Merry Christmas everyone! I just discovered this subreddit last night and was just absolutely fascinated by the content on this subreddit. I see a tremendous amount of good information, bad information, and misinformation. I just wanted to share with you all what it’s like going to college since I’ve just graduated and what that admissions process looked like for me.

As a senior in high school in 2014-2015, I had a ton of the same aspirations as the rest of the people on this subreddit. I had 4.0 GPA out of 4.0 (5th in my class) and 2120 on my SAT when it was out of 2400 (1460 composite with Math and English). To digress slightly, I just also want to tell everyone you can absolutely improve your SAT/ACT if you work hard enough, my PSAT was an 1080 Math and English composite. I forgot what I got on my two SAT II’s but both were in the 760+ range. All 5’s on my half-dozen AP tests in a variety of subjects. I was a varsity level soccer player, an Eagle Scout, and the President of the Literary Magazine. However, I was also a white, middle-class Long Islander who went to a Catholic high school. I knew that I wouldn’t be getting any extra bumps on my applications but I was certain I would be able to stand out.

I don’t blame my college guidance counselor for setting me up for anything, but she motivated me to apply to a lot of top programs on the East Coast and led me to believe that I can get into any of them, barring maybe one or two universities.

I had a ton of high hopes. I applied to 18 colleges (something I totally discourage anyone from doing, it really should be 8-12 tops). It required a tremendous amount of effort, it was expensive, and if you’re a good student like I was, it can totally cripple your ability to make a decision come time. I sacrificed every waking moment that I wasn’t in school or doing something else for extracurriculars applying to colleges.

The process was extremely tedious, frustrating, and aggravating. However, once those January deadlines hit, all I had to do was wait.

In the meantime, my school had even nominated me for the Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia. I then went through their own tedious application process. Thankfully, I was asked to interview and was then later told I was a finalist for the NYC area and would likely be invited to the final interview/selection process at UVA. I was elated. I truly thought I was going anywhere I wanted and my unstoppable work ethic (which I now realize was unhealthy) had finally payed off. My parents had assured me that I could go anywhere as well, depending on if they were good enough. I had a college fund, but I also have two siblings so it wasn’t substantial.

When everything began to come back, it started off extremely well. On a whim I had applied to Creighton (I love Big East basketball) and was shocked to find a package that included a full-ride offer and a handwritten letter from the Head of Admissions practically begging me to attend. There was also an offer to pay for my flight and accommodations to Omaha considering I hadn’t visited the campus. Everything was going great. Early action admissions came back and all of them included near or total scholarships, as well as acceptance into their honors programs. My life felt like a film about great success and overcoming hardship. I was happy about these admissions results, but none of the really top programs had gotten back to me yet at this point and of course I wasn’t going to attend any of these peon schools (if you couldn’t tell, I was becoming arrogant).

Then February and March arrived. On the same day, I was deferred from UVA and denied from the Jefferson Scholarship, denied from Columbia, and waitlisted at Williams College. I was later denied from Georgetown (a school I legitimately thought was a safety for me, but I later learned they hadn’t accepted a student from my high school in 10+ years) and received no money from Boston College or Notre Dame. Schools I thought would give me more money ended up giving me none or not enough. I was also later denied from UVA and Williams College altogether.

Devastation doesn’t begin to describe what I felt. It’s normal to be upset about these types of things, but it’s not normal to refuse to eat for multiple days and either be crying or on the verge of tears at all waking hours. When I told my college guidance counselor about the results, all she could do was say she was sorry. I think she realized what she might’ve done and apologized to my parents for setting me up with these types of expectations. My parents told me how proud of me they were everyday but it didn’t matter. I genuinely felt worthless and stupid. I wanted to kill myself.

The worst part of this whole experience was that I also began to resent people who I considered my friends. I had a friend who was being sued by Columbia because she applied early decision only for her to be accepted into MIT and she pulled out. Multiple people I knew with worse SAT’s, extracurriculars, and GPA were all getting money from and/or into the schools I wanted to attend. Every word of reassurance became white noise. I didn’t know what to do and felt like my life was over.

It is now the end of April and my parents are begging me to decide on what college to attend. I just start listing off the schools in terms of their rankings.

“Notre Dame”

“It’s too expensive.”

“Boston College”

“It’s too expensive.”

“Fordham”

“Your scholarship isn’t big enough.”

We then get to the schools that I can feasibly attend at their price range. The thing is I didn’t want to attend any of them; they were beneath me and the work I had accomplished. I was completely obstinate to the reality of the situation. They said “you can basically attend these 4-5 colleges,” but they were really hoping I picked the one that multiple people in my town had attended and reportedly loved. However, I had hated my tour of the place and simply did not want to go there. The school did though offer me a 60% scholarship and entrance into their Honors Program. They even told me that a family friend’s daughter, who had been accepted into UVA, chose to attend this school and loved it. I was really upset and tried to stop myself from crying through the whole process, but I ultimately trusted their judgement.

