Those who did not get into any college - what did you do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people say they didn't get in anywhere, this is not what they mean. Usually with some digging you find they got into their state school (maybe not the flagship) or some safety.

This happened to a friend's son, he had a great high school record, went to a magnet did great on standardized tests (pre-covid). So he applied to every fancy engineering school with good need based aid. He was differed then rejected at MIT (an athlete from his HS with lower but very good stats was accepted at MIT), waitlisted at Harvey Mudd, and flat out rejected absolutely everywhere else. However, he did apply to his state engineering school, and went there. The next caveat is he's now completed an EE degree, perfect grades, but along the way was never selected for any internships or REUs he applied to, or even took a summer job (some were covid years). He's now doing a gap year and applying to grad schools, he's currently working with a former professor, and has nothing else on his resume. We'll see how grad school apps go, but even though he's clearly a smart, capable kid, I suspect he's the sort that will always be passed over. The undergrad rejections could happen to anyone with great stats, it is a lottery and the odds are not independent, but in his case, seems it was not a fluke.

“The sort that will always be passed over?” Quite horrible to make this judgment about a very young man.

It’s a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The key concept that's missing here is customized essays. All other things being equal, admissions officers have a harder time refusing someone who can express enthusiasm with particular courses/professors, or something specific about that college. It's cheaper than a visit and a lot more powerful. Also, keep in mind that the Common App allows this: since you click submit for each college separately, you can tweak your personal statement each time.

Please stop posting about this - you show up on every thread recommending standardized essays. Many, many people have told you it's not necessary and virtually every kid gets into schools without doing this. Your kids are probably the only ones in the entire DMV that DID do this. It's a waste of time. If schools want customized essays, they include supplemental essays as part of their applications.

Why are you down playing this advice. It might work for some people. Especially those applying to a college with a strong mission or identity. If you are applying to a school with a religious affiliation or an hbcu then maybe you might tweek your common app essay for those schools versus another school. Its an option, no one says its works or you have to do it. But it is a valid point for people to know that the version of the common app essay that goes to school is just the one that is in the common app when you hit submit. This also means that if you applied to a school rolling in sept or ed and didn't get in and then are going to apply to more schools by a Jan 1 or Feb 1 deadline and you have reconsidered if your common app essay is really getting your point across you can change/update it.

[Anonymous]

^ You do realize that most selective schools include supplemental essays in addition to the Common App essay? That is the appropriate place to customize responses.