Denied: What to Do if Your Dream College Rejects Your Application

Every Spring, High School Seniors All Over The U.S. Receive Their College Admissions Decision Letter...

Unfortunately, for every student that receives an acceptance letter to their dream school, a much larger group receives rejection letters. Many students don’t know how to prepare for or deal with the harsh possibility of receiving a rejected college application.

If you’re one of these students who received a rejection letter, remember that you’re not alone. There are countless ways for students to deal with unexpected college rejections, starting with responding in a healthy way and making a plan of action to move on.

Keep reading to find out what to do if your college application was denied. It’s important to know all the factors that go into deciding whether or not to admit a student, and why it’s rarely in the student’s control. By finding some possible answers, you can begin celebrating your victories and moving towards your goals.

What You’ll Find In This Article:

• What Does it Mean to Be Denied?
• Why Was Your College Application Rejected?
• How to Handle a College Rejection Letter
• Celebrating Your Victories

What Does It Mean To Be Denied?

It’s simply not possible to know all the reasons for a rejected application. Since college admissions decisions are complex at their core, decision letters can be caused by many complicated factors.

Fortunately, while it’s difficult to explain what it means to have your application denied, it may be easier to understand it if you approach this issue from a different point of view.

A rejected application isn’t personal. Colleges want students to apply for their college; deciding who to admit and who to deny admission to isn’t a fun process, but they can’t grant admission to every applicant. Colleges only have a certain amount of spots to give to prospective students, and high-tier schools receive far more applications than they have room for. Ultimately, college admissions officers try to build a well-rounded group of incoming freshmen each year. Maybe they received a large amount of applications that were similar to yours, making it difficult to choose a student among the pile.

Consider the competitive nature of the college as well. For example, the Ivy Leagues have acceptance rates between five and ten percent while public universities can have acceptance rates up to sixty percent. By looking at the acceptance rate of the college you received a rejection letter from, you may be able to better understand why your application was denied.

Still, you may never know why your college application was rejected, but at the end of the day, it’s not important. If you worked hard on your application and you were confident about it when you submitted it, then you did everything you could. The college admissions decision isn’t in students’ control. While being denied is an unfortunate event, it’s not the end of the world. Through trying to understand and then choosing to move forward with your goals, you’ll be back on your feet in no time.

Why Was Your College Application Rejected?

You should never reach out to a college to find out why they rejected your application, as this is considered rude and can even cross into the territory of harassment. It’s hard to keep your emotions out of things after such difficult news, but it’s important to remain professional.

However, there are common reasons for why college applications get denied.

College admission officers all agree that a student’s high school class record is an accurate indicator of how they will perform in college. A common reason many students receive a rejection letter is because they didn’t take enough challenging courses in high school that would have prepared them for a rigorous college curriculum.

In addition to lacking a challenging academic record, incomplete applications are the next leading cause for rejection letters. It’s surprising how many students submit applications with missing information like transcripts, letters of recommendation, or test scores. Since these materials must be submitted separately, many students often wait until the last minute or miss the deadline.

College admission officers may also deny an application because the student didn’t indicate a reason why they want to attend that particular college. It’s extremely important that you research your dream school and become very familiar with their mission, vision, and values. If you explain your goals in your application, and they don’t line up with what the college is trying to accomplish, then they will wonder how you will be a good addition to their student body.

Finally, colleges reject applications simply because of a large influx of talented and qualified students. Colleges have a big picture in mind for the future of their administration, and it’s the students they accept who take them there. The unfortunate nature of college admissions decisions is that no matter how hard you work, you’re never guaranteed a slot at your dream school. You may have sent in a perfect application, but if you don’t fit with their current goals, then unfortunately, they must deny your application.

How To Handle A College Rejection Letter

Something that can make or break your experience after receiving a rejection letter is how you initially respond to the news. Fortunately, there are some techniques you can use that will help you weather the blow, think positively, and begin to move on.

TAKE SOME TIME OFF

Consider taking a break from the overwhelming college admissions process. Outside of school, use the weekends to relax and enjoy some activities you haven’t done in a while. Reconnect with a hobby, hang out with your friends, or go see a movie.

During your time off, you’ll be able to process the rejection and remind yourself of some important truths. Know that you’re one of thousands of students who also received rejection letters from their dream college, so you’re not alone. Also, the college’s decision to deny your application wasn’t personal. They have several things to consider like their mission and what kind of community they want to build for the next four years. Even if you submit the perfect college application, a spot in college is never guaranteed; a rejection letter doesn’t make you a failure.

EXPLORE OTHER SCHOOLS

Hopefully, you took WeAdmit’s advice and decided to apply to a handful of reach, safety, and target schools. So, shift your focus to the applications you submitted to other colleges. Though they may not be your dream school, they’re still considering accepting you, which is good news!

Look closer at other colleges, and be open to the fact that those options might be best for you at this point in your academic career. They may even have better things to offer that your dream school couldn’t give you. Widen your perspective and be open to the idea that another school may be a better experience for you, or at the very least a pathway to later transfer into your dream college.

CONTINUE WORKING HARD

One rejection letter isn’t the final say from that college. Many colleges allow you to apply again later in the year or begin later as a transfer student. During your last semester, don’t let your grades drop if you want to take advantage of this. While you may be dealing with discouragement, try to finish your high school career strong! You’ll be glad you did when you apply to your dream school again.

If you’re confident that no other college can give you what you’re looking for, you can use that to your advantage. Use that passion to refine your writing skills and raise any test scores that could have been higher. This way, when you submit a second application, the college admissions office can see how you worked hard and improved where it was needed. This could impress them and encourage them to admit you the next semester.

CONSIDER A GAP YEAR

Many students take their rejection letter as an opportunity to take a gap year, re-group, and organize their priorities. A great way to spend a gap year is to travel, move back home and  work a part-time job or internship, or begin exploring other options for your future.

Gap years have been proven to be crucial to a student’s success because everyone’s timeline is different. The plan of going straight to college from high school doesn’t work for a lot of students. It’s much better to take time off to get your priorities in order, and then come back to college applications when you’re more focused and not as distracted by senior year busyness.

However, consider this option carefully. Taking a gap year could set you back further than you wanted, so weigh all your options. Deciding to take a gap year should be one of the last decisions you consider, especially if you still have your heart set on going to college.

Celebrating Your Victories

After receiving a rejection letter, it’s important to remember that there’s so much left to celebrate. If you applied to multiple colleges, chances are that there’s an acceptance letter on it’s way, and that’s a major victory! Other events during this time in your life that are worth celebrating are graduating high school, having time to prioritize and re-focus, and the chance to begin this process with a fresh perspective.

While your expectations may not be met, you still have so many reasons to stay positive and believe in yourself. Receiving a rejection letter isn’t the end of your world. It’s important to remember that this decision wasn’t in your control and it wasn’t personal.

If you need help constructing a new plan to expand your options, WeAdmit’s professional counselors are standing by to help you put your rejection letter behind you and move towards your new goals. The college admissions process is complex, just like the reason behind decision letters. If you recently received a rejection letter, don’t let it discourage you. There is so much life left ahead of you.

Don’t Let A Rejection Letter Stop You From Moving Forward!