Rejected - What to do next..

Colleges & Universities Yale University
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<p>I’m graduating HS this month, having been rejected from Harvard and AFA, my only two schools that I applied. Yes, I wish me and my parents took the initiative to apply to more, but that’s history. The central thing of why I was rejected was because of GPA - everything else is fine, or perhaps even great.</p>

<p>I’m accepted to Kent Prep School in CT as a PG. I’m planning on doing Harvard Summer School until then, which is quite easy to get into so longs as you have $10.5k to spend. I’d like to have an opportunity to hit it off with professors and show I have a vested interest in Harvard, however I do not want to look silly applying to the summer school… even if I score well, I don’t think that’s a reason they’re looking for. All it would do would demonstrate academic ability, something HS does NOT do. </p>

<p>I’m also concerned about Kent itself. Is it actually that great of a prep school? Yes they have pre-engineering, but would I be better off spending time as a freshman at another college?</p>

<p>Any thoughts and comments are most welcome… obviously I will be applying to more schools, including Yale. Perhaps I might even like Yale better than H. I really appreciate your thoughts and point of view:)!</p>

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<p>Students typically do a PG year to enhance the chances that they’ll succeed when they do eventually enter college. I don’t have to tell you that schools like Harvard and Yale have no shortage of applicants who clearly will succeed in college – no need for a PG year to prove that. Please, please don’t count on a PG year to get you into Harvard or Yale. At the very least, broaden your application list to include a number of schools that have admissions rates higher than the single digits.</p>

<p>Another possibity: There are many schools that have space available for freshmen in Fall 2011. [Space</a> Availability Survey Results 2011](<a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/PublicationsResources/Research/SpaceAvailabiltySurvey/Pages/SpaceSurveyResults.aspx]Space”>http://www.nacacnet.org/PublicationsResources/Research/SpaceAvailabiltySurvey/Pages/SpaceSurveyResults.aspx)
Have you considered matriculating at one of these 4-year schools rather than taking a PG year? Even if you don’t love the school, with excellent grades and activities, you’ll be poised to transfer to a school you like better – even if it’s not Harvard or Yale.</p>

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<p>Transferring is honestly not a viable option for the kind of schools I’m aiming for. Like I said, the issue is HS grades are not perfect. My application is otherwise great (won’t post :)). Summer school at a college and (especially) flawless academics for even a semester at a prep school do demonstrate academic ability, especially in a pre-engineering program. </p>

<p>I will check out the list you posted, but honestly I think a PG will be better than a “oh this was the best college I could get into…” HS grades are fine, but something in addition to test scores needs to be there to predict future college success.</p>

<p>Also, I cam pose myself to be recruitable for sports as a PG. Many PGs use the time to improve athletics, but the reasons why PG’s are taken are as diverse as the students themselves.</p>

<p>Thanks for your comments. Any thoughts about a “he’s reapplying” from the admissions officers? Could be very good, or a disadvantage…</p>

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<p>When it comes to schools like Yale and Harvard, you simply can’t say with confidence that grades were the only issue. Many, many subjective factors play a role in acceptance to these schools, and many, many students with stellar transcripts are denied admission. </p>

<p>Check out the CC archives, and you’ll find that students who take a gap year to regroup after disappointing admissions results and who then re-apply to colleges virtually never get into the schools that rejected them the first time around. That’s not to say they don’t get into good schools – just not the schools they didn’t get into the first time. Check the archives for the saga of Andison. Excellent candidate who received zero acceptances as a senior. He did get into MIT after a gap year, but he was rejected once again at the two schools to which he sent applications a second time (one was Yale, don’t recall the other.)</p>

<p>However you play this, please build yourself a list of schools that includes matches and safeties you’d be happy to attend. To apply to only Harvard and AFA was, as you learned, a foolish idea. Don’t just pile more uber-reaches onto your list and think you’re going to do better the second time around – regardless what you do with your gap year.</p>

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<p>Thanks allot for the post… I’ll def check out those threads, but do you possibly have a link? This could change my decision on a PG at Kent. </p>

<p>I’m worried, as a newcomer to prep schools, that taking a PG year after hard rejections is commonplace, and will turn off schools. This is the last thing I want to do.</p>

<p>Also, I spoke with my counselor/ad officer (respectively) at both schools, and they said this definitely, that grades were really the deciding factor, at least the tipping point in ultra low acceptance rates. Although at AFA, the fitness test didn’t help either. And I have an 18bmi… frankly, I only felt comfortable because my parents felt comfortable. I’m the first in the family to go though college admissions… I should of caught on with my consolers and friends more, and applied to other great schools that I likely could of got into.</p>

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<p>“Like I said, the issue is HS grades are not perfect.”</p>

<p>What exactly is not perfect? Is your GPA an 87, 89, 91, 93 or 95? As you are assuming your rejection this year was because of your HS grades, the more specific you can be, the more help we can offer.</p>