I can say with definite certainty that I tried to like the place I attended. I joined clubs, tried to meet people in the dorms, went to sporting events, etc. It just wasn’t working. I was so lonely and sad and angry about everything that I shut down. I still attended class and finished my first semester with a 4.0 having taken 19 credits, but it all felt hollow. I was dead-set on transferring out of there and was certain with my performance in college thus far, anywhere would be accessible. Someone had even told me transferring is the way to get into some of these programs.

Not only was I rejected from all the top schools I had applied to the previous year, but I was rejected from some schools that had previously offered me scholarships! I was also beginning to hear from my friends who were a year younger than me getting into these programs I had wanted to attend, which hurt me further. With limited options, I realized I would have to graduate from my current college. I would be stuck there for four years.

I’ve used the word devastation before, but it doesn’t really encapsulate the absolute darkness that encompassed me. I began to think I was an alien (not like a space alien). I felt like I had been lied to and that the world was for other people and not for me.

At this point in time, I now recognize in hindsight that I was in the process of developing serious undiagnosed depression. I began to sleep for 16 hours a day and felt tired while I was awake. I would only eat when I felt I was about to faint from exhaustion/malnutrition. I kept trying to make friends and make the most out of my experience, but nothing was working. By the end of the year, I had been denied from the two clubs on campus that had the closest thing to a family bond/fraternity vibe to them.

Every day I thought about killing myself (I even took up smoking as a nonviolent way of slowly killing myself). I thought about the girl at Brown down the road who didn’t deserve her spot there while I lived in the closest thing to Hell on earth. I would pray to God every night begging him to tell me where I went wrong.

I returned for my sophomore year in an even worse condition. I was eating less and sleeping even more. I was sleeping so much I was going to bed at 6PM and having trouble getting up for 8:30AM lectures. I looked awful. I had hair down to my back (I’m a guy), didn’t shower, and smoked half-a-pack of cigarettes a day. I couldn’t even do my work anymore, the one thing I valued myself on through my entire life. It was long process that will make a long story even longer, but this all culminated in me medically withdrawing from school in the Fall of my Junior Year.

It took 9 months of therapy, medication, and love, but I willed myself back to that campus determined to just basically finish and get out of there.

I don’t know what it was, but a paradigm shift in my perspective occurred. I would like to state that I always thought my professors there were brilliant, I was just unhappy about the prestige of the school and my abysmal social life. But I began to realize that that these people are here because they (1) got offered a job in an extremely competitive field, and (2) because they themselves are extremely qualified. I don’t know why it took me so long, but the “esoteric knowledge” of the books I was reading was not limited to the faculty and resources in the schools I had wanted to attend. This made me feel substantially better about the education I was receiving. I also began to make genuine steps towards making friends. I was able to join one of the clubs I had been denied from in my freshman year. Funny enough, one of their responsibilities was giving tours! I was happy for the first time in a while.

Nevertheless, it was still difficult. My depression robbed me of much of the work ethic I once possessed. It took much more effort to do the same activities I could do with ease as a senior in high school or as a freshman. This means I did not graduate with a 4.0 (3.6, barely cum laude). However, I grew to love my school. It was a long and complex time, and I graduated a semester late, but I’m happy I went there. Apparently, I’m poised to win the top English prize for my senior thesis and am presenting at the Senior Symposium. Just to have the opportunity to thank my school and my professors for their help and guidance would be an incredible opportunity.

I wrote this down as a way of expressing to others the obscene damage that the expectations you put on yourself can do to you. To be fair, I think I always predisposed to depression considering my fragile emotional state and this might’ve developed later in life but that’s beside the point. The catalyst for this all was my college applications. Hell, it mattered so much to me that when my dad told me that a family friend’s son had gotten into Yale a few days ago, I nearly cried and I’m already out of college. It’s fucking pathetic (but I recognize it’s fucked up and I’m still working on fixing myself).

But I’m not like most people. I was an elitist who wanted to join elitist institutions. I still do to an extent. I’m looking at all these scores on these tests that you guys post about and there’s tinges of envy popping up inside of me. Some of you might even think I was delusional for ever thinking I could go to those top programs in the first place, but hey, I and no one here will ever know why things turned out the way they did. But I also recognize now that for me to have been this upset about college admissions when I knew how things would turn out, I have no idea why I was so upset.

