Boarding School Decisions: Waitlisted or Rejected? What’s the Next Step?

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Boarding school decisions are out!  As expected, my firm is receiving continuous inquires to engage us (phone calls and emails) from stunned and stressed-out parents because their children are wait-listed and rejected!  In some cases, their children have been wait-listed/rejected from ALL schools to which they applied.

All the parents are disappointed, unhappy and anxious because they are aware of the superior education at top boarding schools and that these schools are stepping stones to the Ivy League colleges and universities.

If your child was outright REJECTED the next step is to either settle for public school or reapply next year. If your child is WAIT-LISTED (which means “although we love your child, we don’t have spot available today, tomorrow or perhaps never”), you may wish to simply wait and see what will happen or reapply next year.  Waitlists may be active for just the notification period that a school is enrolling students, or it may continue to be active through the spring and sometimes into the summer. In both cases, you may wish to retain the services of an admissions expert who understands the changing waitlist policies for schools and the off-waitlist as well as reapplication process and nuances because of the hyper-competitive nature of the Ten Schools and other top-tier boarding schools.

Successful boarding school admissions requires expertise and experience to understand how to manage risks, navigate pitfalls, design the right admissions strategies, and most importantly understand the admissions policies and professionals who are making admissions decisions – in other words an admissions expert!

Do you really want to risk mistakes or make the same mistake twice?

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We find that many parents underestimate the risk of failure and over estimate the chances of success based on what they believe. This is not the time to take chances – it’s your child’s future!

When parents call our firm to inquire about our services the first thing they ask is what is your price?  Your fees?

It’s amazing that 95% of parents who are willing to spend $240,000 or more over 4 years on private (boarding) high school education for their children waste time attempting to haggle fees for an exclusive advisory service that will will increase the chances of that education!  I have discovered that parents who are shopping for services based on price, have already made the decision to not invest in expert advice that will help their children.  They ultimately end up saving $240,000 in private high school tuition (their child attends public school) or worse pay $240,000 for a third-tier school education. Our market is specifically the 5%, parents who hire us and their children get into top schools! 

Parents who choose to work with Dr. Lowe invest in the children’s educational future!

Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director and lead admissions expert at Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group’s  Boarding School Admissions Consultants, an affiliate of Private School Admissions Advisors.  Dr. Lowe specializes in providing exclusive concierge-type admissions advisory services for U.S. and international students who are interested in applying to top U.S. boarding schools.  Dr. Lowe helps U.S. and international students gain admissions into top U.S. boarding schools even after they have been wait-listed and rejected.  Dr. Lowe and his team of admissions advisors also visit prestigious and elite private schools, where they have the unique opportunity of interacting one-on-one with heads of schools, directors of admissions and senior admissions personnel.   

30 Celebrities Who Are Ivy League Graduates – Undergrad

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Have you ever imagined which celebrities attended Ivy Leagues as undergraduates and graduated?

They studied hard (aced their courses), took AP exams and SATs, participated in extracurricular activities and applied Early Decision or Regular Decision. There applications were reviewed by admissions committees and they accepted! And some have graduated summa or magna cum laude!

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Here is a list of 30 celebrities who are Ivy League graduates (undergraduate):

  1. Elizabeth Banks (Penn)
  2. Angela Bassett (Yale)
  3. Julie Bowen (Brown)
  4. Connie Britton (Dartmouth)
  5. Dean Cain (Princeton)
  6. Anderson Cooper (Yale)
  7. David Duchovny (Princeton)
  8. Jodie Foster (Yale)
  9. Maggie Gyllenhaal (Columbia)
  10. Ed Harris (Columbia)
  11. Rashid Jones (Harvard)
  12. Colin Jost (Harvard)
  13. Ashley Judd (Harvard)
  14. Mindy Kaling (Dartmouth)
  15. Ellie Kemper (Princeton)
  16. John Krasinski (Brown)
  17. John Legend (Penn)
  18. Wentworth Miller (Penn)
  19. Edward Norton (Yale)
  20. B.J. Novak (Harvard)
  21. Bill Nye (Cornell)
  22. Conan O’Brien (Harvard)
  23. Natalie Portman (Harvard)
  24. Shonda Rhimes (Dartmouth)
  25. Tracee Ellis Ross (Brown)
  26. Brooke Shields (Princeton)
  27. Jenny Slate (Columbia)
  28. Julia Stiles (Columbia)
  29. Aisha Tyles (Dartmouth)
  30. Emma Watson (Brown)

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.  

Regular Decision Notification Dates: 2022

Based on our research and discussions with directors/deans of admissions and admissions officers, regular decision applicants (for the 2021-2022 admissions season) will be receiving their decision notifications in March and early April and it will be another highly competitive year!

