<p>I am going to be a senior this upcoming year and I am really struggling with college issues. I have been dreaming of attending school at Wisconsin Madison, however I dont think I will get in. I am doing all I can to strive to do better (I am taking 6 college classes at a 4 year University next year, doing more volunteering, got a job fundraising for non profit orgs) and everyday I just worry that I am inadequate and that I will not make it. I just feel I will hate being stuck at a University my freshman year that I hate and despise knowing that my dream did not come true. The idea of transfering makes me feel uneasy, because I tend to think you make special bonds freshman year and meet some of your best friends during that time period. You would miss out on that beloved "freshman year" and you would be out of the loop when you arrive sophmore year. I am considering taking classes at Madison Tech College and getting an apartment. Maybe this way I could be more familiar with the city and meet students/friends? But this would jepordize a true freshman expirience (dorms, special frienddships etc...) So I dont know what to think. It is either go to Madison Tech and try that out, or end up at a lousy 3rd tier school for my first year... Any advice would be appreciated, Im jsut rambling, but it feels good to get it all out.</p>
<p>It is hard to say whether your despair is realistic or not since I do not know what your stats are or anything at all about UW Madison admissions. I think taking college classes and getting good grades in them may help overcome whatever you feel is lacking on your Madison application. Although you think you will never be happy at a different school, try to keep an open mind. My younger son had a dream school for years and ended up choosing a school he said he would never attend six months before he applied. There are probably plenty of threads on this board from people who have lived through your situation and been thankful for it. And, not to knock the frosh experience (which probably does bond one to the school and friends), but there are lots of kids who don't have a great first year or two. So you may be missing out but you may not be missing out. Look at some of those "lousy third tier" schools and try to find one you can live with. Since you seem to really want the whole four-year, first time frosh experience, then pick a four year school instead of a CC and transfer to UW if it doesn't work out for you. And, easy to say-hard to do: try not to worry so much. Things have a way of working out. Enjoy your senior year and being around your current friends and your family. Good luck.</p>
<p>If you are capable of taking six college classes and doing well, then likely you are perfectly capable of being admitted to UW-Madison. Might want to post one of those annoying "Chance me" threads in the UW-Madison board :D</p>
<p>I don't know whether you will gain admission to UW-Madison. But I hope so :).</p>
<p>Your mistake is in having one "dream" school and considering that all others will fail you miserably. It is great that you are spending time and effort doing things which you hope will improve your admissions chances.</p>
<p>Please also spend time, with an open mind, seeking out other schools - beyond UW - that you could truly enjoy and where you could truly thrive. There simply is NO situation where there is ONLY ONE school that can be a successful experience.</p>
<p>If you don't have ideas of others that will fit you and be enjoyable, post your criteria here, and any financial constraints. I feel confident that the Parent Forum will not let you down in identifying options.</p>
<p>Parent Forum mantra: Apply to schools in a range of selectivity, all of which fit your criteria. Make sure your list includes a drop dead safety that you love. Love Thy Safety.</p>
<p>I concur with jmmom. For instance, Princeton Review rates UW's selectivity as 93 on a scale of 60-99, and says its median CR+M SAT scores are 1275. Indiana University is a very similar school and experience with an 83 rating and a median 1145. If you feel financially bound to be in-state in the UW system, UW-LaCrosse is a good school with a vibrant social scene and it's rated 81 with a 1090 median. By all means, pursue Madison (you might try e-mailing faculty there in your preferred fields and seeing if you can get encouraging responses from someone who might be an advocate at application time), but there are LOTS of options out there for you. Whichever one you choose, you'll probably look back a year later and wonder how you could have ever considered being anywhere else.</p>
<p>You are in the same boat as so many of the CC kids, and others - thousands of them. Now, I think you have a good chance of getting into your dream school, but college admission is getting to be such a crap shoot, that no one can count on anything. We have even seen threads from parents whose kids weren't accepted at their safeties due to the Tufts Syndrome, perhaps? Anyway, D will now be a senior in college. She was rejected first choice (her true dream school). She was devastated. The crying, and sadness was terrible! It took a while, but she finally found another school she loved (she had no choice but to find something else). Then, the FA from that school was inadequate. Even though she applied, she decided that she hated her safety even though at one time, she loved it. We all grow and mature, and change our minds. However, she visited a different school, and called me from there and said "This is it!" Everything fit for her and the school. She loves her school and can't see herself having gone anyplace else. Now, you may be accepted, you may not. No one can predict with certainty. However, I do know this, and we have seen this many times on this site. Even if you aren't accepted at your dream school, you will find your fit. You will be happy where you go, and if you aren't then you can try to transfer. It will work out for you. It always does. Chin up and think positively.</p>