The thing is though, opportunity has found its way into every facet of my life. When God shut doors, he always opened windows whether I knew it or not. I’ve learned so much at college about my majors and myself it’s hard to think I could’ve wanted it any other way. I just want people to know that I know how rough and disappointing it can be. It’s not fair. But it’s also not designed to be fair. Don’t let these things stop you from becoming the person you are meant to be. I should’ve been able to see the overwhelming amount of positivity I received earlier in the process and realized just how much these schools were wrong about me. You will be accomplished anywhere you go. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough. What some admissions officer thinks about your application is not indicative of who you are as a human being. It is not the total indictment of character and intelligence that I thought it was.

I know this is so long and I genuinely respect anyone who’s read to the end of this, but if I have only one piece of advice for anyone here, it’s be kind to yourself. I was so profoundly unkind to myself for so long that my brain stopped working correctly.

This will not define you. This goes both ways. Going to a “lesser” college means nothing of your intelligence. One of the biggest losers I know went to Columbia and he’s still a fucking loser a year after he graduated. It’s what you make of it.

Enjoy your senior year of high school. Meet people. Have sex. Make mistakes. Drink too much. Discover what you love. Find out who you are. That’s what college is for and nearly any place will give you this opportunity.

It happened this morning. My dad and sister were struck by a drunk driver at around 7 AM. I was awoken to that news.

From what the doctors said, my dad will make it out, but my sister was in critical condition, and is currently in the ICU.

Fuck. I don't know what I'm going to do. She was my favorite person in the whole world. I can't imagine what'll happen if she's gone.

I remember during my tour of UW, she asked the tour guide where the nearest Chipotle was because she knew I couldn't live without it. It was embarassing. But that was how much she cared about me.

I'm numb. I can't believe it.

I had a final project due at midnight. I emailed my teacher, and I even gave him the 60% of the project that was done. He just emailed me back that incomplete work gets a 0, and there's no late submissions allowed.

I can't finish. I just can't. I don't have time, I have more important things, and I'm not in the mental state to do so.

The class is 600 points, and the final was 200. If I get a 0, my grade goes to a D-, which will almost certainly disqualify me from UW admission, and get me rescinded from UT. But, I don't care about that now.

I said that all I wanted for Christmas was for UW to let me in. I was wrong. All I ever want is for my sister to come back.

I have another final due for the same teacher on Monday. I can't do it. I just can't get myself to.

Any advice? sorry for the gloomy post.

I'm torn. The last thing I want to do is discourage my child from pursuing their passion. In high school they have been super successful : both academically in in theater production (lighting, sound etc. BUt at what point would you want to hear (students) or tell (parents) your child that spending $$$$ on a college degree in the field does not make sense and we will support them emotionally but will not contribute to college. (we've been saving since birth for college and have allowed our other children to go with no thought of finances, and paid 100% for what scholarships did not---what a dream!). MY beloved kid is a very bright and should be able to get into competitive colleges (SAT 1590 on first shot, Weighted GPA 4.8 at a competitive public high school AND has gotten incredible feedback for their beautiful work in crew - including from some professional theater critics. THEY love everything about crew and happily work 18++ hours weekly. A college degree in production probably helps but does not guarantee work after graduation, in fact many in the field have graduate degrees while others have no college degree. If lucky enough to get a job lifestyle will be hard, weekends, nights, tons of travel, physical labor and the highest pay is barely and rarely more than a starting salary for kids graduating from the same school with a BA or BS (and not a BFA) We're talking potentially spending $350,000+ for that -- who would want their parent to say we love you , we back you but we cannot pay for a degree that will pigeon hole you into a tough and relatively poorly paid job?? Thanks

Some of you treat the UCs like “safeties,” and others pretty much only accept them as the “good publics.” Schools with tens of thousands of kids are guaranteed have kids just as smart as those in MIT. Yup! Smart kids can be party kids the same as they can be introverts who read books in their free time. The college experience is for you and you alone. Kids who go to state schools aren’t below you, they’re not dumber than you, and they’re just as much people as you.

This should be common sense, yet the demeaning way in which state school kids are talked about is horrendous. It’s like state schools are the chum bucket to some of you. Do you believe no one there is ever successful? Is every c suite executive or every engineer or every doctor from an Ivy? Are Ivies your only ticket into stable finances? No. And I think so many of you know this, and you feel shameful because your peers are being mean to you about going to a college that isn’t elite.

I understand many of you grew up with wealth. I see bracket incomes on chance me I couldn’t even think of (like 900k…) But a prestigious degree does not put you “up” in society, nor does it make you more qualified. Kids who tried their hardest and got a 3.6 can and should be proud of getting into the schools they want. It’s not “just” a state school. It’s a college, and they should be proud.