Here are regular decision notification dates (and approximate times) for Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities:

  • Barnard College:  Late March 2022
  • Boston College:  Late March 2022
  • Boston University: April 2022
  • Brown University:  Late March 2022
  • Bucknell University:  April 1, 2022
  • California Institute of Technology: Mid-March 2022
  • Carnegie Mellon University:  April 1, 2022
  • Colgate University: Mid-March 2022
  • Columbia University:  Late March 2022
  • Cornell University:  Late March 2022
  • Dartmouth College:  Late March 2022
  • Duke University:  Late March 2022
  • Georgetown University:  April 1, 2022
  • Georgia Institute of Technology:  Late March 2022
  • Hamilton College:  Late March 2022
  • Harvard University:  Late March 2022
  • Johns Hopkins University:  Late March 2022
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology:  Mid-March 2022
  • New York University:  Late March 2022
  • Northwestern University: Late March 2022
  • Princeton University: Late March 2022
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: March 12, 2022
  • Stanford University:  Early April 2022
  • Swarthmore College: Late March 2022
  • Tufts University:  April 1, 2022
  • University of Chicago:  Mid-March 2022
  • University of Michigan: Early April 2022
  • University of Notre Dame:  Late March 2022
  • University of Pennsylvania:  Late March 2022
  • University of Virginia:  April 1, 2022
  • Vanderbilt University:  April 1, 2022
  • Vassar College:  April 5, 2022
  • Villanova University:  April 1, 2022
  • Wesleyan University:  Late March 2022
  • Yale University:  Late March 2022

WHAT CAN YOU DO? For seniors, if you are rejected, you may want to begin to consider transferring (College Transfer Admissions Advisors). For current juniors, you may need to consider hiring an admissions expert who specializes in Ivy League admissions (Ivy League Admissions Advisors). Year after year, our clients are accepted to Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities and BS/MD programs because they recognize the importance and the value that we add to their student profile. We are DIFFERENT and that makes us the BEST!

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Please bookmark this blog. We will update decision dates as soon as we hear from schools!


“Being different and understanding differences allow me to help our clients stand out and be accepted!” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Parents hire us because they choose to pay an admissions expert who will help them avoid making mistakes.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

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Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.  

Private Day School Admissions: Waitlisted

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It’s that time of year when private day school admissions results are being released!  Our offices are receiving calls and emails from disappointed parents who are receiving waitlist results.

If your child was WAIT-LISTED, this means that “we love your child, but we don’t have spot available today, tomorrow or perhaps NEVER.

From my observation, there are six crucial potential missteps during the private school application process: (1) Parents From my observations, there are six crucial potential missteps during the private school application process: (1) Parents assume that it’s all about connections.  (2) Parents and students don’t prepare enough for the interviews.  (3) Parents start too late in the admissions planning process.  (4) Parents assume that their skill sets and/or titles give them an admissions edge.  (5) Parents and students listen to well-intentioned but incorrect or outdated advice from chat rooms, online communities and friends.  (6) Parents make the mistake of retaining an inexperienced educational consultant who is not versed in the admissions policies, diplomacy and evolving or nuanced educational missions of top private day schools.

What’s my recommendation: You should now hire an expert who understands the OFF-WAITLIST process as well as the REAPPLICATION process.  It’s important to know, especially for top and elite day schools, that admissions officers review all the data, appreciate transparency and are experts in their fields.  We help our clients to advance from waitlist to admission, or if necessary, to reapply to schools. It’s our strategic and proprietary two-tier approach.

When I work with my clients, I help my clients avoid the irrevocable mistakes that cause rejections or being placed on the “permanent” waitlist or as one parent who called me referred to it as: “being gently rejected”.


Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director and lead admissions expert at Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group’s  Boarding School Admissions Consultants, an affiliate of Private School Admissions Advisors.  Dr. Lowe specializes in providing exclusive concierge-type admissions advisory services for U.S. and international students who are interested in applying to top U.S. boarding schools.  Dr. Lowe helps U.S. and international students gain admissions into top U.S. boarding schools even after they have been wait-listed and rejected.  Dr. Lowe and his team of admissions advisors also visit prestigious and elite private schools, where they have the unique opportunity of interacting one-on-one with heads of schools, directors of admissions and senior admissions personnel.   

