Getting rejected hurts. It kinda hurts more when you get rejected from your ED school, especially if it was your dream school. We know nerd stuff like facts and figures might not make you feel way better, but Amherst is a very competitive school. They boast a 10% acceptance rate, and just because you didn’t get into Amherst ED doesn’t mean you’re not going to get in anywhere else. We can say with 100% certainty that you will go to college, you just might not know exactly where right now. If you’ve been rejected ED from Amherst, don’t give up hope! We have some advice on what you can do next.
Step One: Take a Little Break
This might seem counterintuitive, but here’s the deal – if you’re the kind of student who applies ED to Amherst, there is a 99% chance that you are a high-achieving perfectionist who’s been going at college prep and admissions nonstop for years. Years. Getting this news has probably thrown a wrench into your five-year plan, and you’re probably exhausted and tired from all the classes, testing, clubs, sports, and family responsibilities you have, too. Look, we need you sharp for the rest of our plan, so we recommend taking a few days to recharge your batteries. Be sad if you’re sad, punch a pillow if you’re angry, thrash around your bedroom to some hardcore music if you must, but then come back here for the rest of our advice.
Step Two: Strategize
The first and most important thing to do once you regroup is taking a good look at your college list. For most of you, a total redo will not be necessary, especially if you built a strong, balanced college list at the start of this process. We build our clients’ college lists in a way where if they were to get rejected from their early decision school, they would not need to panic and add more applications last minute! Because we’re planners! If you’re also a planner, this next paragraph does not apply to you, check back in after!
However, if you put all of your eggs in the Amherst basket, you'll have to go back and revisit your college list. We generally recommend having a college list of 8 to 12 schools, and it should be a healthy mix of reaches, targets, and safeties. As you look for schools to add to your list, you might wanna find some places that are similar to Amherst! You know you liked Amherst’s vibe! The first thing you should filter for when searching for schools is academics. Duh. It is school, after all. After that, you can take into consideration things like size, culture, location, and weather — but remember, not every school on your list is going to meet every single preference you have. You should also take into account your test scores, if you have them, your GPA, and the rigor of your extracurriculars as you compare your stats to their past incoming classes.
Okay, we’re back to talking to everybody now. The next thing you need to do is decide on an ED2 school. For the vast majority of you, one of the other schools in your top 3-5 will offer ED2, and we strongly recommend applying ED2. Regular decision acceptance rates vary from school to school, but on the whole, most colleges accept the majority of their incoming class from early applicants. Now, that’s not meant to say that miracles don’t happen in regular decision, but like we said, we are planners, and we are all about that ounce of prevention instead of that pound of cure.
Step Three: Essays
After you make your college list, you’ll need to start working on the supplements. On our blog, we have guides on how to write tons of different college supplements! But we’re here to talk about something more important, the Common App essay.
Chances are, you wrote a pretty standard common app essay. It might be really well written, but the topic might be clichéd or overdone. One of the biggest things we do with our clients is writing unique, standout Common App essays, and we think that’s a big reason why our long-term clients see admission to one of their top three schools. The Common App essay is one of the few places where you get to show Admissions officers who you are as a person. You don’t need to use that space to brag about your greatest accomplishments or relive traumatic moments. It should be a place where you let your personality shine. With that being said, you’re probably gonna have to rewrite your Common App essay. Don’t yell at us!!
We know it might be daunting to write a new essay in two weeks, especially if it took you months to write the one you have now. But, every year, we help countless students write amazing Common App essays in the two weeks between rejection and RD deadlines! So we know it’s possible.
The Common App essay is primarily a brainstorming activity, and we recommend using this space to tell a story. It doesn’t need to be a big story or a sad story, in fact, we love smaller stories. Think about your personality (or, ask your friends and family), and think about the parts of who you are that cannot be quantified in an activities section or by your GPA. Do you have a unique hobby? A funny quirk? A great story about that time you did that thing? Love to cook? Those can all be great Common App essays—as long as you tell a story with a distinct beginning, middle, and end.
Step Four: Ask for Help
We know you’re probably shook after getting rejected. You might feel paralyzed or scared or anxious, but we have some really good news for you. We can help you navigate this process, like your own personalized little sherpa, guiding you through the stress of the next two weeks. We even have a package just for you – the “It’s Going to Be Okay” package! We help you create an actionable plan, which could include anything (or everything), from rewriting the Common App to 10 schools’ worth of supplements to building a new college list. Don’t hesitate if you need help.
We know getting rejected is hard. And this doesn’t mean you’re like, a bad person or a bad student! You will get into a great school, you just need to regroup and strategize.
Rejected and don’t know what to do? Reach out to us ASAP.