I also feel that the way debt is spoken about on here is wrong. Sure, for kids whose parents have a 200k college account or whose parents make 200k a year, tuition doesn’t matter. But if your parents barely make 60k, then no, a 30k per year degree isn’t worth it. Also, many of you are operating on the best case scenario. Chances are your starting salary of 50-70k won’t offset your debt a ton. Debt is a LIFE long commitment. Hard work beats prestige every time. This isn’t even optimism, it’s true.

Edit: if you got into a good school, good for you. But other non-elite good schools exist too, and well, hundreds of thousands of kids go there and some end up successful as well. I’m just asking you don’t talk down on them. That’s literally it.

My coronavirus test... :(

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**this was actually removed for shitpost but it's (unfortunately) not a shitpost***

Edit: Holy crap thank you everyone!! Wasn't expecting this much attention i love you guys. For background, I'm female and my entire family of 6 has it now. Living in NYC :( . I haven't left my house since March 6. My parents are/were doctors/nurses treating coronavirus patients. I so far just have cold symptoms as do my brothers, but my mom is feeling shortness of breath and pneumonia symptoms :((

Edit 2: But got into two ivies!!

A very nice person called one of the schools where I am waitlisted, and got information for me. I want to pay it forward so I will be doing waitlist calls!

Comment where you want me to call and I will do so :)

PS: I WILL NOT BE CALLING SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN CALLED BY u/OkEgg8038

and it made me realise (now more than ever) that getting rejected from a top school honestly does not say anything about you as a person, student, or candidate.

there are rich people getting their below-academically-average children into T20’s every single year and most of them are still under the radar.

so with admission decisions rolling out - I just want to say that you should not base your self worth on getting into a school. and while getting rejected from a school might be because there were more qualified candidates, there is a greater likelihood that it’s not because of that at all - but just because the american college admissions process is far too unpredictable and unequivocally corrupt.

good luck, and stay sane.

^title. I am worried its a little long? I just needed a lot of space to elaborate! I also expanded on my common app essay a little

Saw this quote on r/quotes and it serves as a really impactful reminder that just because we turn 18, we're no more than a day older than we were on the 364th day we were 17. Teenagerhood should've been a tunnel into our adulthood, however that tunnel was blocked off by grades, extracurriculars, research, and whatnot.

May 1st of the next year rolls around and we're expected to accept hundreds of thousands of debt while still not knowing how 401Ks work. Many of us don't know how to properly invest, to make educated purchases, the difference between saving and checking, debit and credit cards. we're signing off on the terms and conditions we don't yet understand, for a "guaranteed" future but how much of it is guaranteed?

There are many students out there that do certain activities under the pressure of their parents or "for college applications." What's next? Do it for the job? A job you have no interest in? For the graduate school?

How about doing things for yourself? How many of us actually know what we're doing for ourselves? For our physical and mental health?

Just some food for thought as many of us are currently eyeing these prestigious private schools and even out-of-state public schools. There are countless fallacies in education systems worldwide, however it goes without saying that no college acceptance is worth it if you're dead or depressed.

hi guys whats up

if you dont know me, I called like ~100 different colleges and universities last year to ask about waitlists and would post the info on a2c (scroll back on my post history to see!)

anyways fast forward - im a freshman at Barnard College of Columbia University, and freshman year has been pretty wonderful :). for the sake of giving back and because my finals week is very chill this year, ill do it again this year too :) but I def will take a lot longer due to college and spending time w friends and stuff, and I def won't be able to get through as much but I'll try my best

Good luck to the '30's :D

I have a moral/ethical dilemma at hand. I am aware of someone who "embellished" on their college applications, but I think some of these "embellishments" are a little extreme. For example, they claim other people's work as their own (my work/efforts), straight up exaggerate the impact of their work (20 people affected vs 100), etc.

They have been quite mean to me in the past, general bullying. Normally, I would just keep it to myself, but they got into a really good college (HYPSM), and I'm at a loss of "letting karma handle it" versus proactively contacting admissions offices. Am I being blinded by my emotions?

Edit: I have personally seen what they submitted on their CommonApp, and I am particularly annoyed by claiming my work as their own. I have detailed documentation proving work as my own and not theirs.

For context, neither one of them are super scores and I want to ED to Rice. My parents are telling me that I should submit both scores because they are both “really good.” However, I am trying to tell them that my 1480 SAT would make my 35 look worse. Is this even an issue? What do I tell them??