<p>I agree with all the wise counsel you've received here. I also suggest you consider what it is about UW-Madison that makes you love it, and find other schools that have those characteristics also. Sometimes when people do that, they realize that there's nothing unique about the school they love; they've just fixated on it for some irrational reason. I don't know if that's your situation, but you seriously need to assess why you think UW-Madison is the only place for you.</p>
<p>There's an old saying: "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right." Lose the angst, make a plan, do your best, and take pride in your accomplishments.</p>
<p>What are the special features of UW-Madison that make it a good fit for you?</p>
<p>I love the city and the surrounding area. I love how it iis incorporated into the middle of the city and there is always something going on. The students who go there seem to be so enthusiatic about there school compared to others that I have met. They provide a terrific education and have a great business school which I would hope to attend. I like how Madison is a big city yet has that small town feel (to me it did anyway) State street is amazing and so were the students I encountered there. I like how it is 5 hours away from home, that seems perfect to me. They also have exciting sports teams along with a nice social scene. All in all it jsut seems like I couldn't ask for more there....</p>
<p>I give you a lot of credit. It is admirable that you are focused and know what you want. These are great qualities that will get you far and will be helpful in all aspects of life. You are experiencing the angst of the upcoming senior year and it is understandable. Taking 6 college classes is impressive. What I would recommend to alleviate some of your anxiety is to visit schools that offer what you are looking for in a college. Sometimes a visit can change your mind and open other possiblities. Make a list of these colleges pros and cons and have a variety of colleges that are reach and safeties. Also please, please, look at the financial aspects of the schools you want. Sometimes a dream school is reachable and offered but the dream is dashed because of unrealistic expectations about financing the education. In my D case, we had app to instate, OOS, private, reaches and safeties. Make it as well rounded as possible. Good luck.</p>
<p>Yes financially UWisc is in my reach with a little financial aid. I am saving from my job to offset as much as possible for my parents. The free college classes are saving money as well. I visited and instantly fell in love with the place. But im trying to keep my options open, but Wisconsin is really the only school of its kind for me. We have reciprocity with wisconsin which really helps. I cant even got to a school such as Iowa U without paying 29,000 a year because we have no reciprocity. So it is either MN,WI,ND, and SD for me... My second choice is Univeristy of North Dakota or U of M duluth, so wisconsin basically towers over them in my perspective.</p>
<p>I advise that you continue working hard in high school, and apply to UW Madison even if you don't think you'll get in. While you wait for UWM's decision, think realistically, and prepare yourself for all possible outcomes. Either you'll get in, or you won't. If you get in, then either you'll be able to afford to attend, or you won't. If you don't get in (or if you get in, but can't afford to attend as an underclassman), then either you'll be able to transfer to UWM as an upperclassman, or you won't. If you can't transfer to UWM as an undergraduate, then you can still apply to UWM for graduate/pre-professional school, and either you'll get in, or you won't… and so on.</p>
<p>This is the "realistic thinking" strategy I suggested to my daughter, who applied to thirteen schools, and--despite her stellar academic record, high test scores, glowing recommendations, and demonstrated work ethic--was rejected outright by three schools, waitlist-discontinued by one, admit-denied (intentionally offered inadequate financial aid) by five, and waitlist-continued by two (including her "dream school," University of Chicago). She was admitted by only two schools which offered her the academic merit scholarships and financial aid she needed to be able to afford to attend, and of those two schools, she rejected one which made a heavy-handed attempt to recruit her into a gender-segregated (and academically marginalizing) residential program. My daughter is now looking forward to attending Temple University--the only school of the thirteen schools to which she applied which has clearly demonstrated that it understands her work ethic, values her academic achievement, recognizes her academic/career potential, and is willing to provide her with an excellent education. If University of Chicago should admit my daughter from its waitlist, then she will have a tough decision to make--either attend her "dream school" (which sort of wants her), or attend her "right school," which really wants her.</p>
<p>The point I'm making is that although UWM is your "dream school," it might not be your "right school." Your "right school" (and there may be more than one, depending upon the number of schools to which you apply) is the one which not only admits you, but also ensures that you can afford to attend. So, I advise that you research prospective schools carefully, identify a number of potential "right" schools (including UWM) which offer both the academic program(s) you need and the non-academic features you want, and apply to as many of those schools as you consider reasonable. One of those schools--perhaps UWM, perhaps not--will demonstrate itself to be the "right school" for you--the school which will best prepare you for life beyond college.</p>
<p>Some additional advice:</p>
<p>Don't dismiss a 3rd tier school as "lousy" just because it's a 3rd tier school. 3rd tier schools might have broader admissions standards than 1st tier and 2nd tier schools, but many 3rd tier schools are as academically challenging as their admissions-selective counterparts. It might be somewhat "easy" for you to get into a 3rd tier school, but be aware that it might also be hard for you to stay in, and even harder for you to stay in and perform well. 3rd tier graduates are the backbone of the college-educated workforce, and many 3rd tier graduates opt to continue their education in graduate school and pre-professional school. If a 3rd tier school demonstrates itself to be your "right school," you can expect to get a good education (if you work hard, that is).</p>
