College Advising: Why Were You Denied Admission?

April 1st is College Notification Day. We’ve heard great news from most of our clients.  The e-mails come with exclamation marks:  Lawrence, Oberlin, Occidental, University of Chicago, USC, UCLA, SMU, Cornell, Georgetown, and more!

We can tell you from experience that there is a big difference between accepted, wait-listed and denied applicants to these schools.  We’ve seen it year after year.  All accepted applicants to top schools have superior transcripts, GPAs, and test scores.  We start there.

The hidden component is service and leadership.  Students who demonstrate their passion for the concerns of others and can write with maturity and insight are the ones who have a chance at the best admissions.  We encourage all of our students to run for office at their school, become a Gold Award Scout or Eagle Scout and do an Independent Service Project. Invest yourself in something big.  Take on a project that takes time, dedication, and leadership to accomplish.  Be the person who takes a risk. Help others. Make a difference in a big way.  The mark you make in our world now, will make a big difference to the number of top schools that will offer you admission later.

If you were wait-listed to any school that you’d really like to attend, be sure to let the school know. It doesn’t hurt to follow with a letter updating your level of commitment to that school.  If you have any updated credentials, include them. Then, do your research so that you can pinpoint reasons why College B is now your top choice. Let your wait-listed school know that if they accept you, you will accept them.  It makes all the difference.

There is even hope after May 1st for excellent students who did not receive an offer they’d like to accept. But, more on that later…

All the best from www.PerfectFitCollege.Net