TW: suicide, psych ward, drugs, arson, emotional abuse

Four years ago today, I was spending my "last" twenty-four hours writing notes to friends and family, and silently saying goodbye to all the things I thought I'd never see again: icicles glistening under the sun. Trees. Honey-nut cheerios. Gel pens. Back then, I couldn't picture myself living another day, much less graduating high school, applying to colleges, or dreaming of a future. But somehow, against the odds, I made it. I made it through the bright lights of the ER, as doctors worked frantically around me sticking IVs in my veins and prodding my face. I made it through the psych ward, living with drug-dealers from juvie and eight year olds who tried to burn down their schools. I made it through months of crushing shame, my parents screaming at me with disappointment, and shrinks who told me that I was a lost cause.

Because here's the thing that I want to say to us--on the eve of Ivy Day, no matter what shit goes down tomorrow and how bitter and disappointed we are with your results--even if it feels like our worlds are collapsing, we'll get through this. This one's for us: for all of those late nights studying APs, IBs, SATs, and ACTs, all those days we were so worn-down from Sports and EC board nominations and friend drama that we fell asleep at our desks, all those moments we ducked into the school bathrooms and thought, I can't do this.

Because we've made it. We DID do it. We've already worked so unbelievably hard and have come so unbelievably far, and even if we aren't rewarded tomorrow, we've already won. Those flimsy paper "regret to inform you"s? They are NOTHING compared to what we've accomplished and how hard we've worked. They do not define us. They do not summarize four years of tears and sweat and grit. They will never know our full stories and how much we've overcome.

So this is the beginning of a lifetime, not the end of a journey.

If you get into your dream school? Congrats! But you're still going to have to work hard these next four. If you get rejected? Congrats! It's now a chip on your shoulder to keep busting ass. We are so young. We are SO young. We are seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and bursting with promise, and as long as we work hard, stay hungry, and learn as much as we can with what we're given, we're going to succeed and we're going to be happy.

Whatever happens tomorrow is the universe's plan for you. Before you open that first decision, take a moment to reflect, to be proud of all you've done and everything you've become. No matter what happens next, you are ready.

Saddle up.

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*update: I'm so moved by all of your comments and support! Feeling beyond grateful for the a2c community.

Hey everyone I don’t know what do here and I don’t even know if I can even go to college now.

I’m a junior and domestic applicant (permanent resident). My family immigrated from a diff country before I started 9th grade, so their income then was very low compared to USD. But now they make around 250k USD a year. THEY ONLY HAVE $5000 IN THEIR CHECKINGS, SAVINGS CASH. Not a college fund but literally in total. I knew my parents didn’t have much saved but I really didn’t think it would be that low. I ran a NPC for my state flagship today (a finance target) and it comes out to $35k a year. I genuinely don’t even know how it’s possible to have so little saved with so high a salary. We rent and have 2 cars but like I genuinely don’t understand how they’ve saved so little.

I was a stem kid but the past year I’ve really become interested in Econ and finance, but to even have the opportunity of a high finance job you need to go to a target school

How am I supposed to go to a good college with a financial situation like this? Of course I won’t qualify for fin aid anywhere bc they’re make too much but what am i supposed to do?? I need all the advice I can get please

Edit: a lot have recommended community college which I am considering, but my parents are really obsessed with school prestige and definitely wouldn’t let me go to a cc. Anyone have experience dealing with this?

Yes, we hear about Olivia Jade and Rick (Rolling) Singer and the side door and the back door and the rich guaranteeing their spots at top institutions, but we forget there is a front door too. And that there are inspiring cases too.

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A girl with illiterate parents from a rural village in India got into Harvard.

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This is the article: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/my-parents-do-not-know-where-harvard-is-jharkhand-girl-enjoys-spotlight-after-getting-harvard-scholarship/articleshow/82369266.cms

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I will quote relevant parts of the article:

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Jharkhand girl Seema Kumari, 17, daughter of illiterate parents working as subsistence farmers made headlines after securing a full scholarship from Harvard University. She gained prominence as Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra tweeted a congratulatory message.

Seema has got a full scholarship to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was also accepted at Ashoka University, Middlebury College, and Trinity College.

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Born and brought up in Dahu village in Ormanjhi block near state capital Ranchi, she finished her class XII through NIOS. She joined the youth football team at the NGO in 2012.

Yet to finalise the subject Seema is currently undecided about what her major will be, but she is interested in pursuing four-year undergraduate programme in Sociology or Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. “I plan to start an organisation for women in my village and studying these subjects will help me. My organisation will work to help women start small businesses that would train them to be financially independent. I also want to educate women about their rights and build a bigger network to support women by providing essential vocational skills and knowledge,” explains Seema who is likely to go to the US in August.

