Dear College,

Thank you for taking the time to review my application. After an intense few seconds of reading the essays that I spent countless months on, I am certain that you carefully considered all applicants in this competitive round of admissions. I have the confidence that all aspects of our applications were thoroughly examined, especially our household incomes and legacy statuses. 

I regret to inform you that I am unable to offer you a position as a school I wish to attend. This was an extremely difficult decision to make. This year I received a record number of rejection letters, and I can only mentally cope with just so many. The admissions committee—comprised of me, myself, and I—humbly reject you before you can reject me. 

I recognize that this message might come as a disappointment to you. Please understand that this is most definitely a reflection of you as an institution. Your lack of diversity, freakishly high tuition, and stressful academic environment deem you unworthy of my attendance. 

If you are still interested in having me as a student in the future, I discourage you from expecting a transfer application from me anytime soon. An institution that views the B’s on my report card as my lack of hard work, that dismisses the vulnerability I poured in my personal statement, and places a numerical value on me through the scores and statistics I generate: you are nowhere near a qualified candidate for my consideration. 

Thank you for your interest in me as a student. Best wishes as you continue contributing to a rigged system that I refuse to let affect my self-worth.

Sincerely, 

Becky Chen

Happy April Fools’ Day!

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