Receiving a Rejection Letter from a College
How to Respond to Not being Accepted to a School
Mar 30, 2009
Every year, multiple high school seniors receive a letter of rejection from colleges. If students can understand why the letters are sent, they can also understand what to do to counteract the situation.
What is a Rejection Letter
A rejection letter, no matter how it is worded, is a response from a college indicating that you are not accepted to their institution. The most common reason why a rejection letter is sent is because a student does not meet the admission criteria. Each college has its own criteria for admission; however, most students do not meet a grade point average/class rank or ACT/SAT score. The next most common reason for receiving a rejection letter is that the college has filled the allotted freshman spots.
Talk to a School Counselor
The first step after receiving a rejection letter is to see a school counselor. Many times the counselor has background information on the college and can be helpful in understanding the admission criteria of the school. The counselor may even have a few suggestions to counteract the situation.
Rethink Your College Choices
Seniors are strongly encouraged to apply to at least five colleges. If you have only applied to the one college, now is the time to research at least four more colleges. Work with a school counselor to evaluate which colleges are still accepting applications and will most likely accept a student with your grade point average/class rank and testing scores.
Petitioning the College
The college may be open to reconsidering your admission to their institution. Here are a few tips to do so:
- Write a sincere letter. The letter needs to express your true desire to attend the institution. Include specific reasons why the college is best for you and why you are best for thecollege.
- Find a teacher to write a recommendation letter. This letter should express a teacher’s viewpoint of you as a student. Consider selecting a teacher that can express positive attribute of you as a student.
- Contact the college admission office. Ask the representative to review the reasons why you were not accepted to the college. The representative's perspective can assist you in determining whether admission is attainable.
Receiving a rejection letter from a first choice college can be disappointing. Talking to a school counselor can be helpful to construct an action plan. The plan can include specific strategies to petition the college for reconsideration or to apply to other schools. Ideally, students need to find a college that is a correct fit academically. Sometimes a rejection letter is can be a good reminder of this.
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