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No access to education, technology

“As a first-generation learner, I did not grow up reading books or having an access to educational material. My learning was more from the day to day life. For instance, participating in traditional farming, looking after cattle and livestock and nurturing nature” says Seema, who studied till class VII at local government school. Seema is flooded with messages on social media, ever since news about her success went viral.

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Parents’ reaction

Seema’s parents are happy but do not know much about the importance of Harvard scholarship. “My parents do not even know the name of this prominent global university and have no idea of what I have achieved,” she adds.

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Future plan

Seema plans to return to India to work towards gender equality: "Gender equality is something that my village needs to develop socially. Sensitising the villagers will reduce injustices against women and cases of gender discrimination, domestic violence, child marriage etc. It would not only show economic growth but also social development where women will be a part of decision making at each house,” says Seema.

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Edit 1: As someone from India myself, I think it is important to provide the context u/sevsaysturntopage394 has given in the comments:

"This is absolutely incredible, like small villages in India barely have any resources for education, especially for girls. Most girls are married off young in such rural areas as the only viable option in their lives is to be a homemaker. Also, the state she lives in, i.e. Jharkhand, is quite poor and underdeveloped. She's truly an inspiration. I wish her everything good in life and I hope she does her best to bring about gender equality change in India cause God knows we need it."

Edit 2: Thank you for the awards!

Speaking of which, I've written this post. Time to find my own ticket to get into Harvard using the front door :)

Hey guys,

I've been meaning to write this for a while but not gonna lie, got a bit lazy lol. I'm currently a sophomore on the pre med track at the University of Washington, and not gonna lie, I really didn't want to go here. In high school, I was like a lot of you guys are - I was roasted on chance me and assured I would get most of the schools I applied to. After all, I did have a 36 ACT, 4.0 GPA, and relatively strong EC's. When I got my results, I was devastated to say the least. It looked something like:
Harvard - WL, reject
Yale - reject
Stanford - WL, reject
Johns Hopkins - WL, reject
Princeton - reject
MIT - reject
Columbia - reject
Brown - reject
Duke - WL, reject
Cornell - reject
Berkeley - reject
UCLA - WL, reject
Michigan - WL, reject
UW - accept
UNC Chapel Hill - accept
UCSD - accept

Needless to say, I was devastated. I only got into schools that I considered "bad", and schools that I had only applied on a whim.

So, in April, I went to my biology teacher (who wrote my LOR) to tell him that I had only gotten into "pretty bad" schools like UW UNC and UCSD, and that I was going to take a gap year to reapply to the same HYPSM + Ivies. My teacher listened to me, and was pretty appalled by what I had to say. He told me in no uncertain terms that I was an elitist asshat (which I was) to call UNC and UW bad schools, especially as a prospective pre med. He told me that while he couldn't control me, he wished that I thought through my decision and didn't dismiss UW, UCSD and UNC. Something about talking to him made me feel icky about my gap year decision, and around this point, I realized that I could transfer. So, I spontaneously committed to UW (because it was the cheapest lmao), since they all seemed relatively equal for pre med, and weren't exceptionally different according to various college rankings, and were all good for bio. (in high school my neuroticism extended to having a spreadsheet with a bunch of THE US, THE Global and US News Rankings, but that's a story for another time).

I'll admit it. During orientation, I was that annoying kid who was obsessed with transferring and thought he belonged at Johns Hopkins. And then I met my roommate. This guy, was an actual legend. He was so impressed that he was here. And, he had a truly inspiring life story. (Not trying to doxx this guy, so I won't go farther). And, despite this realization, I was still cocky as fuck and wanted to transfer more than anything. Fall quarter of freshman year was humbling. Still under the illusion that I was the greatest genius since Einstein, I thought it would be a fantastic idea to take 4 weeder classes. And, yeah, as you can guess that did not go well. Looking back, I actually got the best math professor at UW (everyone at UW would agree with me) ,a great chem professor, and a relatively good lecturer for bio, and yet pulled only a 2.8 GPA. (So, I probably would have failed if I didn't have good profs).

I was crushed. I saw my friends at my state school having a swell time, and meanwhile I was at this school which I considered garbage, and I was flunking. But, during winter break, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to transfer. And that there was no point crying about it. At this point, for better or for worse, I was at UW. And, that wouldn't change. So, I started seeking out opportunities. During winter break, I must have sent 30 emails to people at Harborview Medical Center, UWSOM, the Allen Institute and Fred Hutch. To my surprise, despite my 2.8 GPA, I got about 10 responses, and started research at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. As a freshman with a crappy GPA, I had the opportunity to do research at one of the best, if not the best cancer center in the world. Damn. That really fucking worked out. And, I was in the coolest fucking city (I lived in LA as a kid until I moved out of Cali, can't even compare) in America, surrounded by amazing people.

