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A big stop sign hanging on a pole.
college admissions

How to Deal With College Rejection Letters: 6 Steps

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on May 22, 2024
College rejection letters can hurt. If you get one, stay calm and keep your head up. You have options. If you’ve received a college rejection letter, you should consider writing appeal letter while also celebrating the acceptance letters you do receive. Here’s how you can approach this disappointment. Why Do Colleges Reject Students? The reason …
What should you do if you've been waitlisted?
college applications

What to Do If You’re Waitlisted by a College

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022
As your college acceptance letters roll in, you’re probably wondering, “Am I accepted or rejected?” But there’s always that middle ground that could happen, too – waitlisted. So what should you do if you’re waitlisted for a class? And what shouldn’t you do? We’ll answer those two questions below. What Are College Waitlists? When a …
Photograph of college mail sent to prospective students. If you're on a college mailing list, they're more likely to accept you, right?
myths

Myth: Colleges That Send Me Mail Are Likely to Accept Me

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022
Many students assume the colleges which send them marketing materials in the mail are their best options. This isn’t necessarily true. In fact, some colleges send out millions of pieces of mail each year (not very targeted). Other schools only send out very little. Bottom line: being on a college mailing list does not necessarily …
Comparison showing that Cornell University and Northeastern University have similar academic profiles but much different selectivity or admissions rate
myths

Myth: I Should Go to the Most Selective College that Accepts Me

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022
It’s easy to convince yourself as a college applicant that the most important characteristic of a college is its selectivity or prestige. No matter how envious your friends may be if you’re accepted into selective colleges, it doesn’t mean you’ll ultimately be happy there. Here are some of the problems with judging colleges only by …
Charts showing than in 1995 only 10% of students applied to 7 or more colleges, now 29% of students do so. What are your college acceptance chances?
myths

Myth: Applying to Fewer Colleges Boosts My Chances of Acceptance

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022
Generally speaking, colleges don’t share admissions information with each other. The only way a college might figure out how many colleges you’re applying to is through your FAFSA, where you list each of the colleges you wish to receive a copy of your financial aid application. The number of colleges listed on a student’s FAFSA …

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