Let's obsess over why we didn't get in!

thebananaboat
Mon, 10 Mar 2014 22:58:42 +0000

Hello. I applied to Exeter and Andover and was rejected from both. That’s okay. I don’t quite know how to explain what I want this thread to be about, so I’ll give an example. (Whatever format is fine so long as it is readable.)

Both my interviews were fantastic and my SSAT was 99th percentile (that’s the highest, right?). I think that the issue was in my recommendations or essays. All three teachers who wrote my recommendations adore me. The one thing that they could have marked me down for was irresponsibility, which is a big thing, I understand. I worked so hard on my essays and I was so proud of what I had come up with. It still has to be one of those two things. Another issue was that Exeter wanted a different teacher’s recommendation. That was my mistake. Andover thought I hadn’t done my interview, though I had. That was their mistake. I can see how the Exeter issue may have worked against me, but not the Andover one. Thoughts?

DISCLAIMER: I recognize that this might be a negative thing to do for a lot of people. I recognize that there were a gazillion highly talented students who applied. I recognize that I’m not stupid for not getting in, even if I feel that way now. Troubleshooting has always helped me in the past, however, so I’m going to do that.