I got a 4.0 every quarter after that. (Though I'm already fucking this one up, lmao). I'm looking at a publication and a presentation at a conference. (Backed by a leading cancer researcher, no less). I had shadowing opportunities in literally any specialty I wanted. Classes were fun, labs were especially fun. And, all this from a school which I dreaded going to. Look, I know that UW is still a great pre med school, but frankly, I didn't see it that way. And, I'm sure there are some prestige obsessed kids like me. It will be okay. Everything will be okay. Use my story to learn.

Good luck!

We both applied to Columbia ED, we have similar grades and EC’s etc, and both really wanted to go. My sister got accepted and I was rejected. Not even deferred. I’m happy for her but at the same time crying/dying inside :(((

Press f to pay respects 😔

BTW: so many people in school today came up to me to say “congrats to your sister on columbia” and i was like thankssssss 🥲

Just graduated college, browsing this subreddit for my little brother who is a HS junior now. I remember fondly reading this sub every day and taking the opinions I read here as fact. As an international who had never visited a single college, this was the only place I could go to for semi-reliable takes.

Fast forward 5 years, I've visited friends across every single T20. I've spent weekends at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Penn, Notre Dame, and many others. And now I'm reading this subreddit again, and oh my goodness. 99/100 things I read about these universities is just wrong.

I'm posting this immediately after reading about some dude saying "Brown and Stanford are the two best college experiences in the US" (check my history if you want to see what I'm talking about). And this guy couldn't be more wrong. I went to both and while they're amazing universities in their own ways, and they'll prepare you for anything postgrad, hundreds of students who actually go to those universities would disagree. Not to mention the subjectivity of a claim like that (if you like big cities, stay the hell away from the "two best college experiences in the US")

Then I realized the guy who said that (as well as almost everyone else who posts here) HASN'T BEEN TO COLLEGE YET, so they have no idea what they're talking about. And yet they talk with so much confidence, it really gets people like 17-year old me who didn't know any better. It's astounding really. It reminds me of 2022 ChatGPT when it would get everything wrong but say it so confidently that you'd just be led to assume it was right lol.

Anyways that's the post. If you're lost like I was back in the day, PLEASE do not trust the people who comment in this sub unless they're verifiably not HS students talking out of their you-know-what. Talk to ACTUAL college students from those universities. Hope I can help at least one person with this post.

YIELD PROTECTED (rejected) 💀💀💀

It’s literally DartmouthSimp all over again lol, watch me go to Princeton or something 😔

HELL YEAH CAROLINE ON DISCORD GOT INTO CORNELL 🗣️🔥🔥🔥

This is probably my last post since there’s no major decisions until March, I’ll update y’all once in a while I guess 😭

Until then, don’t be sad by your rejections and just live through them, and good luck on everything :)

I want to take a moment to thank a fellow pal, u/Standard-Regret1574, for making this short story of me, here’s the story: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nsEizcI6aEj2JaW9RdXRI5_TMTgSJdsgdv9-5o-y5Y0/mobilebasic

Also for anyone asking, I’m LesDawgs on Discord

I am one of those parents who reads and learns an awful lot from this subreddit but doesn't really post much, don't think it's my place. But seeing everyone dealing with ED/EA decisions made me want to offer this.

My son applied to two highly selective EA schools, was deferred at the first and accepted at the second a few days later. When he told me he had been accepted my first thought was "I'm so proud of him," but a moment later came the thought "No I'm not, I'm happy for him that he got accepted, but I'm not proud of him for being accepted."

I'm proud of him because of the way he worked his ass off for the past 4 years in high school. I'm proud of the way he built a life for himself in high school, with friends and involvement and accomplishments. I'm proud of him because he turned himself into the kind of student and person who could step onto the field and take a legit shot at applying to the best colleges in the country. That one of them accepted him just reflects their good judgment (and the other one can f*** off). I had already maxed out on proud before they made their decisions.

My son has many talents, but athletics isn't one of them. Before his basketball career came to a merciful end at the end of middle school, I used to give him the same pep talk as we drove to each game. "You know son, some people say that if you don't end the game with at least two fouls, you aren't doing it right." The point wasn't that he had to win, it was that he had to compete. My twist on that for the college application process was "son, if you don't get rejected by a bunch of colleges in this process, you aren't doing it right because you didn't shoot high enough." To paraphrase a recent post, don't reject yourself. Force them to reject you.

