitlist letters were all pretty annoying… (MIT, Duke, Columbia, Brown, Pomona)
Pomona’s was pretty insulting…
Williams and Swarthmore letters of acceptance were both very nice.</p>
<p>Imagine getting a fat, thick envelope, opening it up and reading:</p>
<p>REJECTED.</p>
<p>I like Duke’s admit letter. =)</p>
<p>Dear _____:</p>
<p>Congratulations! I am delighted to offer you a place in the Class of 2016 at Duke University.</p>
<p>Your many successes inside and outside of the classroom have earned you a place among the world’s best students. The competition this year was extraordinary - we received over 31,500 applications for just 1,700 places in the first-year class. The students we have admitted come from across the country and around the world, and will bring together a fascinating variety of interests, backgrounds, experiences, and talents. You and your classmates can expect to be challenged intellectually, to form enduring bonds of friendship and community, and to share in the excitement of discovery that pervades our campus.</p>
<p>I want to draw your attention to Blue Devil Days, our series of two-day on-campus programs for accepted students which take place in April. I strongly encourage you to attend, as you will be able to experience personally the enthusiasm Duke generates among the members of its community and the exceptional opportunities available to undergraduates.</p>
<p>To become a member of the Class of 2016, please click on the “Respond to Offer” tab on this website and follow the listed instructions. You must respond by 11:59 p.m. on May 1, 2012, in order to hold your place in the entering class. Even if you must decline this offer, please be sure to respond online so our records will be accurate.</p>
<p>We are mailing you a copy of this letter; enclosed will be a copy of Duke’s Community Standard as well as instructions and information regarding tuition and financial aid, housing, dining, and other campus services. Please read this material carefully. After you accept our offer of admission, you will receive the Blue Book in mid-May containing detailed instructions on the steps to take to prepare for your arrival at Duke.</p>
<p>Finally, please don’t forget what it took to get you to this point; we fully expect you to maintain high standards of academic performance and personal behavior in and out of school, including abiding by our Community Standard. If there is any change in the information in your application - including academic, personal, disciplinary, or legal matters - you must contact me directly within 72 hours. We reserve the right to withdraw our offer of admission should your standing in any of these areas change, or if you do not meet the terms of the Community Standard between now and the beginning of our fall term.</p>
<p>You have my warmest congratulations on your admission to Duke. We look forward to having you among us this fall. </p>
<p>Sincerely, </p>
<p>Christoph Guttentag
Dean of Undergraduate Admissions</p>