college admissions appeal letter

How to Write an Appeal Letter for College

Picture this: you’ve poured your heart and soul into crafting the perfect college application, only to be faced with the dreaded rejection letter. But don’t let despair consume you just yet!

There’s still hope in the form of an appeal letter – a powerful tool that could turn your college dreams into reality. Delving into the art of persuasive writing, you’ve stumbled upon the ultimate guide on how to write an appeal letter for college.

We’ll unveil the secrets behind crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with the admissions committee, ensuring your application gets a second chance to shine. You definitely don’t want to miss this!

Reasons for Writing an Appeal Letter for College

Because pursuing higher education comes with challenges and uncertainties, knowing how to write a college appeal letter is a powerful tool for addressing those obstacles.

• To challenge an admission decision: Despite best efforts, rejection is still a possibility. In such cases, an appeal letter provides the opportunity for you to present new, compelling information or to address any discrepancies in your academic record.
• To request financial aid reconsideration: College is expensive, and many students rely on financial aid to make higher education less stressful. Sometimes though, the initial financial aid offer might not be enough. If this is the case, an appeal letter can explain your financial situation further.
• To appeal academic probation or dismissal:   It’s not uncommon for personal or health issues to affect academic performance. In these cases, you can write an appeal letter to explain any extenuating circumstances that led to your academic difficulties and provide a plan for improvement. For more information on how to appeal a grade , check out this EduReviewer article on the best ways to tackle the process.

Appeal Letter for College: The First Steps

No matter the reason behind your appeal letter, the main thing to do is be honest and straightforward. Look through EduReviewer’s article about the best college consultants for a professional way to express your feelings, concerns, and goals and take control of your academic future. Many of whom will be able to provide you with more advice on the points below.

Research the College Appeals Process

Each college has its own appeal process. And each one varies in terms of requirements, documentation, and deadlines. With this in mind, take the time to investigate the specific appeal process for your college.

Being attentive like this can greatly influence the decision-makers reviewing your case. Plus, if you’re able to show that you can stick to the college’s specific guidelines, it’ll prove that you’re dedicated and serious about your education.

As you draft your college appeal letter, it may be worthwhile to consider furthering your education. Look into the cheapest online MBA programs in Canada, a cost-effective and flexible way to elevate your academic credentials.

Appeal Straight Away

Time is of the essence when it comes to writing an appeal letter for college. Taking swift and decisive action demonstrates your commitment to your academic goals and increases the chances of your request being considered.

It’s no secret that admissions receive thousands of student requests per day. This means they’re very busy. But, if you appeal quickly, you’re showing that you’re serious about your education and willing to make an effort to make things right. If you’re not sure how to proceed, try and reach out to a college affiliate. The most up-to-date college counsellors reviews are available on EduReviewer.

Describe the Situation In Detail

Get straight to the point and explain the situation without leaving anything out. As well as this, you’ll need to communicate the issues effectively.

• It’s impossible to misunderstand or misinterpret a well-structured argument. If anything, this transparency fosters an open and honest dialogue between you and the college.
• An articulate argument will showcase your ability to reason and think critically – traits that are highly valued within the academic field.
• College administrators are often inundated with requests and paperwork, so a concise, well-structured letter is more likely to capture their attention.

Don’t include:

• Excessive personal details or emotional appeals that don’t directly relate to your situation. Overloading your letter with unrelated pleas distracts from the core message and weakens your appeal.
• Generic statements or cliches that could apply to anyone. Avoid using phrases like “I’ve always dreamed of going to this college” without connecting them to your specific situation and goals.

Do include:

• A short and sweet explanation of your situation. Be honest and transparent about your experiences and the reasons behind the need for an appeal.
• Supporting documentation that corroborates your claims or provides additional context (transcripts, medical records, letters of recommendation).
• A breakdown of your academic or personal plan for improvement. Show the committee that you are proactive in addressing your challenges and have a concrete strategy for success moving forward.

Writing a college appeal letter calls for impeccable grammar and attention to detail. Consider using a top-tier tool like Grammarly. Check out a comprehensive Grammarly review to see how it can help improve your writing.

Appeal Letter for College: Writing Tips

Although a persuasive appeal letter for college can be a game-changer, you still need to pay attention to the composition and format to maximize your chances of success. A well-structured and engaging appeal letter demonstrates your passion and commitment to the college, setting you apart from other applicants.

• Structure: 4 paragraphs (1 for the introduction, 2 for the main body, 1 for the conclusion)
• Tone: Formal
• Length: 250-500 words

Introduction

If you’re stuck on how to write a good appeal letter for college, keep this in mind. Begin the introductory paragraph by addressing the recipient respectfully and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to present your appeal. This demonstrates professionalism as well as sets the tone for the rest of the letter.

Next, briefly describe your situation and the purpose of your appeal letter. Whether you are appealing a financial aid decision, suspension, or rejected admission, be straightforward in stating the issue at hand. If you need to know more about dealing with a college suspension , EduReviewer has got you covered and has prepared an article devoted to this matter.

As you progress, provide a preview of the key points to be discussed in the body of your letter. Including the reasons for your appeal, any supporting documentation, and your plan for improvement.

Remember to be concise and clear in your writing, as college officials often have limited time to review each appeal thoroughly. Then, include the following details:

• Relevant information supporting your case, including transcripts, recommendation letters, or other relevant documents. By corroborating your story, you’re giving the college tangible proof of your assertions.
• Details of personal circumstances that have impacted your academic performance, or evidence of your dedication to the college and its values.
• Articulate any points you make in a logical and coherent manner, so your ideas are easy to understand.

While you craft a convincing college appeal letter, it’s a good time to think about your post-college career. It’s never too early to start planning. Learn when to start mapping out your future and be proactive.

To ensure a strong close, begin by summarizing your key points and the reasons for your appeal. Doing this provides a concise overview of your case and highlights the most crucial aspects that you want the reader to remember.

Next, express your genuine passion for the college and desire to continue your studies there. This demonstrates your commitment and shows that you’re serious. Be sure to mention any personal growth, lessons learned, or positive changes that have taken place since the initial decision, as these can be powerful indicators of your determination to succeed.

Lastly, end your letter with a polite and respectful request for reconsideration, emphasizing your belief in your ability to thrive at the college. You could even offer your availability for a meeting or phone call to discuss your appeal further.

Sample Appeal Letter: Admissions

Sometimes, knowing how to start an appeal letter for college is all you need to get the creative juices flowing. Let’s take a look at an example of an impactful opening paragraph for an appeal letter:

Subject: Appeal Against Suspension Dear (recipient’s name) , I’m writing to request a reconsideration of my application for admission to the (college name) for the (year date) academic year. I recently received a rejection letter, but firmly believe that my passion, determination, and unique experiences make me a worthy candidate for your institution. In this letter, I’d like to provide additional information to supplement my original application and ask you to reevaluate my candidacy.”

In this example, the appeal letter introduction addresses the admissions committee respectfully and expresses your sincere interest in the college. It also briefly outlines the purpose of the letter and provides context for the main body arguments.

Following the introduction, an effective appeal letter should present new or updated information not included in the original application. Including things like how your accomplishments and goals mirror the mission statement of the college.

You could write something like this:

“Since submitting my application, I’ve been elected as the president of my school’s debate club, leading our team to victory at the state championships. This experience has not only honed my leadership and communication skills but also reinforced my commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity and academic excellence- qualities that I am eager to bring to the (college name) community.”

Lastly, knowing how to end an appeal letter for college will reiterate your dedication to the college and your passion for the program you have applied for. Be genuine and specific about why you believe the institution is the perfect fit for your academic and personal goals.

Demonstrating your enthusiasm and commitment can leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee, increasing your chances of a successful appeal. You could even write this type of letter if you’ve been waitlisted. If you want to know more, the EduReviewer team has prepared an article discussing what being on a college waitlist means.

Sample Appeal Letter: Suspension

Once you know what to write in an appeal letter for college, you’re well on your way to peace of mind. The following sample is an example of what to write. Change what you need to express your individual issues and achievements for a more successful college appeal letter.

If you’re still unsure of how to proceed, you can use EduReviewer’s tips to deal with your appeal to college and get your life back on track.

Subject: Appeal Against Suspension Dear (Recipient’s Name) , I’m writing to formally appeal the decision to suspend me from (college) for the period of (duration of suspension) . Let me take this opportunity to explain this issue and provide relevant context. As a dedicated (course name) at (college name) , I’ve always strived to uphold the values and expectations set forth by the institution, and to have fallen short in this regard, I am sincerely disappointed in myself. In light of the suspension, I’d like to provide some additional context that may not have been considered during the decision-making process (provide any supporting evidence or documentation that will support your case and explain the circumstances that led to the suspension). I believe that these factors when taken into account, paint a more complex picture of the situation and warrant a reconsideration of the suspension. Furthermore, I have taken active steps to rectify my actions and prevent any future occurrences (Detail the steps you have taken or plan to take to address the issue and demonstrate your commitment to improvement). By doing so, I aim to demonstrate my commitment to personal growth and my willingness to learn from my mistakes. In conclusion, I respectfully request that you reconsider the suspension and allow me to continue my (course name) journey at (college name) . I’m eager to make the most of this opportunity and prove that I’m capable of overcoming challenges and contributing positively to the community. Sincerely, (Your Full Name) (Your Contact Information)

Keep in mind that not all college letters have to be about appeals. You could even use these examples as a way to let a college know that you’re studying somewhere else.

It’s always a good idea to stay in good favor with a college because you never know when you’ll need them next. If you need to know more about how to decline a college acceptance letter, check out EduReviewer’s take on it.

What to Say in an Appeal Letter for College?

Start by expressing your enthusiasm for the college and addressing the letter professionally. Be sure to highlight your accomplishments and strengths, but also acknowledge any shortcomings or extenuating circumstances that may have affected your application. Learn how EduReviewer’s article can help you demonstrate your dedication to the college’s values if you are applying for college readmission .

How Long Should an Appeal Letter Be for College?

Each college has its appeal requirements, so ensure to research what they are beforehand. But generally, an appeal letter is around one page in length (250-500 words). This might not seem like enough space within which to explain everything. But if you write with specific intent, you can still present your argument effectively, as well as maintain the reader’s attention.

What Is a College Appeal Letter?

In a college appeal letter, you or your guardian asks the college to reconsider a decision that negatively impacts your educational career. This could be in response to an unfavorable outcome, such as denied admission, financial aid rejection, or disciplinary action.

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Articles & Advice > College Admission > Articles

How to Write a Strong, Persuasive College Decision Appeal Letter

So you got the thin envelope. Fortunately, your case isn't always closed upon that rejection letter. Here are a few ways you could change their minds.

by Phoebe Bain Freelance Writer

Last Updated: Aug 16, 2023

Originally Posted: Feb 28, 2018

So you got the thin envelope. I know...huge bummer. Fortunately, in some circumstances, your case isn’t always closed upon that first rejection letter. Some colleges give prospective students the opportunity to appeal their admission decision by writing an appeal letter—a formal request to the college asking them to reconsider your application. This might feel like the most important letter you’ll ever write in your life, but the art of writing a great college decision appeal has less to do with your skills as a writer and more to do with why you’re appealing it in the first place. Below are a few very valid reasons you might appeal.

If part of your application was missing

Your high school counselor is a human being and makes mistakes too. Maybe they forgot to submit a recommendation letter and you realized too late that it affected your admission decision. Or perhaps something went wrong with submitting your test scores and they never arrived. Whatever the case, if you suspect that you were rejected because something was missing from the dozens of documents that every applicant must submit, appealing your decision might be worthwhile.

Related:  11 Steps to Finalizing and Submitting Your College Apps  

If you’re a one-trick pony

If you’re a student who got the top score on one section of the ACT and the lowest score on another section, contact the college’s department for your perspective major when you submit an appeal. Maybe the school would accept you if the English department could vouch for your potential to become the next great American author, or the Science department could boost your application if they knew you’d conducted leading cancer research. In addition, include anything you’ve accomplished since you last applied, provide documentation if possible, and make sure it is truly significant.

If it’s a less selective school

You have a better chance of having a successful appeal if the school in question accepts a higher percentage of its applicants . The more selective the school, the more selective the appeals process. Additionally, more selective schools receive more appeal letters, as they reject more students, so you’ll be thrown into a larger pile and given less of a chance. Again, sending an appeal letter can never hurt, but know where the odds are in your favor and where they are not, and adjust your hopes accordingly.

If you upped your test scores (a lot)

If you retook the SAT or ACT and your scores changed drastically—far more than a point or two—you should definitely consider submitting an appeal letter. Test scores can really affect admission decisions, as colleges use them to measure students from very different schools against each another equally. So if you up your scores, you may up your chances of being accepted.

Related:  Improve Your Admission Chances After a Low Test Score  

If there’s an inaccuracy in your transcript

Did your transcript not show a class you took over the summer at a community college? Was there an error with a grade or your demographic information? If any vital information on your transcript was left out or if something was incorrect, you should consider appealing.

What if the school doesn't accept appeals?

Keep in mind that some colleges don’t accept appeals, and those that do usually stand by their original decision. Before you start writing, be sure to check the college’s policy on admission decision appeals. You might be able to find their policy online on their admission home page, but your best bet is to just call the admission office and ask. However, if the school you've got your eye on accepts appeals, what's the harm in trying?

Do I need to grovel?

Your tone should be formal and polite , not desperate or bitter. Colleges don’t care how upset you are about not getting in. They do, however, care  why  you genuinely feel as though a mistake was made in their decision. Additionally, you should proofread your letter at least five times before you send it. Have every English teacher you have ever had proofread it. Make sure this letter reads as the absolute best it can be. You wouldn’t want to have your appeal denied because of a few easily avoided typos.

Related:  4 Things to Do if You're Deferred by Your Dream College  

Here’s a final pro tip for appealing an admission decision: Sometimes the school “encourages” you to send extra information, such as another recommendation or supplemental essays, along with your appeal. That “encouragement” is code for requirement—send it or you probably won’t stand much of a chance. And one last thing: if you didn’t get into your dream school or if your appeal letter isn’t successful, don’t let this rejection get you down. Be sure to have a backup plan that will make you happy, and remember that college is what you make of it. This moment will be a far-distant memory in the fall when you’re having fun at a school that truly fits you!

For more tips on the college application process, check out our other  articles and advice on college admission!

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A Guide to the College Admissions Appeal Process

The odds of an admission decision being overturned are unlikely, but not impossible, for applicants who appeal.

