1) Your essays didn't show your voice

As the Admissions Essay Guru, I focus on making sure every student finds their unique stories. One of the most common mistakes is too much parent interference so the essay ends up sounding like a bland cover letter instead of a creative exercise in the student's voice. The essay is really the first chance the admissions officers get to meet you, so make it sound like the way you naturally speak. Don't shy away from humor or self-deprecation if you're naturally the class clown, for example. I recommend journaling to find your voice and once you figure it out, stick to it.

2) Your essays weren't specific to the college

The supplemental "why this college" essays are sometimes considered more important than the Common App essay. Many colleges factor "demonstrated interest" into their acceptance decisions and this means your passion for each  college needs to jump off the page in these "why this college" essays. If you included generic references that apply to any college (high ranking or great academics, for example) without naming specific professors or other aspects unique to the college you're applying for, that's a red flag. Colleges can tell if you copy and paste the same essay but just change the name of the school.

One way to make your supplements unique is to tailor your notes from campus visits. Even if you didn’t have a chance to visit every school on your list, sit down and ask yourself these questions about the college. There’s a ton of other research that you can do to be as accurate and as detailed as you can to prove that you’re the right fit.

3) There were too many similar applicants

At the end of the day, admissions officers are looking for a diverse student campus and only have 12 minutes per application. They can't accept all of the qualified pre-med majors, even if they happen to have the higher scores. Colleges want a well-rounded campus that includes enough students with a diversity of intellectual interests (they need people in both their comp sci classes and literature seminars), so that means choosing a less popular major can actually help your admissions odds. Colleges also want to make sure there are enough students to support their athletics teams, orchestras, theater productions, and other extracurriculars that make up a college community. Finally, admissions officers want to encourage a diversity of thought from different states, cultures, races, political viewpoints, and religions.