Decisions, Decisions — 2014 Deny Edition
You can Admit It! You’re likely sad. Maybe angry. Maybe deflated. Likely confused. You may be none too pleased with us at the moment. All of those feelings and more are absolutely valid. We honestly don’t equate a deny with a rejection, but we know that comparison is made; and regardless of semantics this decision is not an easy one to make or to receive. Understand that we never vote to reject or deny applicants; we simply vote to admit others.
This year our applicant pool was the largest ever – over 14,500 applications. From that group we’re admitting only 1/3 of those who apply (the admission rate is even lower for out-of-state students). Statistically, the odds are simply against any student who applies. That’s the truly unfortunate part of selective admission – we have to send out more bad news than good. Being denied does not mean you’re unqualified or unaccomplished. The students we deny are smart, talented, social, interesting and successful. In an applicant pool such as ours, the majority of applicants are smart, talented, social, interesting and successful individuals. Most of the students we deny are more than capable of being successful students at W&M. This decision is not a reflection of you; it’s a reflection of how competitive our applicant pool is.
Here’s the best way we know how to provide some perspective on how competitive our pool is. Say you’re in the top 10% of your class. In your high school, you’re performing at a level that’s better than 90% of your peers. What you’re doing is exceptional in your environment. In selective applicant pools like W&M, being in the top 10% of your class is commonplace. That doesn’t diminish how impressive that achievement is, it just provides some perspective on the students we’re evaluating. It’s not the spectrum from 0-100 that’s applying; it’s just those in the 90-100 bracket from high schools across the nation and the world. And that’s true across the board. It’s that 90-100 bracket for grades, for standardized test scores, for extracurricular involvement, for leadership, and so on. So you’re competing with the best of the best for a limited number of spaces.
We recognize that no matter what perspective we provide, no matter what we say, it likely doesn’t lessen the sting of this decision. You are an amazing person and not admitting you is our loss. As we’ve said in previous deny edition blogs, it’s not you, it’s us. We are truly sorry the outcome couldn’t be more positive. We know however that our loss is another college’s gain. We wish you nothing but happiness and success at whatever school you choose.
Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Associate Dean of Admission
Comments are closed on posts older than one year, but we still want to hear from you. If you have a comment or question for us, please email admission@wm.edu.
Unfortunately, I did not get in. It’s a bummer, but I know this is just Jesus’s way of saying that this is not the right school for me. I have loved feeling like part of William and Mary these past few months. This blog has been so comforting/funny/amazing and I hope you keep it up. Thanks for giving me the chance to apply! Congrats to everyone who got in.
@Kelly, that’s a great perspective and we know you’ll have a great college experience wherever you end up.
I appreciate the very thoughtful and beautifully articulated blog article. Though disappointed, my son has some great options and I do believe he’ll attend the school that is the right fit for him. We truly understand the level of competition for a spot in the class of 2018, particularly for an out of state student. However, my son had received a postcard, so we were quite surprised he was not accepted, as there were no circumstances like those mentioned in your January blog post. Could you please shed some light on this discrepancy for us? Thanks in advance.
Beautiful school and excellent history. Denial is as painful as anything I’ve ever felt. This was it, the one and only.
Now I’m questioning what makes sense when school cost is $60k/year, do you pay for your child to go somewhere they don’t want to go and it’s only a matter of time for them to apply for a transfer?
Logically what makes sense, is it better to send them to a local school community college to just get some credits, where they can earn some money and hike up their GPA and then try to transfer or do you pay $60k to send them to a same tier school to then try and trsfr to TCWM?
This is where we’re at. So frustrating and the decision now is one that I never thought we’d face. We didn’t allow him to apply to 10-20 schools and made him limit his choices and now he didn’t get into the only 2 he loved. The others he knew he was in and it means nothing to him. School isn’t the cost it used to be….
Thank you
Please let me know what you really think is the best if you know their plan is to ultimately transfer as soon as they can? Do they even take spring transfers, can they apply for Spring now?
Thank you for all you’ve done, we know it’s hard. It’s more painful on this side. Tears won’t stop.
@Parent, we’re certainly sorry for your son and your family. We hate bringing pain to anyone.
We recommend that first, your son just take some time to process and to visit the schools that have offered him admission. While it doesn’t seem like it right now, he may really get excited about one and end up loving it. Nine times out of 10, that’s what happens and the student doesn’t end up considering a transfer.
Without knowing your son’s record or his options, it’s hard to advise him in this forum. The best advice is for him to choose whatever path he thinks will make him the happiest. We do accept first-semester transfer freshmen in the spring but on a very limited basis (see a previous blog post: http://blogs.wm.edu/2013/12/10/overheard-in-transfer-committee-spring-edition/). And students cannot apply until the 2014-2015 Common App goes live in August.
@Confused Parent, without knowing who your son is we cannot answer your question. The one follow-up we have is did your son receive the green cypher postcard pictured in the January blog you mentioned or did he receive our ampersandbox (full of many postcards) as a prospective student? There was some confusion on that point last year from other applicants.
If he did in fact receive the green postcard with the cypher on the front we encourage you to contact our office (757-221-4223 or admission@wm.edu) to follow up and we will be happy to investigate and get back to you.