College Admissions Appeals Process

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Students should be sure to follow the college's preferred process for submitting an appeal request.

You didn't get into your dream school. Now what?

One option is to appeal the decision and ask the committee to reconsider. While this effort is akin to hitting the half-court shot at the buzzer to win the basketball game, it's possible, even if unlikely. Admissions appeals, like half-court shots, occasionally hit the mark.

Before launching an admissions appeal, students should know the policy and process in place at their preferred college , experts say.

"Every university has a different policy when it comes to appeals," says Brooke Hanson, CEO and founder of California-based SupertutorTV, a college consulting organization. "The first thing you do is determine what the policy is and if it's published or not."

If the appeals policy is not published, Hanson suggests contacting the admissions office for more information.

Rachelle Hernandez, senior vice provost for enrollment management at the University of Texas—Austin , suggests that applicants go straight to the source for admissions appeals since general information available online is typically not school-specific.

"There is a lot of 'advice' available out there, but for a student or their family who may have questions about the admissions process, reviewing the college or university website, or contacting college or university staff directly, is the only way to ensure that a student receives up-to-date and accurate information," Hernandez wrote in an email.

How To Appeal an Admission Decision

Once a college has rejected an application, students typically have a limited timeline to appeal the outcome, which varies by school. The timeline may vary by applicant status, as well.

"Freshman applicants are given approximately 4 weeks, while transfer applicants are given two weeks," Janet Gilmore, senior director of strategic communications at the University of California—Berkeley , wrote in an email regarding her school. "This is in an attempt to complete all releases in a timely manner so students can prepare and plan for their fall terms."

While students should pay attention to the appeals deadline, that doesn't mean they should be in a rush, says Kevin Martin, founder of Tex Admissions, a former admissions counselor and a college admissions consultant based in Texas.

"Most universities will have an open and closing period for appeals. One mistake I see families make is, literally minutes after receiving a rejection , they're already messaging me regarding appeals. They're upset, confused, angry, and looking for answers," Martin wrote in an email.

He suggests that students take some time to process their emotions and appeal within a week or two of the deadline.

"One myth is that submitting it ASAP will somehow signal to the appeals committee that you're especially eager. They don't care," says Martin.

Typically, students appeal by sending a letter to the college stating their case for admission. At UC—Berkeley, for example, an applicant can submit a 500-word statement to make their case with new information.

"Examples of significant new information may consist of semester grades, additional achievements for us to consider, or information that has come to light between the time of the application submission and the delivery of the office's decision," says Gilmore.

Martin notes that the supporting documents colleges ask for vary by school, and it's important to follow the guidelines.

"The rule of thumb is, unless a university explicitly asks for or allows an item, don't send something they didn't ask for," says Martin.

Students should also be sure to follow the college's preferred process for submitting an appeal request. UC—Berkeley, for example, accepts only appeal letters issued through an online form rather than requests sent via postal mail, email or other methods.

The Odds of Winning an Admissions Appeal

According to various estimates, the probability of hitting a half-court shot is about 1%-2%. For admissions appeals, that number isn't far off, with successful outcomes hovering in the single digits at universities U.S. News spoke to for this story.

According to Gilmore, UC—Berkeley admitted 3%-5% of freshman appeals and up to 8% of transfer student appeals in the last three admission cycles.

Considering the long odds of a successful appeal of an admission decision, some experts think it's rarely worth the trouble.

Hanson encourages students to look hard at prior admitted classes and see how they stack up across those metrics.

"If you're just like every other kid, and your scores are below the 25th percentile, it's really not worth it," says Hanson.

"Most students shouldn't appeal. It's best to accept the decision and move on," says Martin. But, he adds, there may be exceptions.

Examples include correcting mistakes on the initial application , such as high school transcript errors or incorrect test scores, "or if there is substantial new information, like the loss of a parent, a cancer diagnosis, or a national or international level achievement."

If a student's circumstances have changed and he or she has compelling new information, that should be included in an appeal.

Hernandez notes that "appeals based solely on a student's interest" are typically not approved.

"An appeal is not just a reconsideration of the student's original application. Instead, an appeal process considers new information, not previously included in a student's application, to warrant a re-review of the student's application," says Hernandez.

Considering the uncertainty of the appeals process, students shouldn't focus their energy on one college , experts say.

If a student is counting on an appeal to gain admission, he or she shouldn't overlook other offers. "Even if a student chooses to appeal, we recommend that they do not delay in accepting an admission offer from another college or university," says Gilmore.

That half-court shot of an appeal may go in, it may miss the basket – or it may get blocked. It isn't so much that colleges admit students via the appeals process based on their own efforts, but more so on what the university is looking for in an incoming class, says Martin.

That means regardless of a student's effort, the decision is less about them and more about how the college wants to fill its seats.

"Appeals almost always depend more on the needs of the university than the merits of an individual appeal," says Martin.

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How to Write an Appeal Letter for College (and Whether You Should)

January 31, 2023

If you are a fan of podcasts like Serial , documentaries like Making a Murderer , and the billions of similar wrongful convictions stories that have been chronicled across various mediums in recent years, then you are already somewhat familiar with the concept of an appeals process. Fortunately, if you are reading this article, it is more likely that you find yourself rejected by your first-choice college than incarcerated for a crime you didn’t commit (silver linings everywhere!). Jokes aside, getting rejected from your dream schools is a legitimately painful emotional experience. It’s a lot to process, and while adults can tell you that “Everything happens for a reason” and that “Your backup school would be a dream school for many” (both true, by the way), you may still wish to take one final Hail Mary which brings us the subject of how to write an appeal letter for college.

How to Write an Appeal Letter for College

Can you appeal a college rejection? At some schools, the answer is “Yes”–at others–the answer is “No.” Let’s dive in and discuss whether this is the right choice for you and, if so, the logistics of penning and filing an appeal.

Step #1: Act Fast

If you’re going to appeal, you’ll want to do so within days of receiving the rejection. Upon releasing admissions decisions, colleges are already shoulder-deep in the creation of their freshman class. As such, schools often put a limit on how late they will accept an appeals letter. For example, Georgia Tech , UCLA , and the University of Maryland all have a deadline of April 15. Even if a school doesn’t publicly state a specific date, try to expedite this process as much as possible.

Step #2: Research the school-specific appeals process

Not all schools consider appeals letters from rejected applicants. Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton do not allow the submission of an appeals letter under any circumstances. It is much more common for public schools to offer a formal appeals process. However, many private schools do offer some level of guidance on their website as well. A simple Google search of “appeals letter _____ University” will get the job done.

Step #3: Identify the core of your argument

The basis for appeal should be clear and able to be presented in a concise manner and should be made by the applicant, not their parents. Further, the basis for appeal has to be substantive and should not include any of the following all-too-common arguments/actions:

• Resubmitting materials that were already on your original application. Remember, they already read your “Why us” essay, extracurriculars, awards, etc.
• Comparing yourself to a classmate who was admitted and expressing that you deserved it more. Arguments like this will not even be considered.
• Listing other schools that admitted you. Frankly, they really aren’t interested.
• Citing legacy status or other family connections to the university. This was already considered by the committee when they made their decision.

Turning to more legit reasons to appeal an admissions decision, here are the most common:

• You have a previously undisclosed health condition or personal issue that could change the way your application is viewed. If revealing a health condition, a letter from your physician or other documentation is worth including. Keep in mind that if you already disclosed this in your original application, this would not be valid grounds for appeal.
• Your grades or test scores were reported incorrectly on the application. This does happen occasionally, believe it or not. If this is the case, provide documentation of the correct materials and place this info front and center when crafting the letter.
• Your grades or test scores have dramatically improved since your application was reviewed. For example, let’s say that you were rejected by UIUC’s Gies College of Business and had a 1340 SAT at the time. Your latest results just came back as a 1500. Well, that is a jump worth reporting! In fact, that level of improvement would take an applicant from below the 25th percentile of accepted applicants all the way above the 75th.

Step #4: Compose a letter with a friendly and humble tone.

This is pretty obvious, but we know from experience that this next nugget of advice still needs to be stated explicitly: Don’t accuse the admissions committee of being unfair or not doing their due diligence the first time (e.g. “I know how overworked admissions officers are and this may have caused you to rush through my application review…”). Be humble, polite, gracious, respectful, and extremely grateful for their time in reviewing the appeal.

Step #5: Keep moving forward

Keep in mind that the chances of a successful appeal are less than 1%. Therefore, while spending time crafting a quality appeals letter can be worthwhile if the core of your case for admission is strong, don’t forget the statistical reality of this pursuit. Getting overly bogged down in appeals can end up being detrimental to other areas of your life. This includes working on deciding which of the colleges that you have been admitted into is the best fit. Also continue to finish out your high school career on a strong note, enjoy your extracurriculars, and savor your final months living with family and hanging out with your friends.

How to Write an Appeal Letter for College – Final Thoughts

As applicants and as the parents of those applicants it is perfectly normal to, upon word of a college rejection, exclaim, “This must be a mistake!” While it likely isn’t an actual error, the rejection of many highly-qualified applicants from the nation’s top schools is an unfortunate phenomenon of modern American society. When you review the Hardest Colleges to Get Into , you notice more and more prominent schools with 5-10% acceptance rates. Each year, those schools reject 90%-95% of those who apply, the majority of whom can make a sincerely terrific case that they should have been accepted.

In sum, if you have a genuine case for an appeal, go ahead and write an appeal letter to college. However, the more important action will be evaluating which prospective college can do the most for you .

If you are looking for advice on how to write a financial aid appeal letter, visit this previous post .  If you’re looking to appeal a homicide conviction, we recommend reaching out to a podcaster or documentarian near you.

• Application Strategies

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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How to Write an Appeal Letter for College

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 1/3/24

Facing a college rejection and considering an appeal letter? Read on to discover how to write a persuasive college appeal letter effectively.

College applications can be tough, especially when facing rejection from a preferred school. Writing an appeal letter is a bold move to prove the admissions team wrong.

‍ Learn all about writing an appeal letter for college to increase your chances of acceptance in this article.

What Is An Appeal Letter for College?

You may choose to write an appeal letter if your application is initially rejected by a school you want to attend. 

An appeal letter is your chance to make an excellent case for why your admissions decision should be overturned. It helps to demonstrate your continued interest and commitment to the school, highlighting why you are a valuable addition to their community.

You should only write appeal letters to one or two of your top schools because your goal is to make a strong case for why a specific school should accept your application and letter. Most colleges will only consider reversing an admissions decision if you have new information that wasn’t on your initial application. 

Janet Gilmore, senior director of strategic communications at the University of California-Berkeley, says: 

“Examples of significant new information may consist of semester grades, additional achievements for us to consider, or information that has come to light between the time of the application submission and the delivery of the office's decision.”

Since you applied, maybe you’ve aced your final AP course or retook the SAT and achieved a higher score . These would count as significant pieces of new information for which you could write an appeal letter. If you’ve experienced extenuating circumstances like a medical issue or other significant life changes, those are other reasonable factors for filing an appeal. 

It’s also important to understand that writing an appeal letter doesn’t mean admissions committees automatically reverse their decision and accept you. Gilmore says that UC Berkeley admitted just 3-5% of freshman appeals in the last three admission cycles.

But don’t let this discourage you. It’s worth the effort it takes if the school you’re appealing to is your first choice. You have to be highly motivated to want an education at a specific school for your letter to be accepted.

How to Write An Appeal Letter for College Admission

Appeal letters should be well-crafted, of course, but how do you write a good appeal letter? This section goes over precisely what a well-crafted appeal letter looks like, so you can use these examples to guide your writing. 

The structure of an appeal letter should be similar to other letters you’ve probably written. Include the date, your name, phone number, and address at the top. Like this:

January 1, 2024

123 Fourth Avenue

Your Town, MA 55555

(555) 555-1234

Then you want to include the name, title, and contact information for the person you are writing to:

Jane McDonald

Admissions Counselor, Smithtown University

789 Tenth Street

College Town, CA 44444

(444) 123-4567

Below their contact information, you can start your letter with a greeting. Appeal letters are formal, so you should address the contact person as Mrs., Mr., or Ms. If you are unsure whether the person you are addressing is a Mrs. or Ms., use Ms. For example:

Dear Ms. McDonald,

After the greeting, you can start writing the body of the letter. 

Your appeal letter should be treated as a formal or business letter with a less conversational tone. You can still be friendly but don’t use slang or other casual types of language that you would only use around your close friends and family. Be direct and clear in why you’re appealing their decision. 

As an example, instead of writing, “ I really want to get into [this school] ,” try something along the lines of, “ I’m writing today to request an appeal on my initial application decision. ” You can see the difference in tone and how one is more direct than the other. 

Your tone should also be positive. Don’t dwell on the fact that you were rejected because that can be off-putting. Instead, use an optimistic tone that shows you are passionate about attending this specific school.

An appeal letter should be four paragraphs with an introduction , two body paragraphs, and a conclusion . You should aim to keep your letter between 250 and 300 words total . You want to keep it concise while still touching on everything you need to cover. Try not to add any fluff or unnecessary information. 

The exact content of your letter will ultimately depend on what has changed since your application. Here is a general overview of what you should cover. 

Introduction

How you start an appeal letter is crucial to the overall success of your letter. The introduction is where you can acknowledge that you were initially rejected and an overview of the new information you plan to present in the body of your letter. 

For example : “I understand that you must receive hundreds if not thousands of appeal requests, but I  have valuable updated information that wasn’t available when I initially submitted my application. I have since received my SAT retake score and it has improved considerably.”

You don’t have to go into too much detail about your circumstances in the introduction. Just touch on what you plan to discuss so you can grab their attention right away. 

The body of your letter is where you get into the details of what’s changed since you first applied. Include any new information that’s come to light or been presented since you submitted your application. 

For example : "The SAT score that I submitted on my initial application was 1250, and on a retake I scored a 1500."

The body is also where you would provide specific details about why this wasn’t part of your application or how your circumstances have changed since then. 

For example : “ When I initially took the SAT, I was experiencing a medical issue that affected my focus and study ability. At the time, I didn’t have answers from doctors about what was causing my symptoms that ranged from excruciating migraines to incessant nausea. 

Once I was able to get help from doctors and begin treatment to keep my illness under control, I knew I could improve my score and that’s what I set out to do.”

Then you want to explain why they should reconsider you for admission.

“ It has been my dream to attend [school name] ever since I can remember. I’ve always known that I want to be a journalist and I’ve worked really hard to create a path for achieving my goal. That includes attending [school name]. 

