Now that the craziness of the first round deadlines is behind you, we wanted to make an important point clear:
All school decisions are independent events.
We have touched on this at regular points throughout the life of the blahg, including this post on “I got into one school, should I now try for a better one?”
It matters most to remember this once decisions start coming out and people start getting rejected.
Just because one school rejects you does not mean you’re doomed for all of them to do so.
(Well, that’s true if you’ve done your homework and submitted a strong application to each of the schools. If all your apps are crap then please don’t expect any of them to work out differently.)
Assuming you are a) qualified, and b) presented well and c) did your research to show the school why they’re a fit (not mandatory at all schools, but high priority at most) — then just remember that each school has its own idiosyncrasies and priorities and will be screening your candidacy through at least a slightly different lens.
Typically, if someone makes it into Stanford, they’re also highly likely to get into Harvard. Or at least Wharton.
Or if someone gets into Columbia, then Tuck could easily say ‘yes’ as well.
That’s just because those particular school pairings are more similar than different.
But if Columbia rejects you … that does NOT mean you’re not going to have any luck at Kellogg.
One season we had a BSer admitted to Duke who was turned away from Ross. That was a surprise. But there are often surprises.
We’ve had plenty of people get the interview at Stanford and not at Harvard.
Or make it into LBS but not INSEAD.
These are the same people, with the same profile, and generally similar essay-writing skills, applying to schools that are more similar than different – yet they are able to convert at one place and not another.
See? Independent events.
Happens all the time.
So before you read too much into any one school’s decision on your application – either for or against – just remember that they’re all different. Which is what you’ve already gained an appreciation for, based on all the work you’ve put in in researching them. Well, those differences extend to how they will be interpreting your pitch and the decisions that they make on your candidacy.
Of course, all this is predicated on the presumption that you did a good job on the apps.
If we’ve never reviewed your work before, then you can always hit us up for a Post-Mortem Ding Analysis if you start getting those rejects and don’t know why. Or better yet, have us do a Sanity Check on the apps before you submit. We are in the best position possible of answering the “What are my chances?” question through that service. We also always tell people going through the Essay Decimator essay review process if the drafts that they’ve submitted are so far off the mark that they won’t likely work out. We’re big on dealing straight with people.
We also know that this whole thing becomes this massive emotional roller coaster torture chamber experience. So we are trying to help you manage expectations – and better interpret the input that you’re going to be receiving in the coming weeks and months.
Sometimes, a reject is a fluke, and every other app turns into an admit.
Sometimes, the rejects stack up – in which case it’s likely that there’s an unrecoverable flaw in the pitch. Which means, you need to change course before submitting additional applications.
When these rejects are coming TO YOU then understandably, it can be hard to interpret them accurately. That’s what we’re here for. We’re happy to help out if we can!
Tell us what you think.