What Makes Us Different and Successful – Knowledge

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A common question I am often asked by parents, other educational consultants and even high school college counselors is: What makes our admissions advisory firm different than all the rest?  My explanation is long.  However, the part of the answer that really raises eyebrows pertains to our ability to thoroughly understand our clients in order to refine their personal brand and develop their WOW-Factor so that they can stand out and be accepted to their first-choice private school, boarding school, college and BS/MD program.  Of course, early planning and goal-setting are essential for ultimate success

Now, how do we successfully do this? My team and our unbelievable network of talent including The network brings Now how do we successfully do this? My team and our global network of talent including elocutionists, actors, writers, musicians, ethnomusicologists, historians, psychologists, alumni, educators, risk managers, economists, professors, physicians, scientists, linguists, anthropologists, attorneys, essayists, technologists, admissions professionals, analysts, student-interns and librarians bring collaborative and diverse thought, insight, foresight, perspectives and most importantly KNOWLEDGE.

As we uncover the previously overlooked characteristics or accomplishments of our clients, the intellectual support of our comprehensive knowledge network helps to enhance their qualities, achievements and personal brand.  That may seem like a lot of talent for just getting admitted to the best educational institution, but to my firm and especially to my clients, it’s definitely worth it!

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Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.  

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BS/MD Interviews – The Final Rung

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Once a BS/MD applicant is accepted to the undergraduate and the preselection phase (in some cases through being invited to the medical school essay – (RPI/Albany Med) they have now entered what we call the finals of BS/MD admissions – the interview process.   Interviews are now virtual and it’s a totally a new game. Interviews are designed to assess communication skills, specifically verbal and non-verbal skills that cannot be measured by standardized exams, resumes, transcripts or letter of recommendations.

Being invited to an interview means that you are a great applicant (on paper), but you now have to convince the admissions committee that they should choose you! Competencies like oral communication, social nd non-verbal skills, body language and teamwork cannot be measured by standardized tests, transcripts and 2-page resumes.

Since each student is unique there is no boilerplate way to prepare for the interview.  You can review questions on the web, read books and even talk with friends, but unfortunately in this final round these all will be unhelpful. From our knowledge network, we know what schools are primarily seeking in future doctors.  Why do we say future doctors?  Because that’s what this interview is all about.

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“Students unconsciously telegraph their expressions and feelings in an interview. Within non-verbal communication, our body movements show our true thoughts and feelings. Admissions officers/interviewers can read you more skillfully than you believe you can read them. One incorrect word, one incorrect phrase, one misinterpreted expression, and it’s over – you are rejected.” – Dr. Lowe

I have discovered that even top students do not realize that etiquette, manners and body language matter in the finals. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it, the etiquette and manners involved, and your personal delivery. Sometimes what you say and how you say it may be misinterpreted. We help our clients with the proper etiquette, manners and body language to surmount the final rung of the BS/MD process.  Dr. Lowe and his team provide BS/MD Admissions Interview Preparation Sessions to help you stand out and become a finalist!

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Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group network. He and his team of admissions advisors, through the admissions affiliate, BS/MD Admissions Advisors, help high school students get accepted to BS/MD programs.  Many of Dr. Lowe’s BS/MD Admissions clients are international students who want to attend medical school from high school and then enter U.S. medical residency sub-specialties.

Our BS/MD Admissions practice is specialized: Dr. Lowe and his team only work with parents who understand that the BS/MD admissions process is competitive, who desire help from an admissions expert and who see the value and investment in paying for expert advice through a detailed and ongoing comprehensive admissions advisory service for their child’s dream of becoming a doctor.  He also specializes in helping international students in the BS/MD process. Parents who chose to use our services want to call their son or daughter – “Doctor” when they are seniors in high school.

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WE ARE THE BEST!: We embrace Empirical Analytics by using data science, technology, client-case studies, campus-expert panels, our specialized knowledge and insight, and over 23 years of experience to answer questions, navigate challenges, predict outcomes, and to help our clients make informed decisions that provide results-based admissions success.

College Admissions: Now Is the Time To Consider Transferring

In our practice, we are increasingly seeing students who are making the decision to transfer while in their freshman and sophomore years.  Here are some of the main reasons I see why students decide to transfer:

  • They are unhappy:  Why remain in an environment for four years where you will be unhappy and miserable – and pay tuition, room and board that will cost you (or your parents) $200,000 – $250,000.
  • Fresh start:  From time to time, a student may have faced unexpected challenges and they desire a new college environment.
  • Institutional prestige:  You may be attending your safety school and you want a second chance for your preferred school or you were discouraged from applying to your dream school.  In any case, you desire what we call an UPGRADE.
  • Pre-graduate school preparation:  Your current college may not have a strong pre-law, pre-med or pre-business program needed for graduate school admissions preparation or employment.
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College Transfer: Time to UPGRADE to a different college!

Whatever the reason for transferring, the bottom line is that you need to develop an effective action plan to transfer. Consider seeking professional, expert advice:  Why?  In my professional experience, I find that prospective transfer students need to develop individualized, effective transfer plans and implement them.  As a transfer student, you no longer have the assistance of your public high school or private high school college counselor.  You will need an educational consultant who specializes in college transfer admissions.  You’re basically on your own in the transfer process that is even more competitive than when you applied to college the first time!


