Rejection: It Isn't You, It's Them

You've spent years preparing to apply to graduate school: taking the right courses, studying for good grades, and seeking appropriate experiences. You've taken the time to prepare a solid application: GRE scores, admissions essays , Recommendation letters , and transcripts. You can do everything "right" and still not get in. Unfortunately, your application isn't the only thing determining whether you get into graduate school. There are other factors that have nothing to do with you that influence your acceptance.

Funding:

• A loss of funding at the institutional, school, or department level can reduce the number of applicants they can support and accept.
• Less funds for and assistantships can mean accepting fewer students
• Many students are admitted to work with particular faculty and are supported by faculty members' grants. A change in grant funding means that some qualified students won't be admitted.

Faculty Availability:

• Whether faculty are available and able to take on students influences the number of students who are accepted in any given year.
• Faculty are sometimes away on sabbaticals or leaves. Any students who would be accepted to work with them are often out of luck.
• Sometimes faculty are overloaded and do not have space in their lab for another student. Good applicants are turned away.

Space and Resources:

• Some graduate programs require that students have access to laboratory space and specialized equipment. These resources can accommodate only so many students.
• Other programs include internships and other applied experiences. If there aren't enough slots, then well-prepared students do not get admitted to the graduate program.

If you are rejected from your preferred graduate program, recognize that there are ways for you to improve your application. However you should also understand that some factors are beyond your control.