Why Colleges Happily Say "No" to Some Applicants | College and University

By Dr.CasperPoodel
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Most students applying to college have worked hard to get good grades in challenging courses and earn solid ACT or SAT scores. That's why it's sad to see so many of them make mistakes big enough to hurt their chances of getting into their colleges of choice.

The seven mistakes we're about to look at might not always be "fatal" for applicants, but I have seen all of them contribute to students being denied admission to at least one institution.

1. Some students have actually visited colleges while wearing offensive t-shirts.

2. A supremely qualified student from a top 20 college was denied admission to a PsyD program at a moderately competitive graduate school because the admissions committee chair objected to the fact that she wore a relatively low cut top when interviewing.

3. You might think students wouldn't provide colleges with tasteless email addresses. You'd be wrong.

4. Students frequently reveal serious problems, weaknesses, and character flaws in their essays. Regardless of the "spin", it usually hurts them.

5. Students who give colleges their cell phone numbers should be sure that their messages are fairly brief and within the bounds of good taste. I could tell you about some of the messages admissions counselors have spoken about hearing, but that would be in as bad taste as the messages themselves.

6. Students who fail to cancel or appear for scheduled campus visits put themselves in jeopardy of being denied admission. I'm not sure I know of anyone denied only for that reason, but I do know of students for whom it was certainly a major factor.

7. Would you believe that students have not only left their phones on while meeting with an admissions counselor, but have actually answered calls?

Have we covered all of the "stupid mistakes" college applicants make? No. But we've made an important point...everything an applicant does (or doesn't do) may be important.

In the college admissions process, everything counts. Good manners, maturity, and apparent good judgement may help compensate for small shortfalls in other areas. Conversely, good grades and test scores may be partially or fully offset by boorishness, bad manners, and/or immaturity.

About the Author

Dr. Casper Poodel is a veteran professional educator who contributes information to websites which assist students in selecting an appropriate online college and earning an online degree appropriate for their career goals.

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