The journalism program is one of a kind and I know I could get the best education for what I want to do after college.”

You should also use this as an opportunity to talk about extracurriculars you’ve been involved with to prepare for your preferred program. Or you talk about the schools’ clubs, culture, or other specific attributes that make you so passionate about attending. 

“ I’ve been part of my school’s newspaper and yearbook staff for the past four years. It’s been a great experience and I’ve picked up a lot of new skills I can take into my journalism classes. While attending [school name] I hope to join the student newspaper club so I can continue building my knowledge and skill set. ”

Here, you should wrap up what you’ve said and reiterate why you would be a good choice for acceptance at this particular school. Focus on why you should be accepted and what makes you an excellent candidate. 

Be sure to thank them at the end for taking the time to read your letter. 

Appeal Letter for College Sample

Here’s an excellent sample of an appeal letter for college. It’s important to note that our samples are only meant for use as a point of reference when crafting your own letter. Plagiarism is not a good idea in any scenario, especially when you’re trying to appeal a college decision!

January 1, 2024 Academic Appeals Committee     Benedict College  1600 Harden Street Columbia,  SC 29204 

“Dear Appeals Committee: It has come to my knowledge that I have not met Benedict College’s standards for satisfactory academic progress and it is due to my cumulative grade point average 1.5 which is below the required minimum of 2.0. During the spring semester of 2011, it was a real struggle for me physically, mentally, and emotionally, while trying to maintain my academic progress. 

Financial duress has made this semester difficult. I have a single parent with six children, including me, she does her best but money has been hard to get. I was so worried about the spring semester and about how my mother was going to pay the bills and the loans she had taken out for us. Knowing my mother was struggling, not having a stable car, and had to stretch money between us to meet the needs of all her children had a major effect on my academics. She called me everyday checking on me to see how I was making sure I had money, even though sometimes I told her I had money and nothing was bothering me so she would not worry herself. 

I have been looking for jobs this whole semester and even applied for work study a couple of times, but it is hard to get hired with the economy like this. I want this second chance to better myself and be successful because of her and to put her in a better position. I don’t want my mother to worry or struggle anymore and an education for me will help me accomplish that and more. 

Transportation has been a bother, even though during the semester they had buses to get us to and from campus it wasn’t always reliable because I would go out and wait for the bus two hours before class some times and still end up being late. Being I do not have a vehicle, trying to get home from school on breaks to check on my family so I would not be worrying about them and can focus on school has been hard and even going job searching. Between financial problems and death of loved ones my academics dropped below the university’s standards.

This letter was a wakeup call for me as an adult student in the real world. I now realize it is time to get back on track. I plan to study harder until I get a better understanding of things or ask the teacher if I can stay after class so he/she could explain it more, set up meetings to go by their offices, and get a tutor to help me improve my academic status. The spring semester of 2013 was a major setback that I plan not to have again. If given this second chance I plan to do whatever it takes to be successful. I promise there will be a major improvement in my academic grades and progress. 

This second chance will give me the opportunity to prove that I really want an education and will do everything and anything in my power to get one. You can expect nothing but the best from me this time around. Another chance will benefit me and help me push my education to even greater levels. Getting a good education will make me a better person and I am sure it will make my mother, family, and loved ones in heaven so proud of me. I plan to put my academics first and make a better future for me because this is really what I am in school for so it will be my first priority always and forever. I now have a better understanding of life and education is the one and only thing on my mind. 

Sincerely,  Signature  Student Name  Student Number  Student Address  Student Phone Number”

Tips for Writing a College Admissions Appeal Letter

As you prepare to write your appeal letter, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. 

Understand Your School’s Appeals Process

You may be able to find specific information about your school’s appeals process on its website. If the information is not on the school’s website, you should contact the admissions office to learn about the process. 

Some schools have specific timelines for admissions, and those can vary between institutions. In fact, some schools don’t even have an appeals process – meaning you can’t appeal your application. That’s something you’ll want to find out before you start writing.

Take Your Time…But Not Too Much!

While this information isn’t readily available for every school, schools typically only read appeal letters for three to four weeks after they make their admissions decisions. 

But don’t be too hasty. You should take a few days (or even a week) to think about what you want to say. After a rejection, you may feel angry, sad, confused, or a mixture of all three. 

Wait until you have your emotions under control before crafting and sending your letter. Waiting also gives you time to solidify what you want to cover in your letter. 

Have New Information Ready

As we mentioned earlier, when an admissions officer looks at an appeal letter, they’re looking for new information that either wasn’t known or wasn’t available when you submitted your application. 

An appeal letter isn’t an opportunity to plead with them to change their minds. It’s an opportunity to let them know that they missed an important detail or key piece of information. 

Be Specific

The weight of your appeal letter is lessened if you write generically and without specific details. Save the time and energy it takes to write an appeal letter for your dream school – maybe your top two if there are two schools you are equally passionate about. 

Since these are your first-choice schools, there are probably specific points about them that made them your top school choices. Talk about those points in your letter. Use the format we’ve provided above, but plug in your information.

Don’t Rely on a Reversed Decision – Have a Backup Plan

The unfortunate reality is that most appeals are not accepted. But don’t let this discourage you from trying! Just know that it’s something to keep in mind. If your appeal is not accepted, have a backup plan. 

Whether your backup plan is to attend a different school or you plan to wait until the next admissions cycle to apply to other schools – make sure you have a plan in place before you send off your appeal letter. Having a plan to fall back on can give you some comfort and peace as you wait for the appeals decision.

Explore Our College Resources

College guides are here to make your journey to your dream school smoother. These guides provide practical tips and insights to help you navigate the college application process successfully. 

Plus, if you're interested, you can also get our PDF version of the appeal letter for that extra edge. Feel free to reach out to [email protected] to access this helpful resource.

College Appeal Letter FAQs

These are a few of the most frequently asked questions about college appeal letters. Find the answers to your questions here!

1. What Are My Chances of Acceptance If I Appeal an Admissions Decision?

It’s dependent on the school, but it’s important to understand that the numbers are fairly low. For example, UC Berkeley admitted just 3-5% of freshman appeals in the last three admission cycles. We don’t tell you this to dissuade you from writing an appeal letter – only to prepare you. 

However, if you feel like you have a strong case for an appeal based on the information we’ve provided in this guide, you should absolutely give it your best try and write a letter. 

2. Who Should I Address My Appeal Letter To?

Send your letter to the school’s admissions office – if you can address it to a specific person, even better. A quick search on the schools’ website could give you a particular name of someone in the department who reviews appealed applications. 

3. For What Situations Are Most Appeals Accepted?

Most appeals are granted due to inaccuracies in the initial application. If this is the case for you, your letter should clearly state which pieces of information were inaccurate on your application. An explanation of why the info was incorrect is beneficial too. 

Some appeals are granted if a student has major health or personal issues to deal with during the application cycle that are outside their control. 

4. When Should I Send My Appeal Letter?

Check the school’s website or contact the admissions office for an exact timeline. Most schools will only accept appeal letters for up to four weeks after admissions decisions have been made. 

5. How Long Should My Appeal Letter Be?

Between 250 and 300 words is the ideal length. This length gives you plenty of space to include the right information.

6. What Tone Should I Use In My Appeal Letter?

You should write with the same tone you’d use in a professional letter, like a cover letter. Try to be positive and friendly, but don’t use slang or jargon. Be direct and specific, too. 

7. How Do You Write a Strong Appeal Letter?

When asking how to write an appeal letter for school, consider your reasoning. A strong appeal letter can only be strong if your reason for writing the letter is clear and valid. For example, if you simply missed the deadline, you may struggle to write a strong letter. 

However, if you experienced a difficult life event, you may have a very valid and strong reason for writing your letter.  As for formatting, typical professional letter formatting is generally preferred. 

8. What Are Good Reasons for an Appeal for College?

You can write an appeal letter for college if your poor grades can be explained by a challenging life event or if you have more valuable information that would improve your application that you weren't able to submit previously. 

Final Thoughts

Before you submit any letters, research the school’s appeal process. Each school is different, and some may not even accept appeal letters. Spending just five to ten minutes researching can help you find this information. 

And remember: this article isn’t meant to dissuade you from writing an appeal letter. Our goal is to present you with the facts so you can make your case for appeal as strong as possible. We hope this information has helped you understand appeal letters and how to write them. 

Good luck in writing your appeal letter! 

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Sample Appeal Letter for a College Rejection

• Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
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• B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT

If you've been rejected from college, you often have the option of appeal. The letter below illustrates a possible approach for appealing a college rejection. Before you write, however, make sure you have a legitimate reason for appealing a rejection . In the majority of cases, an appeal is not warranted. If you do not have significant new information to report to a college, do not write an appeal. Also, check that the college accepts appeal letters before writing one. 

Features of a Successful Appeal Letter

• Address your letter to your admissions representative.
• Present a legitimate reason for appealing.
• Be respectful and positive, not angry or whiny.
• Keep your letter brief and to the point.

Sample Appeal Letter

Ms. Jane Gatekeeper Director of Admissions Ivy Tower College Collegetown, USA

Dear Ms. Gatekeeper,

Although I was not surprised when I received a rejection letter from Ivy Tower College, I was extremely disappointed. I knew when I applied that my SAT scores from the November exam were below average for Ivy Tower. I also knew at the time of the SAT exam (because of illness) that my scores did not represent my true ability.

However, since I applied to Ivy Tower in January, I have retaken the SAT and improved my scores measurably. My math score went from a 570 to a 660, and my evidence-based reading and writing score increased a full 120 points. I have instructed the College Board to send these new scores to you.

I know Ivy Tower discourages appeals, but I hope you will accept these new scores and reconsider my application. I have also had the best quarter yet at my high school (a 4.0 GPA unweighted), and I have enclosed my most recent grade report for your consideration.

Again, I fully understand and respect your decision to deny me admission, but I hope you will reopen my file to consider this new information. I was tremendously impressed by Ivy Tower when I visited last fall, and it remains the school I would most like to attend.

Joe Student

Discussion of the Appeal Letter

The first step in writing a letter of appeal is deciding if you have a legitimate reason for doing so. In Joe's case, he does. His SAT scores increased considerably—not just a few points—and his 4.0 GPA for the quarter is the icing on the cake.

Before writing a letter, Joe ensured that the college accepts appeals—many schools do not. There's a good reason for this—nearly all rejected students feel they have been treated unfairly or that the admissions staff failed to read their applications carefully. Many colleges simply don't want to deal with the flood of appeals they would receive if they allowed applicants to reargue their cases. In Joe's case, he learned that Ivy Tower College (obviously not the real name) does accept appeals, although the school discourages them.

Joe addressed his letter to the director of admissions at the college. If you have a contact in the admissions office—either the director or the representative for your geographic region—write to a specific person. If you don't have the name of an individual, address your letter with "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Admissions Personnel." An actual name, of course, sounds much better.

Avoid Whining

Note that Joe is not whining. Admissions officers hate whining, and it won't get you anywhere. Joe is not saying that his rejection was unfair, nor is he insisting that the admissions office made a mistake. He may think these things but doesn't include them in his letter. Instead, in both the opening and closing of his missive, Joe notes that he respects the decision of the admissions personnel.

Most important for an appeal, Joe does have a reason to make one. He  tested poorly on the SAT initially, retook the exam, and increased his scores markedly. Note that Joe mentions that he was sick when he first took the important exam, but he is not using that as an excuse. An admissions officer is not going to reverse a decision simply because a student claims some kind of testing hardship. You need actual scores to show your potential, and Joe comes through with the new scores.

The Grade Report

Joe is wise to send along his most recent grade report. He is doing extremely well in school, and the admissions officers would want to see those strong grades. Joe is not slacking off during his senior year, and his grades are trending up, not down. He is certainly not revealing signs of senioritis , and he follows the tips for a strong appeal letter .

Note that Joe's letter is brief and to the point. He's not wasting the time of the admissions officers with a long, rambling letter. The college already has Joe's application, so he doesn't need to repeat that information in the appeal.

Joe's letter does three important things in a concise manner: He states his respect for the admissions decision, presents new information that is the basis for his appeal, and reaffirms his interest in the college. Were he to write anything else, he would be wasting his readers' time.

A Final Word About Joe's Appeal

It is important to be realistic about an appeal. Joe writes a good letter and has significantly better scores to report. However, he is likely to fail in his appeal. The appeal is certainly worth a try, but the majority of rejection appeals are not successful.

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How to Write an Appeal Letter for College Admission Rejections: 8 Ways to Make Your Case

By Emma Sarran Webster

The process of applying to colleges is one usually fraught with stress, anxiety, and emotions, especially if you receive a denial from your dream school. But what many applicants don’t know is that rejection may not necessarily be set in stone. You can actually write an appeal letter for college admission with the hope that the admissions office will change its decision about your application.

Successful appeals are extremely rare — Colleen Ganjian, the founder of DC College Counseling and a former college admissions officer, tells Teen Vogue that only an estimated 1 to 2% of appeals result in overturned decisions, and Eric Nichols, the VP of enrollment and dean of admission at Saint Anselm College tells us that his institution accepts only one or two appeals per year — but they can happen, and it’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth it to try. For Kevin Adler, the founder of homeless outreach organization Miracle Messages , it was — and his appeal to the University of California, Berkeley, was successful. “I knew that some colleges allowed for appeals, but I also knew that getting in off an appeal was exceptionally rare,” he tells Teen Vogue. “But I had to give it my best shot so that I could rest easily knowing I had put my best foot forward to a dream school.”

If you feel that same drive and urge to appeal, here's exactly how to write an appeal letter for college admission.

1. Research the school's appeals process.

Every school handles admissions decisions and appeals differently. Some have formal appeal applications available on their websites, others vaguely reference the possibility of appealing, and others still offer up no information on the topic (meaning your options are to either just go for it or contact the school and hope someone will let you know one way or the other). And there are some schools that very clearly state that decisions are absolutely final and they won’t review any appeals.

Before you take the time and energy to go through the appeals process, see what information you can dig up on the school and its policies. If you find that your dream school won’t even glance at an appeal you send in, it’s simply not worth it to try — that energy will be better spent deciding on your best option of your other choices.

If you do move forward with the appeal, submit it not only to the admissions office or dean, but also to a few others, like the head of the department you hope to join as a student, or someone you met while researching and applying the first time around. “If [you] know the regional representative the school has, then [you] should email that person,” Parke Muth, the owner of admission consulting firm Parke Muth Consulting and former director of international admission at the University of Virginia, tells Teen Vogue. “Deans are often too busy to handle the cases, so it will be given to someone else to handle.”

2. Submit your appeal as soon as possible.

If you’re appealing an admissions decision, it likely means that not only is the school well into the process of solidifying its next freshman class, but you’re also inching toward enrollment deadlines for your other options, so there’s no time to waste. “Students should contact the admission office soon after receiving the decision,” Muth says. “They will receive information on whether an appeal is even possible, and also information on what might be grounds for an appeal.” The sooner you submit your appeal and hear back from the school, the sooner you can finalize your own plans (and avoid missing important deadlines for your backup options).

3. Fight your own battle.

There’s no shame in seeking help from your parents, teachers, or anyone else — but if you’re asking a college to change its mind about you, the request needs to come from you. “Remember, it is your work that is being reviewed in the admission process, not your parents’, so we’d rather hear directly from you,” Nichols says. “To put this in perspective, last year we had over 200 merit award appeals. There was only one that came directly from a student. The rest came from parents. I think it goes without saying that the one student who wrote [her] own appeal stood out to me.”

4. Present all the facts and be specific.

The most common reason for schools to grant appeals is a change in the facts, or inaccurate information on the original application, usually as it applies to GPAs, test scores, or new honors and awards. So when you’re putting together your appeal, make sure those facts are front and center. “The most important element of an appeal is the manner in which a student provides clear, concise evidence that there is a new piece of information which has material impact on the student’s application,” Ganjian says. She recommends providing documentation of any new facts, submitting everything in writing, and keeping records for yourself. Muth explains that it’s also worth it to let the school know if you won’t be applying for financial aid, or if you will absolutely enroll if offered admission, as these facts may also impact the decision.

5. Don’t be afraid to get personal.

Though Muth, Nichols, and Ganjian all stress that the majority of the rare appeal successes are because of information errors or new merit-related facts, it may be worth it to share compelling personal information that’s affecting your college plans. “A student may have had serious health or personal issues that they did not include with the application that could, in some cases, convince an admission committee to review the application,” Muth says. “If it’s health or personal issues [motivating your appeal], describe them clearly, and possibly include a doctor’s or secondary school counselor’s note supporting this information.” And don’t be afraid to be open and inject some of your personality into your letter. Kevin put it all on the table in his successful appeal to the University of California, Berkeley.

In his very honest letter, Kevin not only shared why Berkeley was so important to him and why he was a great candidate, but also wrote frankly about his mother’s recent breast cancer diagnosis and how attending Berkeley (which was near his hometown) would allow him to remain close to her and help with her care. “I tried to strike a delicate balance in writing about my mother’s illness,” Kevin wrote in an essay about his appeal. “I did not want to use the situation to curry any advantage, but I had to be honest about a painful issue that was affecting me and my decision-making — and would continue to impact my life over the coming years.” And ultimately, Kevin says, “I spoke from the heart and said what I had to say for my own sake, not theirs.”

6. Don’t be accusatory toward the admissions office.

“Students should not say that the admission office has made a mistake unless it is factual information,” Muth says. “In other words, a student who essentially says, ‘You did not do a good job’ will not convince an admission office to change a decision.”

Kevin addressed that notion head-on, starting his letter to Berkeley with the words, “You made a mistake,” and then going on to explain that, while he’s sure hundreds of people have accused the school of just that, it’s not how he sees it. “When students (or more often, parents) seem bitter or feel wronged by a decision, I understand the emotion, but I also encourage them to reevaluate how this sense of entitlement may come across to the admissions office (and everyone else, for that matter),” he tells us. “As I wrote in my letter, I think it’s short-sighted to assume a college ‘made a mistake,’ given the incredible caliber of other applicants.

7. Plan for all possible outcomes.

In the best-case scenario, the school you’re appealing to will overturn its decision and grant you admission. If that happens, will you definitely enroll? Just because you appealed, Muth notes, doesn’t mean you’re legally bound to attend (but if you stated that you would in your appeal, you certainly should). And though Muth believes you are “ethically committed to do so unless it is a matter of finances,” not everyone sees it that way.

“Students have a choice, and regardless of the response to an appeal, they shouldn’t be bound to the school who may act favorably on an appeal,” Nichols says. The most important thing, if you decide to turn the school down, is that you’re open with them from the start and provide an honest response at the end, including a letter thanking the dean, the admissions office, and the school and explaining your decision, Muth says.

In fact, after Kevin’s compelling letter and successful response from Berkeley, he ended up turning the school down. “I was exceptionally grateful to Berkeley for the acceptance from my appeal, but I was also very honest in the letter that I would be looking at other schools and was not sure if I did get in, whether it would still be the right college for me,” he says.

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And it’s also important to plan for the opposite scenario: a rejection. There’s nothing wrong with being hopeful, but it’s also important to be realistic — knowing that appeals are rarely successful — and having a plan in place should the school decide to uphold its decision. While you wait for a response, continue to visit, research, and consider other schools, and decide which of the ones that accepted you will be your second choice.

If you are still hung up on that school after (or partway through) your freshman year somewhere else, you can always consider reapplying. “Admissions officers are generally very open about why a student may not have been admitted and what the student can do to increase their chances in a subsequent year,” Ganjian explains. Building on your current experience and getting a successful freshman year in the books could very well paint you in a more favorable light the next time around.

“We’ve had many cases over the years where a student [who] wasn’t offered admission outright ended up applying as a transfer a year or two later and was admitted,” Nichols says. “As I’ve told many students before, it’s not where you start, but ultimately where you get your degree that matters. If we can find a pathway for a student to still graduate from Saint Anselm College despite starting somewhere else, I think that is still a great outcome. “

8. Remember that there’s more than one right school for you.

Don’t let an unsuccessful appeal get you down, or make you question yourself. “Remember that a school’s decision to deny you is not necessarily a reflection on your abilities to be successful in college; it’s just where you fell in their particular applicant pool,” Nichols advises. “Your decision shouldn’t be [about] the sticker you’ll put on your car; it should be about the experiences you’ll have while you’re there. Pick a school that is the best fit for you, not just the most popular, and you’ll be surprised at the number of options that will be available to you.”

Wherever you enroll, approach it with an open mind and the dedication to succeed, and you likely will. Each spring, Kevin receives dozens of requests from high school students looking for help and advice on the appeal process, and he says that he tells them two things: “First, college is what you make of it. You can earn an incredible education at an unknown state school, not just a top college,” he says. “Second, if you have the go-gettedness to reach out to me for guidance, the gumption to put your best self out there and try again even if it doesn’t work out the first time, and the perspective to look beyond yourself to … ask for help, you will do just fine in college, and life.”

That certainly rang true for Kevin, who ultimately decided to attend Occidental College, and later the University of Cambridge. He says that he received a wonderful education, but the positive effects of his decision went far beyond grades and diplomas. “1.5 years ago, I officiated the wedding of two of my closest friends, who were getting married a few years after I introduced them,” he says. “One was one of my best friends from Cambridge, and the other one of my best friends from Occidental. [It’s] amazing to think that they would never have met had I not gone to the college I did.”

This story was originally published on April 1, 2016. It has been updated with new information.

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So you’ve received the proverbial thin envelope–or more likely, in this day and age, the brief email. After all the time and effort you put into your application, in the end, you’ve been turned down by the college you really wanted to attend. We at CollegeVine certainly know how much it stings to work hard, put yourself out there, and be rejected.

Right now, you’re probably considering your other options and making some hard decisions about which offer to accept. Hopefully, you have other interesting and exciting opportunities to consider at other schools . At the same time, though, if you received a “no” from a college you felt was a perfect fit for you, you’re likely struggling with a great deal of disappointment and the feeling that the admissions committee must have simply made a mistake.

Did the admissions committee make a mistake? The answer to that question, as much as no one wants to hear it, is most likely no. Admissions committees at competitive schools have the very difficult task of sorting through a large number of applications from accomplished, qualified, and interesting students seeking to fill a small number of places in the matriculating class. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, your application didn’t make the cut.

It’s natural to question why you were rejected, but there is likely a simple explanation. There may have been weaknesses in your application compared to those of other applicants. There may simply have been too many qualified applicants to accept them all. Either way, most admissions decisions are final, and you should devote your energy to deciding which of your other options to attend.

However, under certain specific circumstances, such as if there was an error on your initial application, some colleges may be willing to reconsider your application after initially rejecting you. Read on to learn more about whether you’re a good candidate for an appeal, how to write your appeal letter, and some dos and don’ts for crafting your appeal.

How do I decide whether to appeal my admissions decision?

First of all, as mentioned above, most college admissions decisions are final and cannot be reconsidered. Some colleges, especially major private schools, do not consider appeals for any reason. Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Columbia, among many others, fall into this category. If one of these schools denies you admission, all you can do is accept the rejection with grace and move on.

Public schools, however–for example, the schools in the University of California system – are more likely to consider admissions appeals, but policies vary greatly from school to school. Check your chosen school’s admissions website and speak to an admissions representative to determine if appealing is even an option at a given school. Sending an appeal letter to a college that does not consider appeals is obviously not a good use of your time.

The reasoning behind why you’re asking to be reconsidered is also important. Even if your chosen college does theoretically accept appeals, you’ll have to meet certain criteria in order to submit a case for reconsideration. It’s hard to accept a rejection, but you can’t submit an appeal solely on the basis of the fact that you disagree with the admissions committee’s decision. (Think of how many appeals there would be if that were allowed!)

But what if you know of a student whose application seemed to be weaker than yours, and yet was admitted to a particular college while you were rejected? Though it’s certainly tempting to feel as though this is proof of an error on the admissions committee’s part, don’t fall into the trap of assuming you know exactly why and how they made their decisions. Even if another student had lower test scores or grades than you did, you have no way of knowing what their application looked like on the whole.

An admission decision depends on so many different factors that it is be very difficult for an outsider to truly know how or why a decision is made. , In addition, as we said previously,  there are far more qualified applicants to competitive schools than there are spots to be filled. The bottom line is this: don’t compare yourself to other applicants. Believing that someone who appears less qualified than you has received an offer of admission when you haven’t is never a sufficient reason for appealing your admissions decision.

In order to have grounds for an appeal, generally, you must be able to prove that your initial application didn’t accurately represent your achievements. Here are some specific circumstances under which a college might be willing to reconsider your admissions decision.

Clerical error

If a major part of your application, such as your standardized test scores or your GPA, was incorrectly reported to the college in a manner that was outside of your control, you may have a case for an appeal. This is not terribly common, but if you suspect it may have happened to you, an admission representative may be able to help you figure out exactly what was reported incorrectly.

New information

Some colleges may accept appeals based on your accomplishments after your initial application was submitted. However, the accomplishments would have to be substantial in order to change the minds of the admissions committee. Perhaps you retook your SATS and scored significantly better- typically by 150 points or more. Perhaps you won a major national award. In these cases, an appeal may be possible depending on the individual school’s policies.

It’s very important to keep in mind that appeals are rarely successful in reversing a rejection. This is true even if your chosen college does accept appeals in the first place, and even if you believe you have a strong case for reconsideration according to their policies. Most of the time, the admissions committee will decide to stick to its original decision denying you a spot in the first-year class, so you should be prepared for that eventuality. (Don’t turn down those other offers of admission just yet.)

It’s up to you to decide whether it’s worthwhile to put time and effort into pursuing an appeal. If you do determine that an appeal is permitted at your particular school, justified in your particular circumstances, and worth your time, there are some additional things you should know in order to craft your appeal letter.

How do I ask the admissions committee to reconsider my application?

The first step in appealing your admissions decision is to thoroughly research your chosen college’s policies regarding appeals. Every school has its own requirements; even the various schools within the University of California system, for example, have their own individual appeal processes and policies. Make sure that your case fits the school’s criteria for reassessment before putting time and work into an appeal.

Keep in mind also that depending on the school, there may be specific and inflexible deadlines to meet. In any case, though, you should start the process of filing an appeal as soon as you possibly can to minimize any schedule conflicts. (Even so, admissions offices cannot always guarantee that appeals will be processed before the response deadlines for other schools, so plan accordingly.)

Speaking directly to an admissions representative is always helpful in this situation. That conversation may clarify for you where and how your initial application did not accurately represent you as a candidate. An admissions representative may also be able to help you navigate the appeal process for that particular school, as these processes differ and some are more formal than others.

Your appeal will generally take the form of a written letter detailing why you believe your application should be reconsidered. Along with that letter, you’ll include whatever evidence you can provide as to what was incorrect in your initial application and/or what you have achieved since that application was submitted. We’ll go over what to include and what not to include in your appeal letter in greater detail below.

What should I include in my appeal letter?

The most important part of your appeal letter is the evidence you present to build your case. The admissions committee has already considered your application once, and if they are to reconsider it, they will be looking for new and different information about what makes you a perfect candidate for their school.

If your appeal is based on the contention that there was a significant inaccuracy on your original application, you’ll need to provide proof that this is the case. Exactly what that entails depends on the nature of the mistake that was made. The more information you can gather, and the more official that information, the better.

If your appeal is based on an accomplishment since the time of the original application, you should be explicit about what you’ve achieved, and back that up with documentation as well. Did you dramatically improve your standardized test scores? Include your score reports. Did your grades rise? Include your transcript. Did you win a major award? Include whatever documents you can provide, from certificates to press clippings.

Again, different schools have different policies and procedures, and you should educate yourself fully about your chosen school’s requirements and restrictions. Some schools allow you to submit letters of recommendation or support at this point, but some don’t. Some schools have a very specific online procedure for submitting an appeal, while some leave more of the format up to you. Whatever your options are at your particular college, however, you should exhaust them fully. Too much information is better than too little.

When you write to the admissions committee, make sure your tone is mature and professional. (Having a teacher or counselor read your letter before you send it may be helpful.) Keep the focus of your letter on yourself. Your letter should be all about you , your qualities, what you’ve achieved, and why the school to which you’re appealing would be an excellent fit for you. No mention of other applicants should appear in your appeal, and you should maintain a positive attitude throughout your letter.

Finally, it cannot be understated how important it is to approach the admissions committee with the respect they deserve. The committee members are professionals with a difficult task on their plates and often an enormous number of applications to consider relative to the number of slots they are able to fill. They have more information and insight on the applicant pool than you do, and the final decision rests with them.

In appealing the admissions committee’s decision, you are asking for more of their time and attention during a part of the academic year which is already extremely busy. It may take more time than you would like for your appeal letter to be considered. Unfortunately, the odds are you will  receive an answer that you don’t like: namely, that your appeal has been rejected. If this happens, accept the admission committee’s response with appropriate poise.

Through it all, be polite, be gracious, and be appreciative of the work that admissions professionals are doing on your behalf. Thank them for doing you the favor of considering your appeal.

What should I NOT include in my appeal letter?

First and foremost, you should not include anything in your letter that states or implies that the admissions committee made the wrong decision. That may be how you honestly feel, but it would be highly inappropriate and unhelpful to your case to say so.

Being an applicant, your knowledge of the admission decision process is necessarily limited, and you are not in a position to judge whether the committee made the correct choice. If you honestly believe that your initial application did not accurately represent you to the admissions committee for reasons beyond your control, it’s reasonable to ask for a chance to correct the error, but this does not mean that the committee made a mistake in rejecting you.

As mentioned earlier in this post, you should not include information about any other applicants in your appeal letter. Even if you feel your rejected application was stronger than that of a particular person who was accepted to your chosen college, don’t assume that you know better than the admissions committee. Many non-quantifiable factors influence admissions decisions – it’s not all about grades and SAT scores. The committee almost certainly has a good reason for making the decision it did.

Don’t succumb to the temptation to be negative or accusatory in your appeal letter. This is another reason why it’s helpful to have another person read your letter before your submit it. Besides editing for the basics of spelling and grammar, another reader can help you determine if your tone is appropriate, professional, and respectful.

Another adjective that you don’t want your appeal letter to evoke is “entitled.” Remember that competitive colleges attract more qualified applicants than they can admit, and applying to one of these schools should always be considered a reach . There are no guarantees, no matter how much you might feel that you are perfect for that particular school (and vice versa).

There are a huge number of smart, dedicated, and accomplished high-school students out there. This doesn’t mean that you’re not a great applicant – you very well may be! All it means is that admissions officers have extremely tough decisions to make, and those decisions will not always work out in your favor.

On a more practical level, remember that your appeal letter is supposed to present new or different information about you as an applicant. It should not be simply a rehash of the application that you originally submitted. Remember, the admissions committee has already assessed that application and rejected it.

Don’t just repeat what the admissions committee already knows about you. If there was a clerical error on your original application, what is different about your corrected application? If you have improved as a student or achieved grand new things, what are they? Focus on where the information in your appeal letter diverges from that presented in your original application, and give the application committee the opportunity to get to know the real you.

If, after reading this post, you’re convinced that you’re a suitable candidate for an admissions appeal, and appeals are permitted by your chosen school, contact your admissions representative for more information on getting started with your appeal letter and supporting information. Good luck!

What if you were rejected from  all  the colleges you applied to? It’s not a frequent occurrence, but it does sometimes happen . Whether or not an appeal is appropriate in your situation, you do have options. Check out our post on What If I Wasn’t Accepted To Any College?  for more advice on how to figure out what’s next.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, help with formatting an admissions appeal letter.

I just found out that I wasn't accepted to one of my top choices, and I'm considering submitting an appeal. However, I'm not sure how to properly format it. Can someone give me some guidance on writing/formatting an admissions appeal letter? Thanks!

I'm sorry to hear that you weren't accepted to your top choice, but it's great that you're taking the initiative to submit an appeal. Here are some guidelines to help you format and write your appeal letter effectively:

1. Contact Information: Start by including your contact information at the top left corner of the page: full name, mailing address, email address, and phone number.

2. Date: Leave a line after your contact information, and then write the date.

3. Recipient's Address: Leave another line, and then address the letter to the specific person in charge of appeals (if you know their name) or the general admissions office.

4. Salutation: Write "Dear [Name]," or "Dear Admissions Committee," if you don't know the specific person.

5. Introduction: Begin the body of the letter by identifying yourself, describing the purpose of the letter (to appeal the admissions decision), and clarifying the basis for your appeal. Keep your tone respectful, as the reader will be more receptive if you stay polite and professional.

6. Reasons for Appeal: Clearly and concisely provide well-founded reasons for your appeal. Some examples may include: new academic achievements, additional extracurricular activities or accomplishments, or a clarification of any inaccuracies or misunderstandings on your application. It's important that you present new, compelling information that wasn't available on your original application, as this will give your appeal the best chance of being successful.

7. Supporting Documentation: Briefly explain any supporting documents that you will be attaching with your appeal letter (such as transcripts, recommendation letters, or awards). You should only include documents that are directly relevant to the appeal and help support your case.

8. Gratitude and Closing Statement: Conclude the letter by expressing your gratitude for the appeals committee's time in reviewing your case. Reiterate your genuine interest in attending the institution but remain humble, acknowledging that you respect the committee's decision, whether it changes or not.

9. Closing and Signature: Close the letter with "Sincerely," followed by your full name. If you're sending a printed version of the letter, leave some space below the closing and sign your name manually.

Remember to proofread your appeal letter, check for spelling or grammatical errors, and get feedback from a counselor, mentor, or teacher, if possible. Keep in mind that submitting an appeal does not guarantee a change in the admission decision, but it's worth trying if you feel you have strong, new information to present. Good luck with your appeal!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Where can I find college admissions decisions appeal letter samples?

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Every spring, thousands of prospective students from around the world are rejected by their dream colleges. In 2007 alone, Harvard University rejected more than 20,000 applicants -- about 91 percent of the total -- from all over the world [source: Schoetz ]. The University of California, Berkeley, reported that in 2009, they admitted only about 21 percent of applicants [source: UC Berkeley ]. Maybe these students didn't have the best grades, maybe the schools had more applicants than open spots in the class, or maybe the applicants just had bad luck. In any case, should you find yourself in this situation, don't give up hope yet. You may have one last chance at getting in: an admissions appeal letter.

Admittedly, the odds are not on your side if you decide to submit an appeal. If your school even reviews appeals, their acceptance rate can be as low as 5 percent [source: Johnson ]. However, if you've dramatically boosted your grades, achieved notable success in an extracurricular activity, or can prove extenuating circumstances, your chance of a successful appeal may increase.

In select cases, your rejection may actually be the result of a mistake. Maybe portions of your application got lost in the mail or your SAT results didn't arrive in time. If you suspect an error was made, call your school's admissions office and ask whether all the information was received. The college might even be impressed, rather than bothered, by the inquiry [source: Beck ].

Supposing your college of choice didn't make an error in rejecting you, then it's time to put together an appeal. But before you get typing, check whether the college will even accept it. Your rejection letter should usually provide information on whether appeals are processed. Stanford University's rejection letter, for example, explicitly states that they "are not able to consider appeals" [source: Shellenbarger ]. One rule of thumb: The more exclusive the college or university, the less likely they will be to review appeals. To be sure, check with your school's Web site to see whether they have a defined "no appeals" policy.

If appealing a rejection sounds, well, appealing, be sure to get moving on it as soon as possible. Admissions officers work on tight deadlines when it comes to reviewing appeals, and you may have as little as two weeks to get your letter in the mail [source: UCLA ].

Because this is your second chance to impress the admissions officers, you'll want to be sure you get the letter right. If your school doesn't outline what they're looking for in a letter, how can you know what to include? Read on to learn where you can find examples of appeals letters that can give you some inspiration.

Finding Appeal Letter Samples

Backing up your appeal letter.

Before you start writing, do some homework on how your choice college handles appeals. Certain colleges may provide online guides on how to submit an effective appeal [source: Simon Fraser University, Georgian College ]. Some colleges will even provide you with details as specific as margin size [source: University of Washington ]. However, even if a school is not open about its appeal policy, it doesn't mean that appeals are out of the question. A persistent applicant may still be able to persuade an admissions board to review his or her case [source: Clark ].

You may be able to find pre-written appeal letters at Web sites such as Docstoc or Pdfdatabase.com. For a fee, the site Letterrep.com says you can task one of its writers with crafting you a tailor-made letter in 24 hours. You may even be tempted to have a close friend or relative write your appeal letter for you.

However, the ideal appeal letter is a very specific and individualized document. Admissions officers will not only be looking at the content of the letter, but they'll be examining your ability to write clearly and argue your case [source: Beck ]. It's one thing to get inspiration or advice from a sample letter, but it's quite another to pass someone else's work off as your own. Your success in college will revolve largely around your ability to express yourself with written words. If one of your first acts as a college student is to cheat, you're probably starting out on the wrong foot.

Feel free to ask around for letter-writing advice, but make sure you look in the right places. Don't rely too heavily on online university and essay forums, though they may be able to provide tips on structure and style [source: Essay Forum ]. Your high school guidance counselor will be able to suggest changes to an appeal letter, and may even be able to point you to people with better background knowledge on your chosen school [source: Beck ].

Still stumped? The University of Ottawa students society offers an easy three-step process for writing academic appeals [source: University of Ottawa ]:

• Reasons . In the first sentence, outline why you're writing the letter. ("This is a letter asking you to reconsider your decision to deny my admission to your institution.")
• Facts . Present concrete details to support your appeal ("In the past four months I have improved my grade point average by a full percentage point.")
• Arguments . In this section, explain what the university may have missed in your initial application and argue your case for being a suitable applicant. Don't just disagree with their decision; persuade them that it was mistaken and that they have plenty to gain by taking you on as a student.

Now that you know how to write an appeal, read on to find out what else to include along with it.

• Structure it like a business letter . At the top, type in the mailing address of both you and the recipient, and be sure to include a subject line, salutation and a signature [source: San Diego State University]. You can find business letter templates included with most word processing programs.
• No mistakes . A spelling, style or grammatical error can quickly make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful appeal.
• Short and sweet . Keep the letter between one and two pages in length [source: Simon Fraser University].
• Be nice, but not too nice . It's natural to feel frustrated or angry with the admissions board, but be sure to write your appeal with a friendly tone, and remember to thank the reader for taking the time to review your letter [source: Ohio University ]. On the other hand, being overly flattering could be perceived as manipulative and hurt your chances [source: San Diego State University].

No matter how well structured or well written your letter, unless it's based on a solid foundation of good content, it probably won't do the job alone. Above all, be sure that your appeal letter contains "new and compelling" information [source: Beck , UCLA ]. A team of admissions officers has already carefully combed through your first attempt at admission, so this time around, you'll have to give them something else to chew on. You may have qualities that you failed to mention, such as improved grades or a dedication to extracurricular activities. Or maybe there were special circumstances that caused your initial application to be less than stellar, such as family problems or a medical condition. Your rejection may also have been prompted by your decision not to declare a major. If your appeal is more specific about what you intend to study and why, it may help prove your commitment to the school [source: Beck ].

Also feel free to include any compelling personal or geographic reasons you have for applying to a particular college, such as how the college best satisfies your lifelong goal of studying late-stage diabetes, or how studying in Boston will bring you closer to an academically minded relative [source: Johnson ].

It's one thing to make a claim, and it's another to back it up, that's why it's important to include any documentation that will prop up the arguments made in your letter. If your initial application was hindered by a medical condition, include a doctor's note. If you have recently won an award, include a photocopy of the certificate. If your grades have dramatically improved during your second semester, include a revised transcript. No college wants to admit a student who won't be able to hack the academic demands. If grades led to your rejection, you're going to have to show that in the months since you first applied, you've been able to dramatically boost your grades and work ethic up to a college level.

Recommendation letters can be a critical part of any appeal package, but make sure to find out whether your choice school is picky about who writes the letter. Some colleges may accept letters from anyone ranging from coaches to formers bosses, while other will review letters written only by teachers or guidance counselors [source: Kentucky State University ].

Read on to find lots more information about college admissions and appeals processes.

Most likely, you will have applied to several other colleges in addition to your first choice. If you're accepted by a secondary choice, that college will likely require you to respond by May 1 [source: UC Santa Barbara ]. Considering that it can take until mid-May for your first choice to respond to an appeal letter, keep in mind that you may be left with no college choices if you rely solely on an appeal.

Lots More Information

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• Beck, Evelyn. "Appealing a Rejection From Your Dream College." College Bound Network. (February 17, 2010) http://www.collegebound.net/content/article/appealing-a-rejection-from-your-dream-college/1513/
• Belkin, Lisa. "Facing college rejection." February 28, 2009. (February 15, 2010)
• Clark, Kim. "4 Reasons a Rejection Letter Isn't Always The End." March 10, 2009. (February 11, 2010)http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2009/03/10/4-reasons-a-rejection-letter-isnt-always-the-end.html
• Clark, Kim. "College Acceptance Letters Are Glitzier, but Rejections Are Harsher." February 25, 2009. (February 16, 2010) http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2009/02/25/college-acceptance-letters-are-glitzier-but-rejections-are-harsher.html
• Coleman, Joey. "Student denied entry to U of T sues for $5 million." December 28, 2007. (February 11, 2010) http://www.macleans.ca/education/universities/article.jsp?content=20071228_134723_1984
• College Board. "Rejected: Now what?" (February 11, 2010)http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/letters-are-in/126.html
• Collegewise. "How to Appeal an Admissions Decision." (February 17, 2010) http://www.princetonreviewshanghai.com/eng/download/HowToAppeal.pdf
• Docstoc.comhttp://www.docstoc.com/
• Essay Forum. "Appeal a letter of denial for admissions (The University of South Florida)." February 16, 2010. (February 17, 2010). http://www.essayforum.com/essays-term-papers-1/appeal-letter-denial-admissions-university-south-florida-15630/
• Georgian College. "9 Appeals." (February 15, 2009)http://www.georgianc.on.ca/admissions/policies-procedures/appeals
• Johnson, Dirk and Hilary Shenfield. "Appealing a rejection letter." Newsweek. August 1, 2004. (February 11, 2010) http://www.newsweek.com/id/54644
• Kentucky State University. "Denied/Admission Appeal Process." (February 17, 2010) http://www.kysu.edu/admissions/admissionsAppeals.htm
• Letterrep.com. "Appeal letters." (February 11, 2010) http://www.letterrep.com/Appeal_Letters-c-17.html
• Ohio University. "How to write a letter." (February 11, 2010) http://www.ohio.edu/ombuds/documents/writingletter.pdf
• PDFDatabase.com.http://pdfdatabase.com/
• San Diego State University. "Writing an Effective Appeal or Request Letter." (February 11, 2010) http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/ombuds/writingappeal.html
• Schoetz, David. "Harvard Rejection Rate Breaks Record." ABC News. March 29, 2007. (February 16, 2010)http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2991876&page=1
• Shellenbarger, Sue. "Rejection: Some Colleges Do It Better Than Others." Wall Street Journal. April 29, 2009. (February 15, 2010) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124096471555766239.html
• Simon Fraser University. "Writing an effective appeal letter." (February 11, 2010) http://www.sfu.ca/ombudsperson/Writing_an_Effective_Appeal_Letter.html
• University of California, Berkeley. "The freshman selection process." (February 17, 2010)http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/general.asp?id=111&navid=N
• University of California, Los Angeles. "Appeals to Admission Decisions -- Freshmen." (February 17, 2010)http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/AppealsFr.htm
• University of California, Santa Barbara. "Appeal process." (February 11, 2010)http://www.admissions.ucsb.edu/parentcounselor/Appealprocess.asp
• University of Houston. "Admission Appeals Process." (February 15, 2010) http://www.uh.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply-freshman/admissions-appeals/index.php
• University of Ottawa Student Federation. "Appeal letter guidelines." (February 11, 2010) http://www.sfuo.ca/services/appeals/pdf/Guidelines_EN.pdf
• University of Washington. "Guidelines for special admission and appeal." (February 11, 2010) http://admit.washington.edu/Apply/Transfer/Decision/SpecialAdmissions
• University of Victoria. "The ombuds guide to appeals and academic concessions." (February 11, 2010)http://www.uvss.uvic.ca/ombudsperson/pubsguides/Guide%20to%20appeals.pdf
• York University. "Sample Appeal Letter". (February 11, 2010)http://www.yorku.ca/univsec/senate/committees/sac/SAMPLE%20APPEAL%20LETTER.pdf

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College Verdict

How to Write a Compelling College Admission Appeal Letter

It's that time of year again. High school seniors are waiting to hear back from their dream colleges, and many are finding out that they didn't quite make the cut. For some students, this can be a crushing blow. But all is not lost! There is still a chance to appeal the decision.

It is important to remember that not every school will accept an appeal letter. And even if they do, the odds of an appeal being granted are slim. So before you start drafting your letter, it's important to do your research and make sure that it's worth your time and effort.

If you're still feeling hopeful and want to give it a shot, then read on for tips on how to write a compelling college appeal letter.

Things to Avoid

If you've been rejected from your dream school, it can be tempting to write a college appeal letter in an attempt to get the decision reversed. However, there are certain things that you should avoid mentioning if you want your appeal to be successful.

First of all, any information that was already contained in your college application has already been evaluated. The admissions committee isn't going to change their mind just because you reiterate what they already know.

There is not one specific reason for your rejection. The admissions process is holistic, meaning that all aspects of your application are considered together. It could be that your grades were slightly lower than average or that you didn't have as much extracurricular experience as other applicants. Either way, trying to guess the reason for your rejection is unlikely to lead to success.

Thirdly, appealing to the fairness of the decision is also not likely to work. College admissions committees understand that not every student will be accepted, and they don't make their decisions lightly. Although an appeal letter stressing unfairness is rare, rejection letters are not always swayed by them.

Additionally, writing a list of items from your application in paragraphs is not likely to be successful. The admissions committee has already seen everything on your application, so repeating it back to them isn't going to change their minds.

If you're considering writing a college appeal letter, make sure you avoid these four mistakes. By doing so, you'll improve your chances of getting the decision reversed and finally being accepted into your dream school!

If you've been rejected from your dream college, it's natural to feel disappointed and even a little lost. But don't give up hope just yet! There are several reasons why you might still have a chance of getting in – even if your SAT or ACT score wasn't quite what you wanted it to be. Here are three potential reasons to appeal a college rejection:

You've had a major accomplishment since submitting your original application.

Maybe you won a prestigious award or were accepted into a highly competitive program. Whatever the case may be, if you can show that you're even more impressive than when you first applied, the admissions committee may take another look at your application.

You achieved a significantly higher SAT or ACT score.

If you took the test again and got a much better score, that's definitely worth mentioning in an appeal letter. The admissions committee may be willing to overlook a lower score if they can see that you've improved significantly.

Did you forget to include a key experience or detail about yourself on your initial college application?

It could alter how the admissions staff perceive your accomplishments.

If there was something important that you forgot to include in your original application, make sure to mention it in your appeal letter. For example, maybe you didn't list any extracurricular activities because you were focusing on your academics, but now that you've had some time to reflect, you realize that those activities would have made your application even stronger.

While there's no guarantee that appealing will work, it's definitely worth a shot if you truly believe that you belong at the school. So don't give up hope – start writing that appeal letter!

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About the author

Related posts, applying to med school as a community college transfer student, getting into ucla: the easiest majors, admission stats, state of residency for medical school: out-of-state/in-state acceptance rates, tuition, scores, how to use msar to create your ideal medical school list.

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How to Write a Financial Aid Appeal Letter (With Example)

Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

Learn about our editorial policies

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Let’s say you get accepted to college, but the financial aid package does not work for you and your family. Did you know that many colleges will allow you to submit a financial aid appeal letter to be considered for more financial aid and scholarships?

When I worked in college admissions, I was a part of our college’s “scholarship appeal committee” where I helped evaluate various appeals for more financial aid and merit scholarships.

Related:  Scholarships360’s free scholarship search tool

Jump ahead to:

Starting the merit scholarship appeal process

How to write your merit appeal letter, how to appeal for need-based financial aid.

• Financial Aid Appeal Example

Can you ask for more money from private scholarships?

• What can you do the college turns down your appeal?

Feel free to jump ahead to any of the above sections or keep on reading to learn more about the appeals process. Students should also thoroughly review their financial aid award letter to understand what types of aid the college offered them.

Recommended: How to read a financial aid award letter (with examples)

Before you begin thinking about the merit scholarship appeal process, you should make sure that the college or university actually offers merit scholarships. If the institution does not offer merit scholarships, this is a nonstarter (a quick review of their admissions and financial aid website should tell you whether they do).

Once you know that the college does offer merit scholarships, you can inquire about the merit scholarship appeal process and whether they offer it. You can either call the admissions office or email the admissions officer responsible for your region. If they say that there is a process, you can start working on your appeal letter.

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First things first, let’s talk about how you can write a successful merit appeal letter. A successful letter is all about making your case to the admissions officer.

Here is our step-by-step process for writing a merit appeal letter:

• Begin your letter by introducing yourself, where you are from, and your high school.
• You should also reiterate how grateful you are to be admitted to the college and how excited you are to potentially attend.
• Next explain the reasons why you are appealing for money in scholarships–did you receive need-based financial aid? Perhaps you did not receive  enough  need-based financial aid? Or maybe there was a life circumstance that’s making paying for college difficult for your family? If so, provide a brief explanation.
• Have you accomplished anything significant academically/extracurricularly since you applied? This would be a good time to mention that. Same goes for any new grades/test scores.
• Do you have more generous merit scholarship offers from other schools? Include the offer letters along with your note. While this may seem a bit crass, it helps give the admissions office context of where you are coming from.
• Finally, you should conclude the letter by thanking the admissions officer for their time and consideration. You can also restate your interest in the college and why you hope to attend.

Related:  Why didn’t I receive financial aid?

Need-based financial aid is a completely different type of financial aid than merit aid. Colleges award need-based scholarships according to a formula dictated by your family’s financial situation. This means that there is very little (if any) wiggle room for how colleges award need-based financial aid.

With this said, there are two ways that you may be able to receive a reevaluated need-based financial aid package:

• There was an error on your FAFSA or other financial aid form (like the CSS Profile )
• Your family’s financial aid situation has changed since you submitted your financial aid forms. Two of the most common reasons that this can happen include dramatically increased medical expenses or a parent loses their job. However, there may be other situations that could impact a family’s financial situation.

In these situations it is absolutely worth contacting the college’s financial aid office to ask if there is any possibility of an adjusted aid package. Generally, the office of financial aid will ask you for a letter explaining your change in circumstances, with context and possible documentation.

Is there any harm to appealing for more financial aid?

When a need-based financial aid appeal is filed, the financial aid officers will examine the entire financial aid application again. In this second, careful review, it is possible that the financial aid officers might see something that could cause the award letter to change for the worse. While this is rare, it is important to know that financial aid appeals can impact your financial aid positively and negatively.

Advice from an admissions professional

Christina labella.

Director of Undergraduate Admissions

Manhattanville College

Financial aid appeal letter sample

Below you will find a financial aid appeal letter sample that you can use as an outline when writing your own appeal letter.

Dear [Ms. Gomez],

My name is [Will Geiger] and I am a senior at [Manasquan High School] in [Manasquan, NJ]. I was so excited to be accepted to [Wake Forest University] as a member of the class of [2024]. 

However, as I weigh my college options, affordability is an important factor for me. [Wake Forest University] is a top choice college for me. [Include 2-3 reasons why the college is a good fit].

I am writing to ask to be considered for any merit scholarship opportunities. [Include 2-3 academic or extracurricular updates from this year]. 

I have been lucky enough to receive the following scholarships from some other colleges:

[Specific colleges and award amounts]

Additionally, I have attached the actual award amounts.

Nonetheless, I want to attend [Wake Forest University] to study [insert major] and can’t wait to study [insert details about specific classes, programs, or professors that you hope to experience at the college]. With my [insert major] degree, I want to go into [insert job or ambition].

Thank you for the opportunity to be reconsidered for additional merit scholarship opportunities. I am honored to be accepted at [Wake Forest University] and hope to be a member of the freshman class.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Will Geiger

Private scholarships are almost always awarding a very fixed amount of money so it is unlikely that they are going to be considering appeals. This is unlikely to be a winning strategy for students. Of course, with billions of dollars in scholarship money available each year, nothing should stop you from finding and winning more scholarships!

What can you do if your appeal is turned down?

Once you have exhausted the appeals process and have determined that your financial aid forms accurately represent your family’s financial situation your next best move is to apply for more scholarships and consider more affordable options on your list.

There are still many scholarships available for current high school seniors . Additionally, you should continue to apply for scholarships once you are in college (there are a number of scholarships available for college freshmen ).

In addition to scholarships, you may also qualify for federal work study , which is essentially a part time job to help pay for educational expenses.

If your financial situation simply won’t permit you to accept the college’s offer, there are many other options available . Coding bootcamps , certificate programs , and community college can all help you land a higher-paying job. These alternatives typically take a fraction of the time and cost of traditional college.

Finally, student loans or Income Share Agreements can be a last resort for paying for college. Students should consider all of their federal student loan options before considering any private student loans.

Recommended: How to apply for student loans

Key Takeaways

• Being accepted by a college means they want you to join their institution
• As a result, they may be open to considering you for additional merit scholarships
• Taking an hour to negotiate merit scholarship aid could result in thousands of dollars in scholarships down the line
• Financial aid appeals will not result in your admission being rescinded

Frequently asked questions about financial aid appeal letters

Will a college rescind my admission if i ask for more financial aid, could i lose my financial aid if i file a financial aid appeal, how do i ask for more financial aid from a college, what if i can't afford my financial aid package, what are some valid reasons for a financial aid appeal.

• A significant change in your family’s financial situation
• Recent unemployment
• High medical related expenses
• Changes in family size or dependency status
• Other extenuating circumstances

How long does it take to receive a response to a financial aid appeal letter?

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University News | 3.28.2024

Harvard College Admits Class of 2028

A smaller undergraduate applicant cohort—the first since supreme court ended affirmative action .

1,937 of the 54,008 applicants to the class (3.6 percent) were granted admission. | PHOTOGRAPHS AND MONTAGE BY NIKO YAITANES/ HARVARD MAGAZINE

Harvard College today offered regular admission to 1,245 applicants to the class of 2028; combined with the 692 early-action applicants granted admission in December , 1,937 of the 54,008 applicants to the class (3.6 percent) were granted admission. The applicant pool declined 2,929 (5.1 percent) from the 56,937 who applied to the class of 2027 and 11.8 percent from the pandemic-enlarged cohort of 61,220 who sought places in the class of 2026 .

The overall rate of decline in applications this year lessened somewhat from that among the early-action cohort: applicants by the fall deadline decreased by 17 percent (from 9,553 in 2022 to 7,921 in the autumn 2023 cycle).

Nonetheless, in light of the changes in admissions mandated by the Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action last June , and the turmoil on campus last fall , observers and critics may be expected to weigh in from several perspectives on the diminished interest in applying to the College as they seek evidence or draw conclusions about these questions:

With Harvard the highest-profile defendant in the admissions cases, will admissions of black and Hispanic applicants decline (testimony in the trial and appeals suggested that would happen), as prospective applicants hesitate and the College proceeds to make decisions absent consideration of race and ethnicity as part of its holistic review process?

Did prospective black applicants pursue other options, given the harsh attacks on President Claudine Gay, the institution’s first black leader, in the wake of the Hamas terrorism last October 7?

Were Jewish applicants disinclined to pursue a place in the College given the extensive coverage of campus protests and the associated controversies over antisemitism (and related debate about bias against Palestinians and Muslims)?

Answers are not likely to be immediately at hand. To comply with the Supreme Court ruling, the University noted, “Based on advice from counsel, admissions readers will not be accessing applicants’ self-reported race or ethnicity data or aggregated data…at any time until the admissions process has concluded”—presumably, after final admissions from the wait list (if any) this summer. Data on the admitted early-action applicants released in December addressed socioeconomic characteristics, but not the racial or ethnic diversity statistics published in prior years. And admissions officers maintain silence on the other matters—noting, reasonably, that they don’t know why people decide not to apply. For what it is worth, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale each indicated that their undergraduate applications increased about 10 percent this year. But multiple factors may influence Harvard’s results (see “Selective Schools’ Admissions in Flux,” below).

Financial Aid Competition

The College maintained the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative at the level announced last year and applied to the first-year class that enrolled last August. Attending Harvard remains free for children of families with incomes below $85,000: their tuition, housing, food, and fees will be waived. Each eligible student will also receive a $2,000 transition grant to help with move-in and other expenses., and a $2,000 “launch grant” during the junior year to help defray costs in preparing for life after graduation (job searching, for example). The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) has to budget aid for both the College and graduate students, whose stipends—under sharp competitive pressure—were boosted substantially for the new academic year; see “Graduate Gains,” March-April, page 21.

The College thus has not increased the no-cost family-income threshold to approach or match peers Princeton (which is fully endowed for financial aid, unlike the FAS) and Stanford, both of which raised their threshold to $100,000 for the class of 2027. Upping the ante, on March 25, Dartmouth announced that a $150-million bequest would enable it to nearly double its free-attendance threshold from $65,000 of family income to $125,000—the highest in the country—effective with the new academic year: entering first-year students, and returning upperclassmen and -women, will be covered. More limited programs at Duke and the University of Virginia now make attendance tuition-free for students from local families with incomes under $150,000 (North and South Carolina) or $100,000 (Virginia), respectively, presenting still more competition.

At Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford, roughly one-quarter of undergraduates come from families under the income thresholds.

The Rising Term Bill

Harvard’s term bill —tuition, room, board, and fees—will increase 4.3 percent, to $82,866 (up $3,416 from the current $79,450). That rate of increase is higher than the 3.5 percent imposed in the prior year and 3.0 percent in preceding years. The acceleration may represent an attempt to catch up with inflation measured by the Higher Education Price Index: up 4.0 percent in fiscal year 2023 (down somewhat from the 5.2 percent of fiscal 2022).

For students who received financial aid during the current academic year, the average parent contribution was $13,000.

Class Characteristics and Demographics

According to the announcement, 20.7 percent of accepted applicants qualified for federal Pell grants, awarded to students from lower-income backgrounds, and 20.5 of those admitted are first-generation college students. Both proportions slightly exceed those in the cohort admitted to the class of 2027.

Of those admitted, 53.1 percent are women and 46.9 percent are men. The cohort is, as always, geographically far-flung, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 94 countries beyond the United States. Some 15.4 percent are international students (9.6 percent are dual U.S. citizens). Among those accepted are 21 are veterans; 41 students expressed interest in ROTC.

Data on racial and ethnic diversity are no longer reported with this news release, as noted.

Selective Schools’ Admissions in Flux

Although much may be made of the size of Harvard’s applicant pool, it makes more sense to consider the changing context for admissions at the nation’s relatively few—if unquestionably high-profile—selective colleges and universities. Policies, practices, and prospective applicants’ responses to them are unsettled for numerous reasons, including:

•efforts to construct diverse classes in the wake of the June 2023 Supreme Court decision outlawing consideration of applicants’ race in schools’ holistic reviews of candidates ( “The Supreme Court Rules,” September-October 2023, page 14)—and associated changes in outreach and recruiting;

•evolving attitudes toward standardized testing; and

•legacy and other traditional admissions preferences, and new preferences possibly under development now.

•Diversity. Given the court ruling, colleges’ policies for admitting diverse classes clearly must change. Harvard was at the center of the 1978 Bakke decision which defined permissible ways of considering race in admissions—and again in the most recent litigation, which eliminated such practices. So it might be expected that prospective applicants would wonder how the College’s procedures would be altered, beyond the immediate steps taken to comply with the law (removing information about applicants’ race or ethnicity from all files, admission reviews, and aggregate data available during the process). It is a reasonable assumption that defining and promulgating new policies and practices was a high priority for Harvard during this academic year— until the campus turmoil following the October 7 Hamas attacks upended the campus, University leadership , and any existing agenda. As a result, other matters have had to be addressed urgently—but Alan Garber, interim president, has indicated that he will push ahead with work on admissions .

In the meantime, other institutions have more public about the steps they are taking to construct diverse classes while complying fully with the new legal realities. For example, Yale has been outspoken about pursuing outreach to students from lower-income and other communities underrepresented in its undergraduate population, and recently announced that the record cohort of applicants to the class of 2028 “By some measures…set new marks for diversity.” Cornell recently joined QuestBridge, a program through which low-income applicants seek early admission to selective colleges, commit to attend the highest-ranked school with which they match, and receive a full scholarship from the organization. Harvard is now the only Ivy institution not participating, and the College has, generally, been quieter about such matters than several peers.

Two interesting developments bear on what schools can and will do. In February, the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the admissions criteria adopted by the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, in Alexandria, Virginia . It eliminated an entrance exam and began offering admission to the top students from each middle school in its area (versus the top applicants from any school across the district), while also considering the “experience factors” students presented. Data on applicants’ race, sex, and name were withheld from admissions staff. Litigants objected that the effect was discriminatory, but an appeals court upheld the plan and the Supreme Court let that ruling stand. The school’s enrollment shifted from nearly three-quarters to slightly more than one-half Asian American, while becoming more nearly representative of the district’s population overall.

In light of that ruling, people who model admissions have theorized about what selective colleges might do to sustain diverse classes while considering data beyond test scores and applicants’ household income. In one vivid demonstration, a New York Times tool ( https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/03/09/upshot/affirmative-action-alternatives.html ) illustrates how admitted classes can be made increasingly diverse racially and ethnically as increased preference is given to applicants based on the relative poverty of their high schools and each applicant’s outperformance compared to peers, combined with more effective outreach to such students who don’t often apply to the most selective colleges. Such preferences would have to be adapted alongside, or in place, of, traditional ones (discussed below).

•Standardized testing. During the pandemic, when it was difficult to sit for the exams, many institutions waived the requirement that applicants submit SAT or ACT test scores. Since then, test-optional policies remained widely in place, in part, on the theory that the tests themselves and differential access to private tutoring disadvantage lower-income applicants or students enrolled in under-resourced high schools. Of late, however, the tide has begun to turn. MIT reinstituted a testing requirement, noting that SAT math scores indicate whether applicants have the capacity to take on a highly quantitative curriculum—and reported enrolling its most diverse class.

Citing research on the usefulness of test scores in identifying qualified but overlooked applicants, Dartmouth has reinstated its standardized test requirement beginning with its class of 2029. Yale followed suit, with a “test-flexible” standard requiring SAT, ACT, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement scores. And Brown reinstituted a requirement for SAT or ACT scores. Harvard College remains test-optional through 2030 . (Just ahead of today’s announcement about class of 2028 admissions, Emi Nietfeld ’15 argued in favor of mandatory standardized testing from the perspective of a disadvantaged applicant in this New York Times essay , “How the SAT Changed My Life.”)

•Legacy and other preferences. In March, Virginia outlawed legacy preferences for alumni-related applicants to public colleges; both the University of Virginia and William & Mary, which are selective-admissions schools, are public institutions covered by the measure. Something of a movement may be afoot. Similar legislation, covering all institutions in those states, has been introduced in Minnesota and Connecticut. ( Yale has testified against; that state’s legislation would also ban preferences for donors .) In reinstituting its test requirement, Brown decided to retain early decision (thought to disadvantage students who need to compare aid offers) and family preferences (for children of alumni and Brown employees)—but with the latter subject to further review.

As on other matters, Harvard has yet to weigh in on legacies—but a conversation about such preferences, and perhaps how athletic preferences figure into the mix, has surely been percolating here as the College seeks to sustain a broadly diverse class, without resorting to practices now rendered impermissible.

In the meantime , the brilliant youngsters just granted admission can be thankful that luck favored them, too, with fewer applicants competing for spot in Harvard College’s class of 2028. Prospective students can kick the tires in person during Visitas, April 14-15 , or virtually. They have until the end of the day on Wednesday, May 1, to reply to their offers of admission.

Read the University announcement here.

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Class of 2028 Results Will Offer the First Clues About Harvard’s Post-Affirmative Action Admissions

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When Harvard College admits the Class of 2028 on Thursday, the admissions data released by the College might raise more questions than it answers about whether the fall of affirmative action and a prolonged crisis stemming from the University’s response to the Oct. 7 attack on Israel have changed Harvard’s appeal to prospective students.

Experts intend to look at the number of applications and the admissions rate as key indicators to understanding the extent to which Harvard’s reputation has been bruised by the events of the past six months.

But observers looking to understand the full impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling last semester might have to wait until later this summer when the University is expected to release the demographic data of students.

While experts expect to see a change from past years in the racial composition of the admitted class, Harvard — in a break from precedent — will not release racial and ethnic data on Thursday. The move comes as the University is increasingly wary of litigation from anti-affirmative action groups.

Mitchell J. Chang, a professor of education at UCLA and interim vice provost of diversity, equity, and inclusion, said he anticipates that Harvard will face heightened scrutiny if the racial composition of its admitted class – especially the number of Black students – does not change.

“I suspect that there will be drops,” Chang said. “Even in the testimony that Harvard gave, Harvard expected a significant drop.”

David Card, a Nobel Prize-winning economist hired as an expert witness for Harvard during the trial, developed simulations that showed African American students would have made up 6 percent of the Class of 2019 if the University eliminated the consideration of race from its admissions process for the Class — less than half of the 14 percent that were actually represented.

Similar models by Peter Arcidiacono, an economist at Duke University hired as an expert by Students for Fair Admissions, projected a decline to 7 percent.

Dan Lee, founder of Solomon Admissions Consulting, said Harvard may also see an increase in the proportion of Asian American applicants who are accepted.

“I would predict that the percentage of Asian American students at Harvard is going to go up by about 10 percent,” Lee said.

Still, Chang said Harvard’s efforts after the decision release may work to increase the yield rate of students from underrepresented backgrounds and “offset that expected drop” in the admit rate of those students.

Arcidiacono, the Duke economist, also said that he expects to see an increase in the proportion of both Pell Grant-eligible and first-generation students admitted to the Class of 2028.

The Early Action round of admissions, released in mid-December , saw 15.5 percent of accepted applicants come from first-generation backgrounds — an increase of approximately 1.5 percentage points from the year before.

Julie J. Park, an associate professor of higher education at the University of Maryland who served as a consulting expert for Harvard during the admissions lawsuit, said the changes come among multiple shifts in focus that Harvard will turn to given the admissions team can not look at race.

“They will presumably lean somewhat more on the information that they can see, which is going to be socioeconomic background, high school context, the context of opportunity that a student is coming from,” Park said.

Harvard has kept its test-optional policies through the admitted Class of 2030 , despite a recent shift to testing requirements from other Ivy League schools . Chang said that Harvard’s test-optional policies may help to keep the application pool in a “sufficient state” and mitigate a possible fall in application numbers.

While the fall of affirmative action has some precedent — the University of California system eliminated the practice in 1995 and witnessed a sharp drop in the enrollment of underrepresented groups shortly thereafter – economist Richard D. Kahlenberg ’85 said that Harvard’s situation is unique.

When public institutions in California eliminated the practice, said Kahlenberg, who also served as an expert witness for SFFA, they were forced to compete “with one hand tied behind their back” for students from underrepresented groups with institutions that were able to consider race in their admissions processes. But now, race-conscious admissions are prohibited throughout the country.

“Harvard and all universities today will be competing on a level playing field where no one who follows the law can use racial preferences,” he said.

As a result, it will not take Harvard as long as it took schools like UCLA or the University of California, Berkeley to create a diverse class without race-conscious admissions, according to Kahlenberg.

But as decisions for thousands of waiting applicants rapidly approach, Park said that much is up in the air until Harvard releases the final composition of its admitted Class of 2028.

“Race conscious admissions has been severely restricted, but I would not say it’s necessarily dead,” Park said. “How does that show up in the numbers is anyone’s guess.”

—Staff writer Elyse C. Goncalves can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her on X @e1ysegoncalves or on Threads @elyse.goncalves .

—Staff writer Matan H. Josephy can be reached [email protected] . Follow him on X @matanjosephy .

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel affirmative action ruling leaves no choice

When the supreme court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions..

By The Associated Press

5:20 AM on Mar 28, 2024 CDT

CHICAGO — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

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Related: Gov. Abbott issues executive order fighting antisemitism at Texas colleges

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action. The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

Do schools ‘expect a sob story’?

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

Related: Texas colleges risk millions if they break DEI ban, lawmaker says

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

Ruling prompts pivots on essay topics

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Ore., had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process. They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

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Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

Spelling out the impact of race

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black.

Related: Federal appeals court questions legality of Texas immigration law

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

Will schools lose racial diversity?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair. She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

By Collin Binkley, Annie Ma and Noreen Nasir of The Associated Press

The Associated Press

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NAU's universal admissions program offers new pathways to college for Arizona students

FLAGSTAFF — College-bound Arizonans will soon have a new option when pursuing their higher education goals thanks to Northern Arizona University's universal admissions program in partnership with a majority of the state's community colleges.

When prospective students apply to NAU, they will no longer receive a denial letter. Instead, they will be presented with one of two pathways: to either begin attending NAU directly or to begin their courses at one of nine community colleges across the state and eventually transfer to NAU without having to reapply.

The program comes from the Arizona Attainment Alliance at NAU, formed in September 2022. The initial idea was to bring all 10 community colleges together along with the Arizona Commerce Authority "to help really focus on four goals," said Matt Tantau, associate vice president of the university's Office of Economic Mobility and Social Impact.

"Boosting the immediate college-going rate of the state's high school graduates, serving a growing population of adults with some college and no degree, trying to increase progression and graduation rates and increasing the postgraduate value — really the value around a college credential," he said.

"Collectively we can make a bigger impact than each of us doing it separately," Tantau said.

New program aims to create higher education 'ecosystem' for all

The university launched a pilot program for the new admissions process with Coconino Community College during the fall 2023 admissions cycle. More than 100 students have since joined and are either taking classes at NAU now or attending the nearby community college with a pathway to transfer when they have enough credits.

The pilot program was expanded last spring to include an additional five community colleges across the state, Tantau said.

They have representatives from all participating community colleges serving on a steering committee and a presidential advisory coalition. All Arizona's community colleges have volunteered to participate in the program except Yavapai College.

Developing a program like this is particularly challenging in Arizona because, unlike other states, Arizona does not have an interconnected community college system. Each community college is governed by its own individual boards, while the three state universities are overseen by the Arizona Board of Regents. Because of that, it's more challenging to share information and data between institutions, complicating the transfer process for many students.

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"Really, it was about how do we create a little bit of an ecosystem where we can not only increase access to our post-secondary ecosystem in the state, but we can really do it in a supportive and seamless way," Tantau said.

The efforts to increase the communication between schools will be boosted by a two-year, $750,000 grant from the Lumina Foundation that will be matched by the university.

"We're allocating $1.5 million to the success of this program," said Bob Voytek, director of business and educational partnerships for the university's Office of Economic Mobility and Social Impact. "This money is going to allow us to have our systems talk to one another."

Once all the data is easily transferable, they can track outcomes that they can use to continue improving their offerings for students. Tantau said the data will point them to any gaps, barriers or other opportunities to improve the entire experience from the community college to the university.

What else does the funding pay for?

In addition to connecting all of the college's systems, the funding will also assist in the development of advising teams at each community college to best guide students through the process.

"We need to make sure the students take the right classes so that they can be successful so that they can stay on that traditional four-year plan with an institution and not lose credits along the way," Voytek said.

The remaining funding will be used to spread the word about the universal admissions program throughout the state, both on community college campuses and in high schools, middle schools and even K-12 schools. As students move toward high school graduation, teachers, counselors and the students themselves will know more about their higher education options.

"Overall, we are trying to appeal to the students that otherwise would not consider higher education after high school," said Anika Olsen, vice president of enrollment management at NAU.

"We want to tell students that are graduating from our high schools with those graduation requirements that there is a path to higher education in the state of Arizona," Olsen said. "That could be directly to NAU or that could be through a seamless experience through one of our partner community colleges with one application."

Beyond the universal admissions program, the Arizona Attainment Alliance is also focused on the avenues for student success.

They are working with academic affairs teams and the participating community colleges to focus on high-demand, high-wage and high-skill careers. The Arizona Commerce Authority represents the perspectives of the business community, and right now, the top three in-demand careers are healthcare, tech and management.

"Arizona's economy is changing," Tantau said. "We really want to make sure that we are offering pathways to a career that is going to really provide that economic mobility and social impact."

"We're really working together to think about how we're going to address the workforce needs of the state in the future," he said.

Milestone credentials recognize progress throughout college education

The group is also focused on the idea of milestone credentials — awarding credentials as a student goes through their college career instead of just upon graduation.

"In many cases, it used to be a zero-sum game," Tantau said, "A student would start working on their four-year degree, and they might have 100 credits, but if they didn't get that bachelor's degree, they don't have anything to show."

In contrast, the Alliance wants to identify credentials throughout the student's college career that will add to their marketable job skills and could help them get their foot in the door in certain careers.

"Really what our programs are about are really thinking about how do we create on and off-ramps for students to get them in, to have them be successful, have them complete a credential and then really be able to apply that credential out in the workforce which is going to hopefully change their life in some way," Tantau said.

Reach the reporter at  [email protected] .

The Republic’s coverage of northern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. To support regional Arizona news coverage like this, make a tax-deductible donation at  supportjournalism.azcentral.com .

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Tressie McMillan Cottom

Who Would Want to Go to a College Like This?

By Tressie McMillan Cottom

Opinion Columnist

The moral panic about “woke” campuses has metastasized into actual legislation, and not just in the swampy idylls of Florida. Last week the governor of Alabama signed a bill that purports to limit the teaching of “divisive” topics in its colleges and universities. The bill is similar to Florida’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public colleges, which was signed into law last May. Both are all-out attacks on learning by excommunicating liberal ideas from the classroom. Other state legislatures have also been busy. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that Republican lawmakers have proposed 81 anti-D.E.I. bills across 28 states. (So far, 33 haven’t become law, and 11 have.)

Because most students attend public universities, state-level threats to higher education are especially troubling. While the federal government has outsize authority, states have more direct political reach. Republican leaders in the most reactionary states are banking that their appeals to moral panics about teaching history, race, gender and identity will attract donors and political favor. Bills already passed in Florida and Alabama are examples of shortsighted, counterintuitive legislative overreach. This political theater lifts up a caricature of college, in which coddled minds are seduced into liberal ideas. Without university leaders, politicians or voters mounting a defense of faculty governance and democratic speech, anti-woke reactionaries can remake college into the very thing they claim it is: cloistered institutions that cannot respond to what their students want and need.

It is hard to combat legislative overreach in states where gerrymandering and the structure of elections favor reactionary Republicans. But unlike in K-12 schools, in higher education, the students hold a tremendous amount of power. Public colleges and universities need students’ tuition dollars. If states become hostile to students’ values, those students could choose to go elsewhere or to forgo college altogether. That would set up a standoff between right-wing political favor and students’ dollars. But first, students would have to be paying attention. They would have to care. And they would have to be willing to choose colleges that match their values.

That is why I read with interest a recent report put out by the Lumina Foundation and Gallup on how policies and laws shape college enrollment. Part of a larger survey about students’ experiences of higher education, the report left me with one major takeaway: The national debate about so-called woke campuses does not reflect what most college students care about. It is worth looking at the report’s key findings. They underscore how unhinged our national debate over higher education has become and how misaligned Republican-led public higher education systems are with the bulk of college students. It isn’t hard to imagine that students could vote with their feet, avoiding schools in states that are out of step with their values.

The report names four reactionary changes in the national policy conversation that might shape students’ feelings about going to or being enrolled in college. First, there’s the group of bills against teaching supposedly divisive concepts, as in Alabama and Florida. Second, there’s a 2022 Supreme Court decision on concealed carry permits for firearms. Students fear that it signals how states with more restrictive gun regulations will change their campus gun policies in anticipation of legal challenges. Third, there are the sweeping changes to the availability of reproductive health care that came after the fall of Roe v. Wade . The Wild West of different abortion bans, legal challenges to Plan B and birth control will shape students’ experiences of college . Finally, there’s the Supreme Court decision in 2023 that effectively ended race-based affirmative action in admissions. States are already broadly interpreting that decision to include scholarships and programming.

If you are applying to college in 2024, you are tasked with not just choosing a major at a college where you can be happy and that may admit you at a price you can afford. You are also considering if you will be safe from gun violence, able to get medical care if you need it, qualified to use some types of financial aid and likely to encounter a liberal arts education that could improve the trajectory of your life.

I read the report closely for takeaways and what some of the fine-grained data points mean. The big context is that most students still choose colleges based on quality, cost, reputation and job prospects. Because I am interested in which of the four reactionary changes matter most (and to whom), I pulled those out of the list of all things that matter to students. Students care about — from most to least important — gun violence, “anti-woke” laws and reproductive health care. Because race-based affirmative action is measured somewhat differently from the other concerns, it is not ranked.

I lived through a campus shooting last year . As I watched college students climb calmly out of windows to escape the building, I realized this is a generation raised on constant shooting drills. That might explain why 38 percent of students who study on campus said they were worried about gun violence at their schools. Campus gun policies mattered at least somewhat to 80 percent of those surveyed. And of those who cared, students who wanted more restrictive gun policies outweighed those who preferred looser policies by five to one, according to the report.

As for those “divisive” concepts? Students want them. A majority of students who cared about those issues, the report notes, said they did not want restrictions on classroom instruction. Even more notable, students’ opinions do not align with the rabid political partisanship that dominates headlines. In a look at the students who care about this issue, some political differences might be expected. And there are some. But the good news is that they aren’t nearly as partisan as one might imagine. Even 61 percent of Republicans who cared about this issue when choosing a college preferred a state that did not restrict instruction on topics related to race and gender. That’s compared with 83 percent of Democrats and 78 percent of independents.

It is remarkable, given these data points, how little politicians and the public are talking about how afraid college students are — not of new ideas but of being shot on campus.

Fears about reproductive health ranked third among these changes; 71 percent of those surveyed said that a state’s reproductive health care policies would influence where they chose to go to college. The gender split here was a mixed bag. While many men cared about reproductive health, women were, by 18 percentage points, more likely than men to prefer states with fewer restrictions on reproductive health care. It is impossible to claim causation, but hackneyed culture wars about gender are not happening in a vacuum. They animate men’s and women’s values. The data suggests that it will be hard to recruit men (who are inclined to want more health care restrictions for women) and make female students feel cared for and safe. There may not be a way for a single college to serve both masters.

The Supreme Court affirmative action decision’s role in shaping students’ college choices is harder to parse than the other reactionary changes. People do not have a common understanding of what affirmative action means or how it works. Even so, 45 percent of those surveyed said the ruling would shape their decision of which school to attend or if they went to college at all.

While the idea of woke campuses may get attention and motivate parts of the reactionary Republican base, the report says that those partisan differences are moderate among students. “Most current and prospective students of all political parties who say these issues are important to their enrollment,” the report notes, “prefer more restrictive gun policies, less restrictive reproductive health care laws and fewer regulations” on curriculums.

Put more simply: Republicans must seem like aliens — if not dinosaurs — to the very college students they claim to be saving from hostile college campuses.

Debates about what happens on college campuses are proxies for partisan politics. They are also convenient ruses for clawing back the nominal democratization that higher education underwent during the last half of the 20th century. Those of us who see education as something more noble than a political football should care about the way partisan attacks and sensational headlines will harm real people trying to make sense of their lives.

Students go to college because they want jobs, they want to be educated or they want to be respected by others (or some combination of all three). A college or university implicitly promises them that it has the legitimacy to allow access, foster learning and confer status. The trick is that when universities play into the con game of moral panics about woke campuses, they become the thing we fear.

The loudest story about American colleges is disconnected from what college students care about. Even so, the nation’s diverse, aspirational college students are trying to make college choices that align with their political values. According to this survey, they are remarkably progressive, fair-minded and unafraid of intellectual challenge. If only our politics lived up to their values.

Tressie McMillan Cottom (@ tressiemcphd ) became a New York Times Opinion columnist in 2022. She is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, School of Information and Library Science; the author of “Thick: And Other Essays”; and a 2020 MacArthur fellow.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Kilachand UROP Student Feature 

In the summer of 2023, Kilachand Honors College teamed up with UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program) to co-fund up to 10 students who have designed excellent Keystone Projects and who would benefit from a summer of work. Several Kilachand students were chosen for this funding opportunity; below we feature 3 of those students, who tell us briefly about their research, how this funding impacted their research project, and advice for other students working on their research projects.   

Elliot Carlisle (CAS’24)

Can you provide us with a brief description of your Keystone Project?

My Kilachand Keystone project investigates the rate of maternal autoimmune disease in children diagnosed with Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). To do this, I will be analyzing clinical data collected by Massachusetts General Hospital’s Pediatric Neuropsychiatry and Immunology Program. The goal of this project is to help understand what factors may put children at risk for developing PANDAS/PANS.

What work you are doing this summer on your Keystone project (tied to the UROP funding)?

This summer I have been working towards publishing a paper detailing the clinical profile of this population of children at MGH with PANDAS/PANS. This clinical profile will create the foundation for my Keystone project where I will be doing a more in-depth analysis of the specific family autoimmune variables.

How did you find out about the UROP/Keystone funding opportunity, how has this funding made an impact on your project (or you), and do you have any advice to students hoping to apply for this funding opportunity in the future?

I found out about the UROP Keystone funding through my Keystone proposal workshop professor. I knew that for my Keystone project, I wanted to investigate the specific factors that may put children at risk for PANDAS/PANS. I learned that it was not going to be feasible to both create a comprehensive clinical profile of these patients and analyze specific variables to identify risk factors all over the course of the school year. Receiving UROP funding has allowed me to dedicate my time this summer towards creating the clinical profile so that during the school year I can more thoroughly examine the risk factors for these diagnoses. If future students feel as though their Keystone project goals are too big to accomplish over the school year, I would highly recommend considering UROP.

Tori Keefauver (CAS’24)

Can you provide us with a brief description of your Keystone Project?  

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability that affects 21 million people each year in the US. One domain that contributes to the development of MDD is social stress and isolation. However, it is hard for scientists to study the effects of social stress in humans due to ethical concerns about assigning treatment conditions, forcing someone into depressive circumstances, etc. As a result, it has become common practice for scientists to use animal models of social stress, social isolation, and the resulting social bonds in order to study disorders such as MDD.

My project aims to use monogamous prairie voles as a model of human social isolation to study the effects of pair bonding on microglia, which are a type of brain cell hypothesized to play a role in the pathology of MDD. Pair bonding is the formation of a strong bond between two partners. Most humans embrace a monogamous sexuality in which they form a pair bond with their present romantic partner, which makes prairie voles a good model species for studying human monogamous relationships. Pair bonding may also occur in humans between a parent and infant or between close adult friends. My project will use cellular staining techniques to compare microglia morphology of pair bonded prairie voles vs. non pair bonded prairie voles, in order to learn more about how social isolation and stress may affect microglia cells.   

This summer, I am working full time in the lab on the beginning stages of my project. I am working with 8 practice vole brains from Universities across the country, and spending my time slicing them, staining them, and imaging them on the microscope in order to determine the protocol that will work best for the second phase of my project during the academic year.  

I found out about the UROP funding available to Keystone students during Fall 2022 when I took KHC HC 451. My professor told us about the available funding, and I immediately knew I wanted to apply because it would make my project so much more manageable. Being awarded the funding has meant I’m able to live in Boston during the summer, and get paid to conduct a full 2.5 months of protocol optimization in order to make the academic year as successful as possible. Since voles are not a commercially available species for animal research, spending time on protocol optimization is vital to ensure that experiments will work in the vole species. My advice to any students who wish to apply for UROP funding for their Keystone project would be to take KHC HC 451 in the fall of your junior year if possible. Even though it seems early, this will give you far more time to create your project, write a well developed proposal, and think about all of the logistics that are important to planning your project. Additionally, make sure to have someone in your discipline who has previously been awarded UROP funding (or the UROP office) take a look at your UROP version of the proposal. Examples and a second set of eyes are your best resources for getting funded!

Reshma Subramonian (CAS’24)

I’m researching attitudes towards mental health in India and how they contribute towards a larger stigma in Indian society. The framework of mental health as a psycho-biological condition is in dispute in India, with some in the younger generation who are eager to adopt this line of thinking and others who perceive it as an excuse for a lack of willpower and discipline. To better understand this gap, I’m looking at the locality of Siruseri, Chennai, an area characterized by families moving here because of a branch of a prestigious school, and the promise of a good education and future leading from that. The pressures of the Indian educational system have had a different effect on this generation of students, however, creating very different opinions of success and peace between generations. I’ll be interviewing old classmates and acquaintances who identify with certain mental health struggles, to compare perspectives between generations and contextualize their experiences and opinions, to examine a larger societal stigma around mental health., in the form of a creative nonfiction ethnographic thesis.  

I’m using the UROP funding this summer to visit Siruseri, India and do observational research and interview old classmates and acquaintances and their family members about their experiences with and attitudes towards mental health. This opportunity to visit my old community in person has given me insight as well as a chance to observe the environment that we discuss in interviews. I’ve also been able to do my interviews in person, which has definitely made it much more comfortable.  

I found out about this opportunity through my faculty advisor for this project, who suggested I apply almost immediately after our first meeting and I’m incredibly grateful that I did so. The observations I’ve made on my trip have definitely strengthened my research and have made me recontextualize it quite a bit, changing the direction of my project. If I had any advice, it would definitely be to take a chance and apply. I think the biggest hurdle in applying is writing out the UROP research proposal to begin with, which along with classes and exams, can be overwhelming.   

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