FAQs for Denied Students

I'll start by saying we're so sorry to have disappointed you. We know how hard it is to receive this kind of bad news, and we really hate delivering it. The most important thing to remember is: it's not you, it's us. We have so many talented applicants--over 29,000 this year--and only space for 4,000 in our first-year class. We have to deny so many students who could do great things here.

Tar Heel Blogger Jacob wrote a great post last week. I'm going to quote him because his advice is so good:

No matter where you end up, there will be opportunities for happiness, growth, and learning. Your post-grad life is not dependent upon where you go to school, but rather what you do while you're there. So no matter what happens, remember that your hard work, successes, and educational value are not defined by your admissions decisions.

Jacob came to us as a transfer student, so he can attest that there are many paths to Carolina. Wherever you choose to enroll, you will probably have an outstanding experience there even if it was not your first-choice college. And if, after a year or two at another school, you decide you're still interested in Carolina, let us know. We'll be happy to consider you as a transfer applicant.

Is this a final decision?
Yes, I'm afraid it is a final decision for this year. We can't consider you for Regular Decision. However, if your heart is set on Carolina, there's always the option of transferring after a year or two at another school.

Why did you deny me?
There is never a simple answer to this question because our review is holistic. We don't deny any student on the basis of a single number or a single grade, but instead we consider everything we know about a student. We review your application multiple times and ultimately we just have to make a lot of hard decisions. We just don't have space for all the talented students who apply.

Please let me know what other questions you have.