College Zoom Blog | Smarter decisions, smarter outcomes.™

16 Nov

30% to 50% Early Decision Acceptance Rates Are Fake

By College Zoom
In Applying Early

The Truth About Applying Early to College This post covers the four types of early application options a college might offer you: Early Decision Early Action Restrictive Early Action (also known as Single-Choice Early Action) Rolling Admission To Apply Early

26 Jan

How to Write a Northwestern Waitlist or Deferral Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: Convey new and compelling information about your candidacy to differentiate yourself from the rest of the waitlist pool. The Northwestern Waitlist Process: Northwestern’s <9% acceptance rate is highly competitive, and if you made it to the waitlist, then

06 Jan

How to Write a Vanderbilt Waitlist or Deferral Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: Craft a detailed letter highlighting your commitments and sharing new information to address inadequacies from your original application. The Biggest Misconception About Fit at Vanderbilt: With the unofficial motto “work hard, play hard,” Vanderbilt students are known for

08 Dec

How to Write a Harvard Waitlist or Deferral Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: Do not write a love letter. Every Harvard applicant who made the waitlist is smart and dreams of enrolling. Fix your original application's deficiencies and strengthen your candidacy with new information. The Harvard Waitlist Process: While Harvard doesn’t

21 Mar

How to Appeal a USC Transfer Rejection Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: For USC transfers, appeals must be submitted via the USC applicant portal within two weeks of receiving your admissions decision. Successful appeal letters are calculated, strategic, and compelling in addressing the underlying deficiencies of your Common Application. Side note: If

01 Feb

Rejections Are Inevitable. How to Prepare. What to do Next.

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: The under enrollment trend that many colleges adopted before the pandemic has become amplified in 2021. The trend first started in the 2018-2019 admissions cycle (before COVID-19 arrived), when a record number of students got rejected or waitlisted by

28 Nov

Top 3 Myths About the UC Application Deadline

By College Zoom
In Applying Early

Preview: 1. Does the UC website actually crash on the deadline? 2. Is the UC application due on or before Nov 30th? 3. Do students who submit earlier have an advantage? Myth #1: Does the UC Website Actually Crash

13 Mar

Most Varsity Blues Students Knew and Should be Expelled

By College Zoom
In News Commentary

Preview: The maneuvers allegedly made by families in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal required a student's knowing complicity (at best) and willful collusion (at worst). Early reporting echoed prosecutors' beliefs that most students didn't know, but the nature of the

05 Mar

How to Appeal a UCSB Rejection Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: If you are rejected by UCSB, the admissions office allows you to appeal your outcome for a second chance at acceptance. New in 2021: waitlisted applicants can no longer appeal until they are officially denied. The UCSB Appeal Process: If you feel

01 Mar

How to Appeal a UCSD Rejection Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: A successful UCSD appeal letter limits you to 250 words and forces you to prioritize just two to three issues upon which your entire case for reconsideration rests. The UCSD Appeal Process: The good news? Appealing your UC San

06 Feb

Yes, Students of Private High Schools Can Take Classes at Other Schools

By College Zoom
In College Admissions Advice

What If Your Private School Counselor Says, "No"? Whether you want to avoid taking a notoriously bad teacher, take more challenging coursework, or get ahead in a subject, many families feel stuck when their private high school's college counselor says

13 Mar

How to Appeal a UC Berkeley Rejection Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: UC Berkeley appeal letters succeed when they patch the right holes in your original UC application. However, appeal examples found online rarely align with the unique deficiencies that you'll need to address. The UC Berkeley Appeal Process: "You've made

16 Feb

How to Appeal a UCLA Rejection or Waitlist Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

Preview: A successful UCLA appeal letter isn't about finding a successful template online. It's about powerfully fixing the unique deficiencies within your original UC application. The UCLA Appeal Process: Did you know that when you initially applied to UCLA,

21 Mar

How to Appeal for a Higher Financial Aid Award

By College Zoom
In Financial Aid

How to Appeal Your Financial Aid Award Are you considering an appeal of your financial aid award? For clarity, financial aid appeals are officially called “Requests for Reconsideration” by offices of financial aid. Therefore, be sure to use the correct

21 Mar

How to Break an Early Decision Contract Without Penalty

By College Zoom
In College Admissions Advice

How to Break an Early Decision Contract Without Penalty There is Only One Allowable Excuse: Do you need to get out of an early decision contract? Insufficient financial aid is the only excuse a student can use to break an

21 Mar

The Top Financial Aid Tips Your Family Should Know

The Top Financial Aid Tips Your Family Should Know This article was last updated on April. 11, 2018. The Huffington Post article, “Colleges Play Monopoly” provides great insights as to why the costs of college is so high. However, there

21 Mar

How to Appeal a Rejection Letter

By College Zoom
In appeals

How to Appeal a Rejection Letter Why The Information that Makes Your Reversal Successful Isn't Always New and Compelling to You. About the Author: David Reynaldo is the founder of College Zoom. We've honed our strategies and methods for