A unique situation, am I too old?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello, all. I plan on applying to Yale/UChicago/Cornell/Wisconsin</p>

<p>However, I'm 25. During my first attempt to go to college, my mother was diagnosed with cancer and I immediately suspended all activities to take care of her. Unfortunately, after battling for years, she passed away. The subsequent depression that followed swallowed me for years. Eventually, I got seriously ill, but am finally at a place where I'm great now and feel ready physically and mentally to go to college. I have such a hunger for knowledge and I love academics. I feel I would benefit greatly from a college education.</p>

<p>My question is, do I have any chance at getting into any of these schools at my age? I took the SATs and ACT at 20, so they should be valid still. I graduated from school taking the hardest courses with a 4.0, valedictorian (not a big achievement), got an award for writing, and was a teacher's aide. In addition, because of my mother's illness I've been a large advocate and community organizer of the Relay for Life cancer walk that I've done for the past 7 years doing various walks, fundraising, etc. I've done a multitude of projects to benefit cancer research.</p>

<p>Should I bother applying? Is it too late?</p>

2

<p>At 23, you’d probably be most comfortable in a non traditional program. Can you see yourself in. Dorm with 18 year olds? Yale has suh a program, as do Columbia and Penn among others. </p>

<p>Have you worked the past 7 years? What else have you done? That will be key for top schools. What are your scores?</p>

3

<p>No, you are NOT too old to try. You should certainly contact admissions offices at these schools now, telling them your unique story, and get a sense from the schools whether or not your application as a traditional undergraduate is “legitimate.” Get a feel from the schools about how your application would “play,” if you have the rest of your credentials in order. Make sure you can still secure recommendations from teachers. Add one or two from a minister and/or employer who knows you and your situation WELL, as you need someone to vouch for what you have done in the past few years since high school, and how you have triumphed over tragedy. There is no reason on the face of the earth for you NOT to at least “test the waters” by contacting admissions offices. You never know until you try! If these schools feel your application would not be admissible as a traditional undergraduate – though it is possible that several of these schools will accept such an application from you – then and only then should you switch to a Plan B and apply to schools that have more rigorous non-traditional undergraduate tracks. Be aware that for those, however, financial aid is often less abundant. Good luck!!! You have a story to tell. Don’t assume that there is an automatic age ceiling preventing your achievement of your stated dreams. The issue of age discrimination is relevant, remember! Full disclosure here: I applied to UChicago when I was 29 as an undergraduate freshman because for me, as for you, life got in the way. I was accepted, and later earned a Ph.D at Harvard. The only one who had an issue with my age…was ME!</p>

4

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<p>I know a few of these schools have dorm rooms that are singles, so I’m not too worried about sharing a dorm. Although, if I had to, I wouldn’t see it as a major issue. I have siblings around that age. Well, I’ve taken a road trip around the entire USA, worked at a movie studio in Los Angeles for a few years, but I’ve always dreamed of going to college. When I was 20, my test scores on the ACT were 32 and 2190 SATs. I may take them again.</p>

5

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<p>That’s a bit refreshing. I have contacted Yale, UChicago, Wisconsin, and Cornell. So far, I’ve only heard back from Yale. This is what they said.</p>

<p>"Hey!</p>

<p>I’m delighted to see that you’re interested in studying at Yale. With regards to your question, Yale has a special admission program for students whose higher education has been interrupted for 5 or more years (which would be your case). You can find extensive information about the program, the Eli Whitney program, here
[Eli</a> Whitney Students Program ? A Program for Non-Traditional Students | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/eli-whitney]Eli”>http://admissions.yale.edu/eli-whitney) . </p>

<p>I hope this helps!</p>

<p>Best of luck,
Michelle
Class of 2014"</p>

<p>I’ve looked, but from research I’ve heard the program is an impossibility. They have 2-3 Eli Whitney students, and you can’t stay on Campus. Seems like a pipe dream. My first choice has always been UChicago, so I’m anticipating their reply.</p>

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<p>If you live in Chicago, make an appointment with someone in the UChicago Admissions Office and tell your story. My experience with Chicago – which I too prefer to Yale – is that it values non-traditionality and sees the value in unusual circumstances.</p>