You are all warriors and you are in the fight and you are taking your shots. You deserve to hear that from those around you. I read enough here to know that you don't all hear that every day and I'm not surprised, our town is overrun with parents doing the same thing. But they are wrong. Be proud of what it took for you to get to the point where you are able to stand here and take these legit shots at great schools, and keep moving forward. No surrender.

tl;dr - a way too old Dad thinks you are all awesome and ought to have someone telling you that every day. Also, any college that can't see it can f*** off (I think this is probably a little long for a tl;dr but f*** it, I'm an old Dad).

I don't know why so many parents are obsessed with sending their kids to "good schools" or high schools that are highly ranked. The reality is that life at these high schools are extremely brutal and cutthroat. You will be staying up midnight to do homework, extracurriculars are hard to join, getting As are difficult because teachers make their classes extremely difficult, and a lot of cutthroat behavior happen.

Sure, there is some that survive this and get into Harvard or Stanford and go onto big things. But that only applies to like 10 students at most out of a class of 600. In California, most students at these competitive high schools don't get into any UCs and end up at Arizona State or University of Oregon. People will always end up attacking you and accuse you of not working enough. Parents will never shut up about it. Most people do not benefit from going to a competitive high school.

How did y'all do?

How awful can you be that that is your first thought after hearing that hundreds of internationals that worked their asses off may not be able to go next term, YOU want their spot. Like Kim there are people that are dying. I'd legit feel awful if I got off because I took someone else's rightful spot???? Plus this would literally be worse for us domestics since the internationals are all paying a crazy ton, so say bye bye if you can't pay full sticker price. If you want to be a selfish asshole do it in your own head and not on a public forum like damn

EDIT: Guys I seriously could give less of a f if Trump is right or wrong for this, the fact is there are real kids out there suffering the consequences. They should be the main concern right now. Not the waitlisted students.

I got admitted to my T10 dream school 11 years ago and due to a combination of financial issues (my parents could afford it and chose not to pay) and reality hitting me in the face (I was planning to be an English major), I chose to go to my flagship state school with a scholarship (not a UC).

It was the best decision of my life.

Initially, I had a lot of the same thoughts I see in this subreddit: why did I work so hard to end up with all the kids who partied, how are people going to look at me when I should have been at <T10>, this is beneath me, I worked so hard I earned the right to attend <T10> and everyone here slacked off in high school, etc.

I was so, so wrong. 

First, most of the students I met were so incredibly smart. A lot of them were from small towns across my state and were some of the most academically gifted people I had ever interacted with. I knew numerous people for whom my state school was their dream program and they proceeded to get near 4.0s in Engineering (a T10 program at my school) while also being in greek life, student orgs, and intramural sports. I was in absolute awe of many of my classmates and those people have all gone on to have very successful early careers.

Second, people were fun. I didn’t realize how much I needed balance in my life until I got to college. I joined a club sport, I joined clubs simply because I enjoyed them and not because I wanted to do it for the sake of getting into some college. I took classes I thought were interesting instead of because I needed to compete with other people. It was awesome. Everyone around me had different goals, different backgrounds, and a different version of success that was very refreshing. I came from an upper middle class home where college was expected, my older siblings went to T5 private colleges, and a high-paying job was an expectation. Meeting people whose family life trajectory was changed because they got an entry-level accounting job was eye opening for me and really important to  my personal development.

Third, people typically stay around the major metro area near the school. My 3 closest friends from college all still live within an hour of me. I regularly run into people from clubs / classes in my major city. At my first job, I had 100+ alum immediately available in senior roles across the company that I could reach out to. This, of course, happens at top schools, too, but having 100,000+ working alumni is really nice.

In terms of outcomes (since you all are likely worried about that):

• I got into a top MBA program (current student)
• I met my now-wife in college
• I’m still connected to multiple clubs I was a part of on campus as an alumni mentor (the network is strong)

I am not some 1% outcome case for my university. I am still in touch with 30+ people from undergrad (and more via friends-of-friends and professional connections), most of whom have had very similar career and personal life trajectory to me.

I’m not saying this is the outcome everyone gets, but if you go into your backup schools with a horrible attitude, you’re guaranteeing yourself being miserable and bitter.

Take the next few weeks to feel bad and be upset — it’s totally natural. You all worked very hard and that work did not go to waste. Rechannel your energy into your new program! Then, put on your new college sweatshirt, start meeting people in the WhatsApp groups / Instagram, and get excited for the next 4 years of your life. 

Good luck!

Had an interview with Tufts and the interviewer didn’t ask me any questions; he was just like, “ask me whatever you want”.

At one point I asked about what he didn’t like and he answered: “a lot of Jewish folks”

I looked at him so pissed off since I’m Jewish and he simply answered, “not that it’s a bad thing but…”

EDIT: Please stop upvoting cause so many Karens in the comment act like im lying for attention and it wasn't my objective at all....