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Dr. Paul Lowe, Admissions Expert

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.  

Dr. Paul Lowe Named Official Admissions Expert

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Dr. Paul Lowe has been named the official admissions expert of Party with Moms, a digital media company celebrating and serving thousands of discerning mothers through relevant content. Each week, a different mom tells her story: entrepreneurs, bankers, authors, artists, marketers, doctors, lawyers, decorators and even some celebrities — ALL are MOMS, first and foremost.  PWM offers a parenting column, an early childhood column, a mindful parenting column and a college and private school admissions blog. 

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private/boarding schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   

Dr. Lowe and his team embraces Empirical Analytics by using data science, technology, client-case studies, campus-expert panels, their specialized knowledge and insight, and over 23 years of experience to answer questions, navigate challenges, predict outcomes to help their clients make informed decisions that provide results-based admissions success. 

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No other admissions consulting firm, with their team make up, has the historical, experiential and cultural perspectives that allow their clients to consistently win at the admissions game.


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BS/MD Admissions Program for Middle School Students

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Middle school is the perfect time to start college and BS/MD program planning! Starting the process before high school, gives parents (and students) more time to prepare for the competitive admissions process

Acceptance into BS/MD programs has become more difficult as more students apply and some programs are closing. It’s essential that parents develop pre-high school plans.

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We provide a 3-month enrichment program for parents of middle schoolers (grades 7 and 8) who wish to develop effective college admissions plans prior to their children entering high school. The program includes:

  • Personal Middle-School Comprehensive Assessment & Review.
  • Pre-high school student profile development.
  • High school course curriculum planning.
  • Extracurricular activity planning for high school.
  • Develop plans for possible leadership, research, internship and shadowing opportunities
  • Overview of current BS/MD & Ivy League admissions and current trends.
  • College admissions strategy prior to entering high school.
  • WOW Factor planning prior to entering high school.
  • Parents work directly with Dr. Paul Lowe, M.D., physician-scientist and admissions expert.

Our program helps seventh and eighth grade students prepare for high school before it starts! Remember, once you start high school, courses, grades and activities appear on the college application. You need to correctly plan to navigate the admissions process and avoid making irrevocable mistakes while your child is in middle school.

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Pre-high school planning is essential!

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“Valuable and trusted advice is needed to avoid mistakes” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group network. He and his team of admissions advisors, through the admissions affiliate, BS/MD Admissions Advisors, help high school students get accepted to BS/MD programs.  Many of Dr. Lowe’s BS/MD Admissions clients are international students who want to attend medical school from high school and then enter U.S. medical residency sub-specialties.

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Our BS/MD Admissions practice is specialized: Dr. Lowe and his team only work with parents who understand that the BS/MD admissions process is competitive, who desire help from an admissions expert and who see the value and investment in paying for expert advice through a detailed and ongoing comprehensive admissions advisory service for their child’s dream of becoming a doctor.  He also specializes in helping international students in the BS/MD process. Parents who chose to use our services want to call their son or daughter – “Doctor” when they are seniors in high school.

College Application Decision: Deferred? Now What?

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High School Seniors have received their College Admissions Early Decision/Early Action results.  The results are producing a mixture of palpable emotions.  While some happy students settle in for the holidays with their acceptance letters in hand, others will be disappointed and distressed in discovering that they have been deferred to the regular decision pool by the college or university.  For those who are deferred, their applications will be re-considered along with the thousands of Regular Decision applicants.  In the Regular Decision pool, the selection process becomes even more competitive and selective..

With only a few weeks left in the application season, I recommend that students scrupulously reevaluate their deferred early decision/early action application and carefully plan a workable strategy in this crunch-time.  You may need to hire an educational consultant who is an expert in post-decision admissions advising. Our team begins to implement a Post-Decision Strategy right away that will continue through regular decision.

For parents who engage our services after the news of deferral, I discover what the student did to be deferred, build upon their current student profile and accomplishments and re-energize their application so that they are removed from the deferred list and placed on the accepted list.

The worst thing a student can do is nothing.  What to do next? Now is the time to evaluate and successfully complete the admissions process by looking at your child through a professional lens. The worst thing parents can do is to try this post-decision process on their own.

Through our Knowledge Network, we know that between 5% – 10% of students who are deferred admissions are accepted to the same college Regular Decision. Those are pretty high odds! Based on our experience and 23-years track record of success, 90% of students who approach us and retain us before January 1, after being deferred are admitted Regular Decision. 

This is the type of letter you want to receive!
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This is how you would like to feel!

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Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.