In this episode of The College Checklist Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Shirag Shemmassian regarding under what circumstances a college rejection letter can be successfully appealed and how to do it. Shirag also provides information on some of the reasons students are not accepted as well as the reasons why a student should not appeal a rejection letter. Having successfully appealed his own rejection letter from UCLA, Shirag is able to share with us from his own experience how to best appeal rejection from college. This Week’s Sponsor: SABRE Personal Safety Equipment Did you know that 1 in 5 women is sexually assaulted on her college campus? SABRE is the #1 safety brand that is trusted by police and consumers worldwide. SABRE specializes in personal safety equipment such as pepper spray and pepper gel, and also offers standalone alarms for dorm rooms and apartments, as well as safety education with its Personal Safety Academy. Use the code HIGHERSCORES to get a 20% discount code on all SABRE products. For less than $15, you can have peace of mind for your college student’s safety. To learn more, visit SABRE’s website today. Listen Now: How To Appeal A College Rejection Letter Subscribe to the College Checklist Podcast About Shirag Shemmassian Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting, through which he helps students get into their top-choice colleges. Shirag received his Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and his Ph.D. from UCLA’s top-ranked clinical psychology program. Moreover, he graduated from both schools debt-free. Show Notes Resources Mentioned Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with Shirag: shemmassianconsulting.com/collegechecklist Quotable Quotes “Schools get many more applications from great students than they can accept, so it is a supply and demand issue.” “It is a mistake for students to take on everything in high school rather than develop a unique profile.” “There are 3 ways you could write a successful appeal: you achieved something significant since you applied, you achieved a significantly higher ACT or SAT score since applying, or you left out of your application a significant experience or hardship about yourself.” Lightning Round Q & A Q1: What’s your best piece of advice for families as they begin this journey? A1: Believe that it is possible to get in to your dream school. You will then do all that is necessary to get in. Q2: What is your favorite college admissions book, blog, or tool that no family should be without? A2: shemmassianconsulting.com & Escape Essay Hell by Janine Robinson* Q3: What should a family who is overwhelmed by the college admissions process focus on? A3: Focus on the things you do best and seek expert advice elsewhere. Q4: What are your all-time favorite books? A4: How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale...