29 College Rejection Letters (Decline letters)

Every year, the admissions committee at colleges is usually swamped with application letters from interested college students. Then they have to send a college rejection letter to each student who fails to pass the rigorous screening process of the institution. If you’re planning to send a college application letter, prepare yourself for the possibility of rejection too.

College Rejection Letters

What is a college rejection letter?

A college denial letter is a document written to interested students who applied for a course or admission to a college or university. The sole purpose of the letter is to inform the applicant that they didn’t pass the university’s screening process.

What are the chances that you will get this letter?

As an applicant, you should accept that there’s always the possibility of getting a college rejection letter, even from your first school choices. Generally, there are two reasons why you would send this letter:

• The competitiveness of colleges and universities.
• How effective your application letter is.

You should know at the beginning how difficult it can be to gain admission to the college of your choice. In addition, your admission might also depend on how well you have made your application. To avoid getting a college denial letter, make sure to include the following:

• Your GPA, especially if it’s impressively high.
• Your scores on assessment tests., especially if these are impressively high.
• A personal statement that inspires.
• A convincing recommendation letter.
• An impressive resume or curriculum vitae.
• If applicable, a high rank in class.

If you want to apply to highly competitive schools, you must stand out from other applicants. The best way to do this is to include truly impressive information in your application. Honesty is a must and you should only use impressive skills and achievements backed with evidence.

Including all of the information above increases your chance of becoming one of the top candidates for admission. Even if your qualifications are in your favor, you should remember when writing the application letter to avoid making one that is too well-rounded as it might seem too unrealistic.

College Denial Letters

What do you do when you get a college rejection letter?

Words of comfort are okay but despite what other people say, getting a college rejection letter still hurts. Some colleges still send their decisions the old-fashioned way – mailing them in thin envelopes containing the letter.

Most students would feel that it IS the end of their world when they receive a college decline letter, more especially so if it comes from the school of their dreams. But it’s better to consider this a temporary setback that you should overcome to achieve success.

Of course, getting turned down is no fun at all. Take some time to feel sad but try to remember the following too:

• You’re not the only one
  Like yourself, many students also got denied entrance to colleges they applied to, especially those who applied to colleges that are highly selective. Although such applicants were academically qualified, some schools just don’t have room to accept all applicants.
• It isn’t personal
  Never think that you received this letter because the Admissions board doesn’t like you. Think of it this way – only a very small percentage of applicants get accepted even if most of the applicants are academically qualified.
• Don’t waste time on “what-ifs”
  These “what-if” questions won’t change the decision of the university, so why should you dwell on the things you have no control over? Wake up and find another school that will accept you.
• Celebrate when you receive acceptance letters
  In the cases that you received acceptance letters, this means that those schools want you. You should feel proud of yourself as colleges won’t admit each student who applies. Celebrate accomplishments whenever they come.
• Embrace the schools that accept you
  Upon receiving an acceptance letter, you might discover that the college has many amazing things to offer – and you just got accepted. Embrace the schools that have accepted you and choose the one that you think is best for you.

What do colleges say when they reject?

A college rejection letter is usually straightforward. It informs you that you got rejected without telling you where you are on the list. Giving this information isn’t allowed. The letter won’t critique your work nor give you any feedback.

Just think how difficult it would be if the university Admissions committee would do this for all the applicants. The workload will be too much! It’s much better for you to look for a trusted adviser who’s familiar with your accomplishments to guide you.

Decline Letters

How do you write a letter of rejection to a university?

There can also be a situation where you have gotten accepted to a school but no longer want to attend it. In such a case, you may consider composing a school college rejection letter.

You can decline the offer – there is nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, it happens all the time. Just make sure to take action right away. Here are some things to consider when writing a decline letter for universities:

• Respond as soon as possibly
  As soon as you give up the spot reserved for you, the school will open it for another student who wants to attend that university or college. Moreover, it could be very inconsiderate to the members of the Admissions Committee who spent their time to evaluate your credentials.
• Keep the letter short
  You don’t owe the university an explanation for your decision. Be very brief and polite when declining the school’s offer.
• Express your gratitude
  Remember to thank the school for considering your application and the time they spent in evaluating your credentials. You never know when you might meet the members of the school during your career.
• Don’t share irrelevant information
  You don’t have an obligation to tell the committee which university or school you have chosen to attend. Since you’re declining their offer, they won’t feel interested in learning more about you anyway.
• If applicable, simply check a box
  In some cases, you might not even need to compose a letter at all as some universities just ask you to check a box to decline the offer or follow similar steps online.