OK so freshman transfers are even more limited. Can I ask how many you have taken over the past few years and what was their avg. HS GPA and SAT scores vs. the regular admit class? How many applied? Thanks for being so helpful.
My son is looking online now at schools now with rolling admissions. I still can’t believe he doesn’t think he’ll be happy at the other schools he got accepted too (all top 40 universities) but I knew from visits, that there were only 2 schools he loved. The history and location is what he’s always had a yearning for.. (Busch Gardens didn’t hurt along with the history). he is top 10%, NHS, always a 99% in standardized tests, broke 2k on the SAT’s (no studying as he didn’t believe now regretfully that you should need too), a all season athlete, volunteers, scouts, so he is the guy that I’m sure was looked over a few times to make the reject decision.
Now what to tell him? I’m leaving him alone for a while but, my spouse and I are trying to give him sound advice and don’t want to see him go to a local NJ community college if it will only hurt him for transferring. The big issue is spending $60k on one of the ones he was admitted too, a school he isn’t comfortable with. Which way to turn? Would someone at TCWM speak with him to give him advice if we could get him to call?
And I thought tours at schools were done till the next child… the agony of college applications goes on. It was so much easier in my day.
And I’ve got 3 more to go through this process with. I’m not sure I can handle this.
Your blog is the best advice we have seen. It’s just one part of the process that sold my son. I know he’s used it, and he was the one to show it to us.
All the best to those accepted. Go Tribes.
@Parent, it varies from year to year but it’s usually literally only a handful of students who get admitted as first-semester transfer freshmen because we usually have only maybe 5-10 beds in the residence halls (sometimes even fewer). Generally, they are students who were admitted or waitlisted as freshman applicants (or who would have been had they applied) so their credentials are very strong. Generally there are probably 30-50 students who apply.
Your son does sound very accomplished and we know that it’s tough when accomplished students get bad news. That is definitely the pitfall of selective admission.
Our transfer dean would be happy to speak with your son once he’s decided where he’ll go next year. We can’t be very helpful if we don’t know where he’s headed. We generally council those students to contact us over the summer.
The good news is with one child’s search under your belt you’ll likely feel much more prepared for the next one.
Thank you for your response. My son did in fact receive the postcard referred to in the blog (as well as the set of cards, which arrived later). I’ll contact the office, as suggested.
@Confused Parent, thank you. We will be happy to investigate and follow up with you or your son once contacted.
Although I was denied, I appreciate this blog being here to help ease the sting of rejection a bit. Surely I am not the only one with an impressive application to be denied so I will resist the urge to complain, although my only regret is having invested such a substantial amount of time into the application and waiting process…not to mention the money. Thankfully W&M was not my first choice (and my first choice not only accepted me but offered me their Presidential Scholarship, which reassures me that my work was not in vain). Regardless, I recognize the tough decisions the committee had to face and appreciate the consideration. Best of luck to the upcoming freshman class!
@Ashley, so glad you do have what sounds like a fantastic option for next year and we wish you all the best.
Thank you for speaking with me today regarding my daughter. She is unconsolable, and I am mad as hell that she is so sad, but I will pass along this blog, and point out the phrase ‘it’s our loss, not yours.’ And she will be fine, and go on to do wonderful thing.
@Anne D, we’re happy to be of assistance at this time to any student or parent who is having difficulty understanding or processing an admission decision. We’re sorry to hear your daughter is so sad but it will pass and she will have a great college experience.
Of all the reach schools my daughter applied to, you were my favorite. What a nice blog. Fortunately she’s been thrilled with Northeastern for several months now. So we have that going for us! Hmmm. Maybe grad school. 🙂
@Julie, thank you so much. We really appreciate the love and wish your daughter all the best at Northeastern.
Hello! I am still confused why I still have not received my admissions notification in my email. I have only received an email from the financial office requesting financial aid information. Are decisions still being sent?
Thank you!
@Confused, there were a few late decisions that are being sent out tonight. So continue to check your in-box. If you still don’t have a decision email, follow up with us tomorrow during business hours.
We went through this rejection process last year with our son and he was also feeling the same things that your child is experiencing now. But they do get over it! I would strongly encourage your child to attend the admitted freshman open houses that are held at the colleges where your child was accepted and have them take a serious look at the schools. Now that they know that W&M is no longer an option (or a very remote option for transfer, if best), they may start looking at those other schools in a new light, especially if you, as the parent, strongly encourage them to do so.
Although it was probably the last choice on his list of five schools to which he applied, my son decided to go to JMU and is loving it. He is in the Honors Program and got involved in activities he enjoyed while in HS (Model UN and Young Dems). He also discovered some new passions, including the Ultimate Frisbee club team. He even applied to work as a First-year Orientation Guide or FROG, which is a big step for him. Now he can’t imagine not being in Harrisonburg. My advice is to give your kids a chance to explore their options — they will figure out what’s best for them. And this is your first big step as a parent in letting go and letting your child make their first really big decision. Remember, it’s THEIR decision.
BTW, this admissions blog is still the best one out there — keep up the great work!
@Been in your shoes, thank you for posting such a great perspective. We often try to tell students and families who were denied this very sentiment. That schools that may not feel like top choices right now end up being wonderful fits and great experiences. It’s so great to see that realized in your son’s experience.
And thanks for the shout out on the blog. We’re glad it’s appreciated.