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/47867-were-picking-up-pieces-but-what-went-wrong.html?highlight=pieces[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/47867-were-picking-up-pieces-but-what-went-wrong.html?highlight=pieces&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>GordonGekko:</p>

<p>To be blunt, the problem with your lack of admissions success was not your grades but your very poor strategy of applying to only two super selective institutions and having no match or safety schools. There are thousands of students with 4.0 UW GPA and near perfect ACT/SAT scores denied from such institutions each year. Perhaps the best thing you will get from a PG year at a prep school is decent college counseling but I’m sure there is not great precedent for one semester of strong grades there tipping you into Harvard or Yale and making up for a deficiency in your high school grades even if that pushed you to rejection.</p>

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<p>More at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/192395-no-acceptances-one-kids-story-year-later.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/192395-no-acceptances-one-kids-story-year-later.html&lt;/a&gt;

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<p>I agree with YG&D and I doubt that another year of prep school and talking with Harvard professors over the summer will get you much further. Re-targeting to Yale isn’t likely to succeed, either. I recommend you talk with a good independent college admissions counselor immediately about your options. S/he will be able to advise you both on a more optimal college admissions strategy and, if desirable, a way to shape a gap year to support this strategy. Do it before you spend thousands of dollars in tuition over the next few months that might end in frustration.</p>

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<p>^ I agree. GordonGekko, I suggest you move past the stages of denial quickly and look at colleges that might still have openings for the fall, apply to a few of them, get in, and then decide if you want to attend. You can get a great education at a college that is not Harvard or its peer.</p>

<p>Or if you want to take a gap year, do so by all means, but do something more interesting than take classes in summer school or prep school. And then apply to a wide range of colleges. An independent college counselor could certainly be a great help in the process. </p>

<p>Finally, this is just a hunch, but if your essays conveyed the slightly entitled tone that your posts do on this thread, then you may want to consider revising them.</p>

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<p>I echo the recommendation that your family contact an independent consultant. From your opening post it sounds like cost is not an obstacle. I see from your posts on another thread that you’re considering “expanding” your list to include several schools with up to a 30% admit rate. Please understand that a school that admits just 30% of applicants is not a safety for anyone, and schools with admissions rates that low are seldom matches, even for top students. You need someone who can provide you and your parents with a realistic perspective on selective college admissions and who can advise you on your situation, which is tricky. Consult the websites of either IECA or HECA to find names of reputable independent college admissions professionals in your area.</p>

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<p>The biggest question is whether a PG at Kent is a good idea. I don’t know the school, but it’s the best option, considering StateU and others (Tiffin, Rensselaer, community college, etc) are unattractive to an admissions officer at my future applied-to schools. </p>

<p>As much as I’d love to spend a summer at Harvard, I am most likely going to opt for Stanford’s summer session. The thought of admissions officers thinking “Oh he was rejected then went to SSP… ha, desperate to get in… buying your way?.. an A at H-SSP is meaningless… loser” is too obvious in my opinion. Stanford’s summer school is a few hundred less, and spans two whole months, versus six weeks. Plus, Stanford is beautiful and its possible I will like it much better than H (for better or for worse).</p>

<p>Please post or PM me if you have insight on what to do, either about Kent, Stanford or something else… thank you in advance! </p>

<p>wjb, thanks for the post -
For the record, I’m accepted to StateU, my one easy-acceptance ‘safety.’ It was my fault that I did not apply to more schools, however my father made the presence that AFA would be fine, hence I did not apply to others. My school consolers never had one-on-one’s with students. I seriously doubt we will hire a consultant. I’m sorry if I come off as a bozo, but it’s not going to happen. I wasn’t born yesterday, and I’m seeking the help of dozens of people, from my scout master to my consolers at school and Kent, to mentors. :)</p>

<p>Keep in mind that even though I haven’t posted my application, I am a viable applicant to schools like Harvard, and especially <30%.* Both admissions officers at both schools definitively said grades were the single tipping point. AFA’s class size was cut by almost 40% (1650 to 1100, and to 1,000 next year); for high school seniors, who make up around two thirds of the incoming class, this acceptance rate from ~30k applicants is the lowest in AFA’s history - lower than Harvard’s. I was ultimately waitlisted (called ‘qualified but not admitted’ in AFA lingo - the top 2,300 applicants) after receiving two nominations.</p>

<p>*I’m not trying to randomly be arrogant, it’s just the truth - I’m assuming that being this is a Yale forum, you can certaintly not be offended by that.</p>

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<p>the concept of structuring your life in order to get into harvard does not seem wise. no matter how hard you try, you will most likely not get in, no matter how qualified an applicant you are. it really is that competitive.</p>

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<p>I know how competitive it is… IMO the competitiveness is much overrated; 300 of the 1,500 students are spectacular applicants (per Dean Fitzsimmons words). 2400gpa/valedictorian may seem impressive [to H admissions officers] - and no doubt is, but frankly it’s not when on the scale of Harvard, nor is that the type of applicant spectacle I’m talking about. I made it very far at AFA (top 2,300 applicants), a single digit school that accepted less HS seniors than Harvard (~5%).</p>