<p>If your admissions cycle would be for 2017, you should try to get back into the academic game by taking a course or two this summer. Does Chicago have a summer program, or a summer course you can take? This is a question to pose to Chicago, whether it needs current proof of your classroom “skills,” or if superior test scores will suffice. By all means, use a test prep service, or work on test prep yourself. Get those scores as high as you can.</p>

<p>But really, after you hear from Chicago (or even before, to get this ball rolling), make an appointment and speak IN PERSON with Admissions. Make the case that Chicago’s rigorous academics are for you. KNOW the CORE!!! </p>

<p>Good luck!! And feel free to PM me if you have other questions. I just want to STRESS: you are NOT too old. You have options! Pursue them. And use all of your cancer-related work as part of your story and package as an applicant. Get GREAT references from someone who worked with you in those endeavors. That is the big “time-away-from-school” element of your experience that you should CAPITALIZE on.</p>

<p>Question: why is the Yale Whitney program impossible?</p>

7

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<p>I meant that the Yale Whitney program was an impossibility for me. If I can’t live on campus, I don’t see how I could possibly go to school full-time and make enough money to afford off-campus housing.</p>

<p>I will definitely schedule that appointment. I would like them to take me at face value, because I don’t want to be a “sob story.” I want to attend because of the rigorous academics. The tragedy was simply a stumbling block in my life, I don’t want it to define me in any way. Chicago does have a summer program, as do various community colleges. I don’t consider myself “out” in any form of the core curriculum except perhaps in advanced math. I can do algebra and such no problem. I could easily handle any reading or English placement test. I’ve always had an intellectual curiosity in life. I’m a voracious reader of the classics, I’ve had articles published in two different newspapers, I taught myself to speak Italian through the Rosetta Stone and my extended Italian family, I sold my own pasta sauce at local bake sales to raise money for cancer, I made a short film in Los Angeles in 2009. I don’t know if any of this will help me, but I haven’t been sitting around with my finger in my nose lounging on a couch all day, ya know? It’s taken me longer than most to get my head straight, that’s all.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the insight.</p>

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<p>You sound like a fantastic applicant, in my opinion as a UChicago graduate. </p>

<p>No, I am not suggesting a “sob story,” but rather that because your work in cancer-related endeavors seems to have been both significant and meaningful, that they can and should be part of your application and, perhaps, the subject of your Common App. essay. That short film, also, might be something you could submit with your application, and is something you SHOULD inquire about when you meet with Admissions at UChicago.</p>

<p>Yes, the financial part of Yale Whitney sounds daunting, but if financial aid is possible, mightn’t it also cover housing costs, where ever you would live? I do think you would miss out on one of the major benefits of the college experience there, however: actually LIVING WITH other students. So, that aspect of the Yale program – despite the other intellectual opportunities – makes it seem less than ideal.</p>

<p>I am glad you are going to be very proactive about UChicago. I loved my experience there. I was also a non-traditional admit, but the benefits to my life of my UChicago experience have been incalculable. I will always feel PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL to this school for taking a chance on me. Good luck, and keep us posted, even if only by PM.</p>

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<p>As an Eli Whitney Scholar, you actually can live in graduate dorms:</p>

<p>What type of housing is available for Eli Whitney students?
Eli Whitney students are not eligible for on-campus undergraduate housing, but incoming Eli Whitney students may apply for graduate dormitory housing. Graduate dormitories are for single students only, not for families. Many Eli Whitney students live in rental apartments in New Haven.</p>

<p>[Frequently</a> Asked Questions - Eli Whitney Program for Non-Traditional Students | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/faq/eli-whitney-program-non-traditional-students#t185n2274]Frequently”>http://admissions.yale.edu/faq/eli-whitney-program-non-traditional-students#t185n2274)</p>

<p>Good luck and I hope to hear from you often!</p>

10

<p>I don’t think so. I’m currently a freshman in college but I have a friend around your age who is also a freshman because he served in the military for a few years. I think the admission board at any school would understand your experience and consider the achievements you’ve made throughout these past few years.</p>

11

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<p>I am thankful for your advice. </p>

<p>Would any of you advise on the SAT or the ACT? My scores from my teen years are no longer valid because of time passed, so I’m wondering which to take. I say which, because the only test left before the fall is June 02/12 for SAT and June 09/12 for ACT. I was debating on taking both so I can present the best possible image as an older student applying, but I’m not sure I can prepare for both tests in 3-4 weeks. I plan on applying Early Admission to UChicago as soon as I can.</p>

