<p>I was recently rejected from a summer research program. It was very competitive and I realize that they can’t accept everyone. Though I felt I had a good shot and I do feel a little sad, I understand that there were stronger applicants. </p>
<p>My question is this: is it okay to ask them why? I felt that my application was strong. I don’t want to be rude or entitled. I just want to be able to improve upon what they didn’t like so that I have a better chance of being admitted next year and to other programs to which I am currently applying. </p>
<p>Do you guys think it’s okay? I’m asking here because I know many of you are professionals and this seems like a good place to get multiple opinions.</p>
<p>Yes I think it’s fine to ask as long as you do it in the right way, ie, suggestions as to how can I improve my application for next year.</p>
<p>I think it is perfectly ok to ask, but it is unlikely that you will get an informative answer. The most likely scenario is in your post itself: your application was very strong, but for the limited number of spots available, they had stronger applicants. You are unlikely to be advised to do anything you are not already planning to do.</p>
<p>Also, if you applied for the summer program, and you are eligible to apply for the same program next year, this makes me think that you are currently a sophomore? In that case, the answer may be simply that they preferred juniors, and/or that the juniors have had additional time to compile their track records.</p>
<p>I don’t think you should ask because I think they’ll just say that they got many wonderful apps, including yours, and they couldn’t accept everyone.</p>
<p>Instead, show a copy of your app to someone you trust and see if they can identify any weaknesses.</p>
<p>I agree that it is unlikely that you will get an honest or satisfying answer. But I can so relate. I wish that after every important rejection - college admission, job interview - you could sign a release promising not to sue and they would tell you exactly why. Would it be “we thought that cheerleading was a silly EC when the other applicants were in Debate” or “we already had one Asian American girl from your city” or “there were two typos in your essay” or “I don’t even remember your application - I read 50 of them that day”? </p>
<p>And as someone who interviews job candidates on occasion, I always wish I could send the folks we don’t choose a note that said “the amount of cleavage you showed was vulgar” or “you have had 8 jobs in the last 6 years” or “trashing your last boss was not a good idea.”</p>
<p>I’m currently a junior. The program is open to juniors and seniors. </p>
<p>I’m a little worried that I had a lackluster recommendation from my AP Bio teacher. Yesterday in class he was telling a story about how he wrote about one kid procrastinating in his college recommendation! So I’m a little worried it might have been him, and if it was I want to stop using him as a recommender. </p>
<p>I have previous research experience and a lot of involvement with science so it makes me think it could have been that. I’m just freaking out a little because it’s the first one I heard back from and I’m afraid I won’t get in anywhere.</p>
<p>Could your school counselor inquire in your behalf? The school may benefit from the answer also.</p>
<p>As a high schooler, your best bet is to hook up with a local PI during the year so you can continue over the summer. The programs for high school students are brutally competitive. Not only do they have few spots, but just like in college admissions, research labs are seeking diversity of all types.</p>
<p>But there is no harm in asking. One of the things that seems to help candidates standout for research gigs is the personal essay (which is unlike a college essay). And since it is unlike a college essay, your GC will probably not be able to read it with an eye towards its goal. Only the program can do that. So definitely ask, but don’t expect to get anything other than a standard response: too many applicants, too few spots, yada, yada, yada. OTOH, you might get lucky and someone takes the time to suggest something, such as working on your personal statement, or…</p>
<p>btw: since you will be applying to colleges next year, you should ask your GC to review the AP Bio teacher’s rec to see if you might want to ask someone else for your college rec.</p>
<p>Just generically speaking, I’d advise you not to use the AP Bio teacher as a recommender in the future, if you can avoid it–even without having any idea of the contents of the letter that the AP Bio teacher wrote on your behalf. </p>
<p>Here is my reasoning: Since the AP Bio teacher said that he wrote about another student’s procrastination, it sounds to me as though the AP Bio teacher does not understand the conventions for letters of recommendation. (There could be an exception to this statement, if the recommendation form for the other student explicitly asked about the student’s weaknesses, <em>and</em> genuinely meant that.)</p>
<p>If an admissions committee or other group receives a letter of recommendation pointing out that a student procrastinates, that’s going to seem like an ambiguous statement at best. What does the teacher mean? Is there anyone who never procrastinates? Technically, I’m procrastinating right now, by writing this rather than working. </p>
<p>So should the committee’s reaction be, “Oh, well, totally normal, everyone procrastinates,” or should it be “Hey, there must be a serious problem here; otherwise, why would the teacher bring it up?”</p>
<p>Aside from that, I think the AP Bio teacher demonstrated poor judgment in mentioning a negative comment in a letter of recommendation for another student (even though I assume that the student was unnamed).</p>
<p>I’d definitely suggest that you go with someone else, even if the AP Bio teacher happens to think very highly of you, and would write a letter consistent with that. Next year, you’ll have other choices of recommenders, right?</p>
<p>He mentioned it (unnamed of course) saying the student was brilliant, and though he procrastinated, his intelligence allowed him to get an A anyway (not a small feat at my school). </p>
<p>Many of the programs specifically asked for my AP science teacher, so I didn’t really have another option. But next year I will definitely ask different teachers. I do have close relationships with other teachers. </p>
<p>I am inquiring at local labs but there are multiple colleges within driving distance and the labs are largely unwilling to accommodate high school students. I will keep emailing around, and I’m waiting on six other applications, but I’m definitely very worried, especially because this biology teacher sent recs to every program I applied to. </p>
<p>I did go ahead and send an email to the program I was rejected from- it was very cordial, just asking what I could do to improve my application so that I have a better chance of being admitted next year.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about the letter the AP Bio teacher sent to the other programs. I think it is very likely that you will get into at least one of them, based on the information that you have provided about your background–especially if you don’t procrastinate more than average, and haven’t otherwise annoyed the AP Bio teacher.</p>
<p>Did the teacher ever remark on whether the “procrastinator” was admitted or rejected by the places where the recommendation was sent? I think that such a recommendation would be disadvantageous, most places. At top schools, the concern would be that the student would not be able to repeat the performance, when the rest of the students were equally bright, or almost equally bright, but worked more consistently. This applies, even though it is hard to get an A at your school. (As far as I know, there is no school that sends 100% of its students to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT + Caltech, so it is reasonably safe to assume that not all of the students are of that caliber.) At a university that is not as strong academically, the admissions people would be inclined to wonder whether a last-minute approach would work there as well. This would be a negative, except in very unusual cases.</p>
<p>As mentioned above, I don’t think you need to worry about this, alwaysleah.</p>
<p>But I think the underlying message for other students is: It’s better not to have a teacher write for you, if you have annoyed the teacher, no matter how brilliant the teacher thinks you are. The annoyance is likely to surface in some form.</p>
<p>PS: I will be rooting for you!</p>
<p>Ironically, the kid’s applications weren’t accepted because he sent them in at 10 PM the night they were due…forgetting that since we are on the West coast, that was past the application deadline for East Coast schools. My thinking was along the same lines as yours, and since most research programs have acceptance rates at or under 10%, it seems like any small mistake is a good enough reason to reject an applicant. </p>
<p>Anyway, thanks for the advice everyone. I’ll try to be cautiously optimistic as I hear back from more places.</p>