<p>Transferring is unlikely to pose the social problems you anticipate. When I was an undergrad, one of my roommates and three of my closest friends were transfer students. One transferred in as a sophomore (from an out-of-state private school), and three transferred in as juniors (one from an out-of-state public flagship, one from an in-state private two-year college, and one from an in-state private university). None of those transfer students missed a beat socially or academically; all quickly made new friends, and all graduated on time. None regretted transferring.</p>
<p>The "beloved" and "true" freshman year "experience," which "bonds" "special friendships," is a myth. The reality is that some college freshmen establish life-long friendships, but most do not. Most freshman year "best" friends drift apart as dorm residents change rooms or move off-campus, and as upperclassmen declare different majors in pursuit of different academic and career goals. Students eventually graduate, and then scatter to attend graduate/pre-professional school, and/or to begin working. You are no more likely to form life-long "best" friendships as a freshman at School A than as a sophomore (or junior or senior) at School B.</p>
<p>My most important advice is to think long-term. If UWM doesn't fit into your plans for life beyond college, then pass it by. If UWM passes you by, then accept the fact that it has demonstrated itself to be the wrong school for you. Attend your "right school," and take full advantage of all that school has to offer by working hard, and by staying focused on your long-term career goals.</p>
<p>Best wishes.</p>
<p>I did my graduate work at UW-Madison and it is a <em>great</em> college in <em>great</em> town. That said, have you considered applying to other schools in the UW system? There are so many, and it might be possible to go to one of them for a year or two and then transfer to Madison.</p>
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My daughter is now looking forward to attending Temple University--the only school of the thirteen schools to which she applied which has clearly demonstrated that it understands her work ethic, values her academic achievement, recognizes her academic/career potential, and is willing to provide her with an excellent education.
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<p>That's really great to hear. Congratulations to your daughter. I'm sure she'll love it here :)</p>
<p>Sounds like you will be an excellent candidate, considering the college courses you report taking. Look at the freshman admissions expectations chart on the UW website, it will give you a percent chance based on your unweighted gpa and test scores. Apply there, and to U of Minnesota. I understand your love affair with my alma mater. With rolling admissions you can apply early and have your acceptance in hand or know you have to find some safeties. Do not attempt to go to MATC (the area tech college)instead of a 4 year college just to live in Madison, you would not gain much from the coursework, given your stated background. Discuss colleges with your HS GC- s/he may suggest some reaches/matches that could be financially feasible and worth considering (sometimes private schools can give money to make them cheaper than any public one). Something to think about- perfectionism, read up on it and learn how you can deal with anxiety related to not being/feeling good enough, that will help you throughout your life as well as this fall. (aside-UWM refers to the Milwaukee campus here, we just use UW, except on CC when the UW may mean Washington).</p>
<p>Addenda- your CC name sounded familiar, I looked up your UW thread. Hopefully you have blossomed and your grades are excellent last semester and this fall, the advice on that thread is still valid- improving grades do count a lot.</p>
<p>My daughter will enter her senior year and is currently attending a free Summer Academy science program at Temple University. There are about 21 students in her specific program and and about half of the class has already completed AP Chemistry with high scores. My daughter has completed AP Bio (score 5) but will not take AP Chem until next year......so she is really, really being challenged with this program. </p>
<p>She would not have even considered applying to Temple prior to this summer program and now is really enjoying the challenge. Temple is often dismissed by students locally who want to move far away from home. We live in the Philly suburbs. She will definitely apply to Temple as she is considering a Medical Science career and Temple has Pharmacy, Dental and Medical schools. Please let me know how your daughter likes Temple!! </p>
<p>Note to OP -- Please consider a variety of schools! Apply to lots of schools. Keep your mind open and your dreams big! Don't narrowly define your dream school. It's a big world out there with lots of great public and private schools.</p>
<p>Also, don't measure your future potential for happiness around your narrowly defined understanding of what freshman year should be. Your freshman year may be great at lots of schools....and it may not be great even at your first choice school....but life is long and you will have so many experiences ahead of you. </p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>Sounds like you are doing the all the right things....but I agree not to put all of your confidence in one place, keep your options open and be adaptable, you will be surprised how much there is outside of the comfort zone. That said, one thing is to visit the admissions office at the (make a visit! ask for an interview)...but also, keep an open mind with other options. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Good luck to you....you will do great!!!!!</p>