I was accepted into the University of Mary Washington but denied from James Madison University. I have a fairly low GPA for both schools, a 2.94, a 1050 (2 score), a good amount of extra curric. activities, 3 APs & some honors classes. Both schools were reach schools for me, and UMW has an average GPA of a 3.65 with high SAT scores. I am just wondering what the admissions saw in me at UMW that JMU did not. Do colleges even have access to see why or why not someone was accepted/rejected? I would not ever mention to UMW admission that I was comparing it to JMU, and I am super happy about getting accepted! I am just wondering what made UMW want to accept me.
This is the kind of thing that your guidance counselor might be able to ask about.
If you enroll, you can ask to see your admissions file. If rejected – no.
Admissions officers are VERY busy right now. I can’t imagine they would be able to take time from their regular work for such a request.
Just figure that Mary Washington saw something in you that James Madison somehow overlooked, pat yourself on the back, and send in that deposit.
Congrats!
Something for you to do in October this year after you’ve enrolled at UMW. Not now.
Don’t ask, just enroll in the school of your choice.
I can’t imagine why you would need to know. The last thing you want is them to reopen your file and begin to start asking WHY they actually did accept you. Be happy and if you get there in the fall and really want to know, ask.
I’d like to offer something different from what everyone else has been saying. I personally called the admissions offices of five of the six schools that accepted me and asked what convinced them to admit ME. The one common theme was that they all felt that I was a great fit at their university and felt that I could genuinely succeed at their school. So, if you must ask, do so, BUT phrase it “I was just wondering what were my strengths and weaknesses as an applicant and how did my strengths overcome those weaknesses?”