A Guide to the College Admissions Appeal Process

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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