Getting rejected can be really awful. We know you had your heart set on Duke, but it’s important to remember that the college admissions process is extremely competitive. So much so that Duke’s acceptance rate is about 6% these days. That’s crazy low! The good news is, things aren’t hopeless. You’re still going to get in and go somewhere great. Yes, it’s going to take a bit more work, but you can do it. (And a lot of the work is already done). Here are our tips on what to do next:
Take a Beat
First thing’s first. This is crushing and that’s understandable. You worked really, really hard to achieve your goal. You’re allowed to be upset. We think it’s really important that you take a day or two to just mope and let yourself be sad. Relax. Take time to do something you enjoy and veg. We are really sorry this happened. We also want you to remember that college admissions are NOT everything. They’re really not. They have no bearing on your worth or your potential in life and everything is going to be fine, but still, we recommend taking some time just to chill.
The Next Thing You Should Do
When the dust settles a bit, it’s time to get back into action. We want you to know that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. The good news is, you’ve already done a lot of legwork and it’s going to take you far. You’re not starting from scratch here. What we want you to do first is consult your college list . Revisit all of the schools on there and make sure you have a solid balance of reaches (3-4), targets (4), and safeties (2). How you know where you fall for each is whether or not your GPA is in the average range for those schools. By the way, just because you got rejected from one of your reaches (or targets) doesn’t mean you need to knock off all of your reaches. They might still be viable! It’s about what you’re comfortable with.
The Written Stuff
Next, reassess your Common App. It’s really important to consider what the goal of all of your writing is. Remember, the admissions counselors are people, just like you. And these people have been in a room for a few weeks looking at stacks and stacks of resumes and essays. Does yours stand out? Is it quirky? Is it funny? Does it show something about your personality? We always encourage our clients to use their Common App essay to demonstrate who they are and become a three-dimensional person who jumps out of that stack of applications. Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end that shows something about who you are. This shouldn’t be a big, existential, or tragic tale. It can be a totally routine story about your drive to school, for example. But it should showcase something about who you are that’s not present elsewhere in the application. Now, circle the January deadlines and have your eye on them. That’s your next milestone.
Phone a Friend
Getting rejected and figuring out a plan of action can feel overwhelming. Sometimes, it’s best to get a little help. We offer what’s called the “It’s Going to Be Okay” package for students who got rejected early decision. It’s essentially a two-week-long boot camp. It’s intensive, but it is very helpful for those who need help forming a strategy and a clear plan of attack.
Getting rejected Early Decision isn’t ideal. But the good news is, there’s time left and many opportunities to get in somewhere great. You’re not alone in this. The key is to build a strategy and optimize the work you’ve already done. Your efforts will pay off!
Need help with the Common App? Call us. We’re experts at helping students match with their top choice schools.