How often are appeals successful?

[Milo_10011]

I was initially rejected from my college. I appealed the rejection successfully and was accepted. I've told a few friends, and they all give me a look and (almost) call me a liar right to my face.

Is getting a rejection turned into an acceptance THAT unusual?

[newms]

Is getting a rejection turned into an acceptance THAT unusual?

I would have thought that it is THAT unusual. Congrats on your eventual acceptance! Was there anything in particular with your application that would have caused them to take a second look?

[vitaminquartet]

This is the first time I have *ever* heard of that happening. Maybe the first time I've even heard anyone attempt it.

[wtncffts]

I'd also be interested in further details about the situation, as I've never heard of anything like this. I don't understand why or how there would even be an appeals process for rejections, as I don't see how one could be reasonably entitled to an acceptance, unless there was some major error on their part.

Now, if the situation is just that you continued to express interest after they initially rejected you, and for some reason the school/program had an open spot and you were the next in line, that's not so unusual, I suppose. But the OP seems to have gone through a formal process of rejection appeal, which is odd.

I'd say congrats, and I'm not in a position to judge, but I have to say my first reaction is that this is a bit whiny and self-important, as though you knew better than the adcomm and how dare they reject you, etc. By all means, let me know if I'm off-base, but that's my honest reaction.

[Milo_10011]

wtncftts,

"Now, if the situation is just that you continued to express interest after they initially rejected you, and for some reason the school/program had an open spot and you were the next in line, that's not so unusual, I suppose. But the OP seems to have gone through a formal process of rejection appeal, which is odd."

I hadn't even thought of the scenario you introduce, but the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that you seem to have pegged it square on the head. When I wrote "appeal" I didn't mean in any formal sense. There were no forms or anything, just a "Thanks anyway, and I hope ________ University will reconsider my application next semester." (I try not to write long posts because the details get out of hand and sometimes I make defective word choices in a mad dash for brevity.) What probably happened was just another instance of "Well, we came up very short this year. A lot more of the people we offered a spot to than we expected went with another program. How many on the waiting list? After we get their answers, lets take the best of the rejects."

Best of the rejects. I would have preferred the come-from-behind-feel-good-story-of-the-decade, winning out against incredible odds, but as long as I get to go to graduate school. Any seat in the lifeboat will do.

Edited June 19, 2011 by Milo_10011

[wtncffts]

Very well, that genuinely does deserve congrats. I apologize for assuming; I have an extra impatience about people with overinflated senses of themselves. As for the initial question, I said it probably wasn't so unusual, but now that I think about it, perhaps it is rare. I'd think schools would have ample experience at the whole process, and since waitlists can be as long or short as required, it probably is very extraordinary when the waitlist is exhausted and the quota still isn't met. Hopefully others will respond with personal insight.

[Mal83]

wtncftts,

"Now, if the situation is just that you continued to express interest after they initially rejected you, and for some reason the school/program had an open spot and you were the next in line, that's not so unusual, I suppose. But the OP seems to have gone through a formal process of rejection appeal, which is odd."

I hadn't even thought of the scenario you introduce, but the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that you seem to have pegged it square on the head. When I wrote "appeal" I didn't mean in any formal sense. There were no forms or anything, just a "Thanks anyway, and I hope ________ University will reconsider my application next semester." (I try not to write long posts because the details get out of hand and sometimes I make defective word choices in a mad dash for brevity.) What probably happened was just another instance of "Well, we came up very short this year. A lot more of the people we offered a spot to than we expected went with another program. How many on the waiting list? After we get their answers, lets take the best of the rejects."

Best of the rejects. I would have preferred the come-from-behind-feel-good-story-of-the-decade, winning out against incredible odds, but as long as I get to go to graduate school. Any seat in the lifeboat will do.

That last bit hits the nail on the head, and congrats to you for not just getting accepted, but for putting out that last line of communication with the university, they probably don't see much of that. And doing so may have given you a slight edge as in "this applicant obviously wants to be here and will most likely accept our offer where as someone we haven't heard from might not."

Wtncffts, a few schools do have a formal appeals process where you are allowed to present them with reasons or whatever else they should reconsider, so there's nothing whiny or self-important about going through it, I don't know how often it works out for the applicant but I guess it's rare. If some schools give you the opportunity to fight for a spot then why not if it means something to you? Fighting for that spot is what I would call not giving up, rather than whiny. But as Milo said his case wasn't an official process, just the right mix of communication and fortunate circumstances. Now if you know that a school does not have a formal appeals process but yet you start badgering them about reconsidering then yes that's whining and highly unprofessional. That can certainly come off as either desperate or like you said self-important and the sense of outrage would be uncalled for.

Congrats again Milo!