Decisions, Decisions – 2016 Regular Decision Deny Edition
We Admit It! This is the hardest part of our job — sending bad news to bright, talented applicants like you. You can Admit It! You’re surprised, upset, disappointed, confused, angry – maybe all of the above. All of these emotions are both natural and justified. This is not the outcome you were hoping for, and it’s not the decision we enjoy giving. We feel so incredibly fortunate to learn about many wonderful students and to be part of a selective admission process. We realize that means a part of our job is to send more bad news than good news. We accept that responsibility, but we take no joy in it.
You are an incredibly smart, accomplished, kind, deserving person; any school would be lucky to have you. This decision is in no way a reflection on you; it is simply and only a reflection on the strength of our applicant pool. This year’s pool was one of the largest and most impressive in our school’s history — we were only able to admit roughly one-third of those who applied. Statistically, at a selective institution like William & Mary, the odds are against anyone who applies. Furthermore, those who are denied from selective institutions are still among the elite of today’s high school graduates, and are absolutely capable of being successful William & Mary students.
The transcript, SAT/ACT scores, extracurricular activities and essays that you presented are something you should be tremendously proud of. What’s hard for many to understand is that most students who apply to W&M have taken similarly challenging courses, have earned tremendously high GPAs/class ranks, have earned a high score on the SAT/ACT, have compiled a dynamic extracurricular resume and have written thoughtful essays. As we decide who to admit we’re selecting not from good and bad but from great and great. Because our applicants do so many things right, we have the difficult task of making nuanced decisions among terrific students.
We know that nothing we write here will make this decision any easier to swallow. While this decision may seem unfair, please know that it was made through a thoughtful, comprehensive and fair review process. That’s what we owe every student who entrusts their story to us. It’s a responsibility we take seriously. While we are sorry that we were not able to admit you to W&M, we know that our loss is another university’s gain. We also know that you will have a wonderful experience at whichever school you choose. We wish you more than luck in all of your future endeavors.
Brad Harlan
Assistant 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.
I got deferred during the ED process in December, and I just found out today I’ve officially been rejected. No hard feelings, W&M, I still think you’re pretty great. I was lucky enough to fall in love with another school that accepted me, so while you’ll always have a special place in my heart, I’m going to do what Beyonce would want me to do and move on. And to anyone else facing a rejection today: I know it’s difficult news, but the bottom line is you’re going to end up where you’re meant to be. I’m sure lots of great schools were able to recognize your worth and you’re going to have so much success no matter where you go!
@W&M Reject, what a fantastic mindset you have. Believe us when we say that we wish you nothing but the best going forward, and know that you will accomplish great things throughout your undergraduate career and beyond. Whatever school you decide to attend is lucky to have you.