Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Road to Ivy Paved With Rejection Letters

Thin-letter notices reach students in record numbers

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 19, 2008 3:31 PM CDT

(Newser) – The dreaded thin letter from college admissions offices is cluttering mailboxes in record numbers this year, but you'd think the elite of the elite would be safe. Not so, reports the Austin American-Statesman, which talks to local top students, including one who capped his impressive high school record with perfect scores on his SAT and ACT but failed to sway Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, and others.

The overall acceptance rate hasn’t dropped, there's just more graduating seniors this year—a fact providing little comfort for one student whose only acceptance came from her backup school: “I’m in the top percent of my class. I’m a varsity soccer player. I mentor eighth-grade girls. I was extremely surprised. I was like, somehow, somewhere, they’ve messed up.” One counselor advises students to broaden their choices.

The number of students applying to college is higher than ever.
The number of students applying to college is higher than ever.   (AP Photo/Skip Peterson)
A college admissions strategist advises his 17-year-old client on which colleges to apply to.
A college admissions strategist advises his 17-year-old client on which colleges to apply to.   (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Students are finding it harder to get into top colleges.
Students are finding it harder to get into top colleges.   (KRT Photos)
Overall, acceptance rates to colleges has not decreased.
Overall, acceptance rates to colleges has not decreased.   (AP Photo/Daniel Hulshizer, File)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

More Newser Stories

Diploma Drop to Make College Entry Easier

Colleges Don’t Care if Kids Can Write

Average SAT Score Slips Again

Students Win $2.85M on SATs

Freshmen More Stressed Than Ever


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne