So you didn’t get into Penn. It might feel like the end of the world, but we promise you: it isn’t. Getting rejected in the early round is admittedly a huge bummer, but application season isn’t over, and there is still time to turn it around for RD. It just takes a little work.
Last year, Penn’s acceptance rate was just under 6%. While their early acceptance rate was higher, at around 14%, these are both very competitive rates. Most students, including many qualified candidates, didn't get in. With numbers this low, there are simply not enough seats for every “good” student to get in.
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So don’t beat yourself up. We know it's un-ideal, but it's time to look forward. The RD round is on the horizon, and there are some steps you need to take to set yourself up for success. Let’s break them down.
Step 1: Breathe
Ivy League applicants tend to be a little type A. Likely, you aren’t yet a master at dealing with rejection. If you are spiraling a little right now, it’s totally normal, but it isn’t helpful. You need to get in the right headspace to put in the work. We suggest taking a beat and breathing. Then it’s time to dive in.
Step 2: Strategize
One of the most valuable things we do for our clients is set them up with a winning strategy. As counselors, strategy is an integral part of our job and one of the best strategic tools at your disposal is a balanced college list. We help our clients craft a list of colleges with 8-12 schools representing a healthy mix of reaches, targets, and safeties. You need to review your college list and ensure it is working for you and not against you. If you don’t know where to start, we have a blog about creating a great college list that can help, and we have a couple more specific tips for coming off a rejection.
First, you don’t need to get rid of your reach schools, but you need to ensure that they are sensible reaches. If they are a huge stretch, they aren’t helping your list. UPenn was one reach school, and your list has 1-2 more spaces for reach schools; just try to be practical about them. Then, there are the target schools and safety schools. These schools should make up the majority of your list, but often, students treat them as afterthoughts. That isn’t a good strategy.
Your safeties and targets should be schools you actually want to attend. A great way to start is by thinking about what you liked about UPenn. If you liked that it is in an Urban environment, maybe Fordham, Tufts, or BC is an option. If you liked that they have a great business school, maybe Carnegie Mellon, IUB, or USC is the place for you. It also might be worth looking into the Quaker Consortium if you aren’t opposed to small schools and still want to be able to take classes at UPenn. There are many great schools out there; you may just need to do some research.
And speaking of research, you need to do some to ensure that your targets are really targets and your safeties are actually safe. You should look at hard data from places like class profiles, common data sets, and/or probability tools. Don’t let your list be based on hunches; that’s not strategic. It also isn’t a bad idea to speak to a counselor, whether a trusted high school college counselor or a private counselor like us, to double-check your list for you.
Finally, it's not too late to think about making an ED2 plan. We push our students to have a great ED2 plan before they even send in their first application. However, you still have time to make one. A lot of great schools offer a higher acceptance rate in exchange for protecting their yield rate, and you should cash in on it.
Step Three: Essays
Okay, bummer news: You are probably going to have to rewrite your Common App essay. We work with students coming off a rejection all the time, and one of the first things we check is their essays. Nine out of ten times, their Common App essay needs a full rewrite, and it always needs an edit. The Common App essay is only one factor that admissions officers consider, but it is a hugely important tool for a couple of reasons. First, it is an opportunity to showcase your winning personality and strong character. Second, it is a factor that you can still 100% control… you might not be able to change your grades at this point, but you can ensure your essay is strong. And lastly, not all great students get into elite schools. You need to be more than just your grades and scores and your essays can be the deciding factor.
We just published our Official Common App Essay Guide for 2024-2025. We highly encourage you to look it over and then give your essay another pass. Your supplemental essays are also important. Luckily, we also publish college-specific supplemental essays. However, if you need more help, drop us an email. We can 100% get your essays into fighting shape if you feel lost.
Step Four: Ask for Help
If you are reading through these steps and feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is a lot to do in just about two weeks. Honestly, that is why we offer our “It’s Going to Be Okay” package for students in your exact position. It's an intensive where a college counselor will review your applications, help you make edits, and strategize a plan for your RD round. We are on your side and want to set you up for success.
Rejection is a bummer, but an ED rejection isn’t the end. Application season isn’t over, and it's time to get serious. You can do this, and if you need help, we can help!
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