So, you鈥檝e been rejected EA from Northeastern. First of all, we鈥檙e sorry, and we鈥檙e sure you鈥檙e having a lot of feelings about this right now. And, since you鈥檙e here, you probably want to know what you can do to take control of this situation.
Northeastern is a hard school to get into 鈥� a 6% overall acceptance rate. While the EA acceptance rate is about 39%, that doesn鈥檛 mean you were six times more likely to get into Northeastern, and there are at least 2,200 other students in the same boat as you right now. First off, remember: this decision isn鈥檛 a reflection of your abilities, talents, or overall awesomeness. Schools have incredibly limited spots and, unfortunately, have to turn away many deserving students.
Let鈥檚 be real鈥攇etting rejected hurts. You鈥檙e likely feeling down, and if you鈥檙e here, you might still be in a bit of a panic. Before making any rushed decisions, take a breath and read through this post. We鈥檝e got some practical steps to help you regain a sense of control and feel more confident moving forward.
Step One: Take a Little Break
You need to hit pause for a moment. You鈥檝e been pushing yourself for four years, and now a major curveball has hit your plans. It might feel like your five-year plan just went *poof*, but trust us鈥攖hat鈥檚 not the case. You鈥檙e likely juggling lots of clubs, sports, or other big commitments like theater or debate on top of everything else high school demands. So, after facing this tough news, take a few days to process it and give your brain a breather.
We need you in a strong mental place before the next steps. Whether that means trying out axe-throwing, binging cheesy romcoms, or anything else that helps you recharge, now鈥檚 the time for it.
Once you鈥檝e taken a break, come back for some advice.
Step Two: Strategize
The first step is to review your college list. Our clients and blog regulars typically build balanced lists with 8 to 10 schools, including a healthy mix of reaches, targets, and safeties. If this sounds like you, you might consider swapping out a school or two, but your biggest focus should be identifying an ED2 option. There鈥檚 no need to overhaul everything just because Northeastern didn鈥檛 come through. Stick with your balanced list, and remember鈥攊f you applied EA to Northeastern, you probably applied EA to other schools as well. We鈥檒l cover ED2 options at the end of this section, so feel free to skip down there. If this isn鈥檛 your situation, keep reading.
For those of you who only applied early action to Northeastern or have a short list with just a few schools, there鈥檚 quite a bit to tackle over the next two weeks鈥攂ut 诲辞苍鈥檛 worry, it鈥檚 doable. Every year, we help students work through 8-12 applications during this window between EA rejections and RD deadlines, and we鈥檙e ready to help you, too. Start by building a list of 8 to 12 schools that鈥檚 well-balanced with reaches, targets, and safeties. To determine where you fall in each category, check each school鈥檚 middle 50% range for GPA and test scores and compare them to your own. Even with perfect stats, schools with acceptance rates below 10% will be reaches, and many in the teens might be as well, depending on factors like your extracurricular rigor or in-state status.
When adding schools to your college list, start with the most important factor: academics. Remember, college is about learning, not just finding the right vibe, so make sure each school aligns with your academic goals. Once that鈥檚 covered, you can consider other factors like size, location, culture, and even climate. Think about what drew you to Northeastern and apply to similar schools! If it鈥檚 Boston you鈥檙e after, think about BU, BC, Tufts, etc. If you like all the satellite campuses, think about NYU.
Okay, everyone come back now!! Time to talk about ED2. We highly recommend applying ED2鈥攊t鈥檚 a smart, strategic move that can improve your chances at another top school on your list. Chances are, one of your other top 3-5 choices offers ED2, so if that鈥檚 the case, you should go for it. Miracles can happen in Regular Decision but we are all about minimizing risk.
Step Three: Essays
If you haven鈥檛 started your RD applications yet, or if you鈥檝e had to build a new college list from scratch, then it鈥檚 time to get serious about your writing. Our blog has tons of guides for crafting great school-specific supplements, but there鈥檚 something even more crucial: the Common App essay.
We hate to break it to you, but we鈥檇 say there鈥檚 a strong chance you鈥檒l need to rewrite or, at the very least, heavily edit your Common App essay. Don鈥檛 take it personally! In this two-week crunch, we often see Common App essays that, while well-written, tend to be clich茅, unoriginal, or 诲辞苍鈥檛 reveal much about the student. Many essays focus on big accomplishments, major life challenges, or beloved grandparents. Admissions officers are reading sooooo many of these types of essays. These topics 诲辞苍鈥檛 make you stand out in a competitive pool. The essays we help you write do.
The Common App essay is, above all, a brainstorming exercise, and our specialty is helping students create essays that stand out and resonate with top-tier admissions officers. The main goal here? To come across as relatable and likable! This isn鈥檛 the place to brag or seek sympathy鈥攜ou can put those things in your activities or additional information sections. Instead, use this essay to showcase qualities and experiences that 诲辞苍鈥檛 appear in other sections. Your grades and test scores already show you鈥檙e hardworking, so let your essay highlight a different side鈥攍ike your sense of humor, a unique hobby, or an interesting quirk. Think of those non-quantifiable personality traits. If you鈥檙e feeling stuck, try asking friends or family to describe you in five words. Noticing common themes in their responses might spark an idea or remind you of a great story you can tell in your essay.
As you start writing your Common App essay, focus on telling a story. A well-written story is engaging and gives admissions officers a glimpse into your personality. Make sure it has a clear beginning, middle, and end, and bring it to life with vivid, sensory details. Use descriptions of sights, sounds, smells, textures, and even tastes to show rather than tell, drawing readers right into the middle of your experience.
Step Four: Ask for Help
This is not the end of the world, nor is it the end of your application journey鈥攊t might feel that way, but it鈥檚 not. You鈥檙e going to end up at an amazing school; there鈥檚 just a bit more work ahead. We believe in you!
If you鈥檙e feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start, reach out to us ASAP. Our 鈥�It鈥檚 Going to Be Okay鈥� package is here to guide you through the next two weeks, whether you need help building a new college list, writing a fresh Common App essay, or tackling your supplements. Time is of the essence, so 诲辞苍鈥檛 hesitate to get in touch if you need support!
Rejected and 诲辞苍鈥檛 know what to do? Reach out to us ASAP.