No one hopes for a rejection letter, but for many hopeful Ivy League applicants, it happens. First off, sorry that you didn’t get into Cornell. However, it isn’t the time to mope. There is still a lot of work to do, and the next two weeks will be super important to maximize your chances for a successful Regular Decision round.
It is hard to get into Cornell. Last year, their overall acceptance rate was only about 8%. While their ED acceptance rate was higher at 17.5%, this rate is always slightly inflated, usually by recruited athletes, legacies, etc., applying early. It is really tough to get into Cornell, and don’t beat yourself up too much for not getting in. Last year, they had over 65k applicants. Not every good candidate/qualified applicant could get in. There is simply not enough room.
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So what’s next? Well, you need to get ready for the RD round. It will take some work, and there are a couple of steps you have to take to set yourself up for the best chance of success.
Step 1: Breathe
Most Ivy League applicants are very hard on themselves. Getting a rejection might make you spiral a little bit especially if you thought Cornell was a lock. We completely understand being emotional and nervous, but trust us, you need to get those emotions in check. Take 2-3 days and some deep breaths. Try your best to get your mind right as it will really help during the next steps.
Step 2: Strategize
Whenever we start working with a student, we help them craft a strategy. Honestly, strategizing is a huge part of our job and can make all the difference when it comes to applying to college. Whether applying to Cornell was part of your strategy that just didn’t work out or you didn’t have one in the first place, it is time to check in on your plan for RD.
A big part of that plan needs to be a balanced college list. Whether you thought Cornell was an absolute lock or a far reach, it is time to make sure the rest of your schools make up a balanced list. Generally, we recommend a healthy mix of target, reach and safeties that combine into a list of about 8-12 schools. If you don't know where to start, we have a blog about how to make a great college list.
Just because you didn’t get into Cornell doesn’t mean you have to delete all of the reach schools. Cornell was one, but you should have space on your list for 1-2 more. However, it is worth ensuring your reach schools feel within reach and not like too far of a stretch. Try to be a little practical.
Speaking of being practical, you need to check the data on your target schools and safeties. Too often, students base their lists on hunches. There should be a reason why you think your target schools are good targets, and this should boil down to data. You need to look at class profile data, check Common Data sets or use probability tools like Naviance. It isn’t a bad idea to speak with your college counselor at school or a private counselor like us to double-check your list. It is such an important step that it is imperative that you get it right.
You should also see if any of the schools on your list offer an ED2 option. When we work with students we advise them on making an ED2 plan early, but it isn’t too late to add one to your strategy. We have found that many students who like Cornell also like Lehigh University, William & Mary, and Johns Hopkins. And guess what? All these schools offer an ED2 round. It can be a powerful tool for students rejected in ED1.
Step Three: Essays
As we mentioned, Cornell gets too many qualified applicants to admit them all. Trust us, not everyone with a 4.0 gets in. One of the best ways to stand out is to have a great Common App essay, which is why whenever a student comes to us after a rejection, one of the first things we do is reassess their essays. A great Common App essay is your opportunity to showcase who you are in your own words, and you need to take that opportunity seriously. Yes, this means you will likely have to rewrite or at least heavily edit your Common App essay.
If you don’t know where to start, check out our Official Common App Essay Guide for 2024-2025. We specialize in helping students write stand-out essays, and this guide has some of our favorite tips! We also publish tips for college-specific supplemental essays. Your essays must be as strong as they can be for the RD round, so get to editing!
Step Four: Ask for Help
The next two weeks are about to be hard. You are going to need to do a lot of work to make sure you are set up for a successful RD round. We know that procrastination is easy, especially after a rejection, but deadlines come fast between ED decisions and the RD round. If you aren’t on top of it, this process can get messy. We know this all sounds scary. Don’t worry you don’t need to do it alone. We offer an “It’s Going to Be Okay” package specifically made for students coming off an ED rejection. It is an intensive where a dedicated counselor will help you balance your list, rewrite your essays, and make sure your next round of applications go smoothly.
Applying to college can be taxing, and getting a rejection can make it harder. But if you follow these steps, you will set yourself up well for good news in the spring.
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