You Didn't Get Accepted. Now What?

Getting rejection letters from the grad schools to which you applied does not necessarily mean the end of your educational dream. What it means is that you need to find out why you didn't get accepted, fix the problem, and re-apply. Call or e-mail someone in the grad school program and ask whether there was a particular reason why you didn't get accepted and what you can do to get accepted next time. The best person to ask is someone you already know, perhaps from a campus visit or previous phone calls and e-mails. You may find out that you made a mistake on your application or that the committee felt that your academic background was not strong enough. Or you may just learn that there was a large pool of qualified applicants that year and not enough space for everyone.

Whatever the reason for your rejection, your next step is to strengthen your weak areas. You could enroll in some additional classes to improve your academic background. You could get a job or do volunteer work in the field, thus showing your enthusiasm and aptitude. (You might even meet some new people who can write letters of recommendation!) You can rewrite your statement of purpose to better showcase your unique abilities. Your goal is not simply to re-apply but to re-apply as a stronger candidate who makes the first cut of applicants.