<p>With that said, I understand specific things should not be taken too seriously since deals, dreams and ideas usually fall through. Harvard is still IMO the best fit - at least today - but I am very comfortable at any number of schools, and will probably end up liking them much better than H.</p>

<p>The next year - especially the short couple of months - MUST be aimed at college. It would be a waste of time otherwise.</p>

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<p>But just because you may be viable, that does not mean you’ll be accepted! That is why students – all students – need to construct a list of schools across a range of selectivity, and that list has to include one, preferably two, schools where the student is virtually certain to be admitted AND where he or she would be happy. No student is virtually certain to be admitted to a school with a 30% admit rate, and if that’s the least selective school on your list you could be left with no school to attend once again. Put away your US News rankings and do your research. Buy a Fiske Guide. Find some schools that share some of the qualities you like in Harvard that aren’t as hard to get into. </p>

<p>Over and out. Good luck to you.</p>

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<p>I agree 100% wjb, and I wish I was smart enough to take notice that all of my friends were applying to 328534 schools! I will no doubt do this in August, when apps begin. Thank you for your response!</p>

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<p>I doubt they know what they’re talking about, then. How can they know your essays weren’t poorly constructed? Soft factors are so subjective and difficult to judge. People have been accepted with sub-par grades, but rarely are people accepted with poor essays.</p>

<p>I also think you’re trying way too hard to get in to a school that’s already rejected you once. HSSP doesn’t help your chances at admissions. Neither does Stanford Summer Session. I know a number of students who have done those programs, and none of them were admitted to either Harvard or Stanford (with good grades in the courses, too). Their summer programs, more or less, amount to extra money for the institution.</p>

<p>Rather, if you’re still set on Harvard, you should focus your summer time on something productive and interesting – something you actually enjoy. From the sound of it, you’re only attending summer school (and PG Kent) to pad your resume (and I’m fairly confident it won’t help). Frankly, it just comes off desperate.</p>

<p>Moreover, I do recommend that you actually research the schools beyond a cursory visit. I may be misinterpreting your tone, and I apologize if I am, but it seems like you’re only set on Harvard because it’s Harvard, not because you’d love it there. I was the same way, but now I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. Think about schools that actually fit you and to whom you’d make a significant contribution. And, please, disregard acceptance rates and US News and World; you don’t want to commit to a school based on its prestige and end up miserable for 4 years.</p>

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<p>TheAscendancy,</p>

<p>Taking a summer school is time well spent, IMO. I know of people who were denied after going to SSP, and people who were accepted. A PG year to demonstrate academic ability (and maybe even athletic, the common PG approach) is not padding my resume. I will be doing numerous other things in addition to the EC’s I have, of which I won’t bore you with now, however a gameplan is set. I’m also aiming for [even] higher scores (2300+SAT?) on the SAT and ACT next month.</p>

<p>I know many students apply to Harvard because of name recognition, but like I’ve said, their degree and environment (humanities) is a great fit, along with the college on a personal level. With that said, I’m not getting attached to an idea too quickly before something is definitive. Really, I’m not childish enough to be discovering USNWP rankings and basing my life’s aspirations off of them - not at all. </p>

<p>I would think both admissions officers would know about my essays, since they voted. I know for a fact that my Harvard admissions officer read them, because she was the one who read my file. Not so sure about the AFA one though. I don’t think my essays were a problem, and I’m not sure why you would think so other than many students are denied because of them (or because I’m coming off as arrogant, since I’m talking about Harvard… sorry if that’s so :rolleyes:) Thanks for the point on the essays though, I’ll remember how important they are… agreed! (Not that I know anything :D:o)</p>

<p>I know about the desperate factor, and I agree HSSP will be too risky to do. I like Stanford, and have not applied there (like I did with H and got rejected). It would be wonderful spending a summer there and maybe even getting recs from professors there. Taking a PG year is my best option. Frankly, schools won’t know that I’m taking a PG year because I need to. </p>

<p>Bottom line; I’ll reapply to Harvard, but there are just as many - if not more - positive ways to view a reapplicant. IT will show that I have a true desire to go to the college, that I’m not part of the many ‘crap shoot’ applicants, and that I have diffused my HS GPA problem and added wonderful ECs. :slight_smile: Thoughts?</p>

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<p>It’s really not, unless there’s a course you legitimately want to take for the sake of taking the course. Otherwise, it’s costly and it won’t help your application. That’s simply the truth. Neither HSP nor SSP will make you look impressive; admissions into these programs aren’t very competitive – adcoms know that all it means is that you have money. They’re really no better than any other summer school.</p>

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<p>In other words, SSP had little to no effect on their admissions chances.</p>

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<p>Doing SSP appears just as desperate, unless you’re genuinely interested in the program. And from the way you’ve described it so far, it seems you’re not.</p>

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<p>You seem quite defensive about this and your summer plans. If you were so set on them before, why bother asking for second opinions?</p>