<p>Here is what UChicago says. </p>

<p>“UChicago requires an ACT or SAT Reasoning score. Official SAT Reasoning or ACT scores should be sent to the University of Chicago from the testing agency, even if your scores appear on your transcript. We do not require any SAT Subject Tests. The writing section of the SAT or the ACT is considered supplemental. While we would of course like to receive your scores before the appropriate deadline, for the Early Action deadline, we will accept November SAT scores and October ACT scores.”</p>

<p>I’m not sure which way I should go, because I believe (could be wrong) I need to test fairly high because of my absence in higher education for the last 5+ years. I know I should relax and not worry so much.</p>

<p>Any suggestions?</p>

12

<p>The only predicament I see is that Yale/UChicago/Cornell are highly selective, and even great students can get rejected. You should have some safety schools in your application mix.</p>

<p>Moreover, if you’re from Chicago, the University of Wisconsin is not going to offer you much, if any, financial aid beyond basic federal Pell/loans. Can you afford its out-of-state tuition costs?</p>

<p>Have you considered applying to UIUC or other in-state public schools?</p>

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<p>Interesting. I received a few follow-up emails from Yale, which I most likely read wrong, but it came off as “we have the Eli Whitney program, but you aren’t allowed to stay on campus, so where you live during this process is your issue.” Either way, it would have to be financial aid or nothing, because there’s no way I could afford an apartment in New Haven or any kind of housing while attending college.</p>

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<p>Oh yeah, absolutely. I figured I’d aim high first, then if I get rejected, I’ll go from there. I live in Chicago right now, but my parents residence is in Wisconsin. I’m not sure how it would all work. The last time I paid taxes however, it was as an Illinois resident.</p>

15

<p>If you’re 25, your residence is going to be based on where you’re living/paying taxes, so you’d be an Illinois resident.</p>

<p>You really can’t wait to see if you get rejected at your first choices and then, at the last minute, apply elsewhere. For one thing, it sounds like you need significant financial aid - late applicants are going to be last in line for any scholarships/merit/need-based aid available.</p>

<p>You need to apply to a broad range of colleges at the start of the process and then, hopefully, be lucky enough to turn down most of them!</p>

16

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<p>Yep. The bottom line is that without significant aid, I won’t be attending college, because I’d never be in a position to pay back that much loan money. Since I don’t live with them, I assume I would only be counting my income and not my parents whatsoever. Currently it is <$30,000. Although even if I did, combined my parents make <$60,000.</p>

<p>My main issue with applying to a bunch of colleges are application fees. A few I’ve looked at will gladly wave them… if you’re a high school student. Applying to 10-12 colleges at $65-$80 a pop is brutal. :|</p>

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<p>You’re old enough to be considered independent, so colleges will likely examine your financial aid situation as if your current income is your only income.</p>

<p>I’d give the admissions folks at those schools a call and ask them to see if there’s anything they can do for you. They likely don’t have the avenues officially established because your circumstance is rather rare. But it’s a good bet that you’ll be able to work something out with at least a few of them</p>

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<p>Then it’s important you first find and apply to at least one “safety” school that you can afford and that you will almost certainly get into. It would be awesome if you got into Yale/UChicago/Cornell, but you can’t count on getting into any of them because they’re so competitive.</p>

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<p>Please do not stress about taking either the ACT or the SAT in June. You have MONTHS before you have to take the tests for either early decision or regular admission. There are September and/or October testing dates that are accepted by the schools, even if you go an early admission route. Even with early admission October testing dates are, I believe, acceptable. You could do a dry run at a late summer testing date, if you wanted to, which would give you time to re-take the test if necessary in October.</p>

<p>What you need to do is a practice test of each to see where you are and which test (ACT or SAT) is best for you. And perhaps even do such practices un-timed just to see what your score potential is on each; to see which one is a more accurate reflection of your current skills. Because these schools take EITHER test, what you submit should be the test that works best for you. So, yes, get some test prep books – Kaplan or Princeton Review – and give yourself an un-timed ACT and and un-timed SAT, just to get a sense of which test is the best fit and most accurate predictor of your abilities and to see which meets your testing “comfort level.”. After you determine which test, you have several MONTHS, not just several WEEKS, to “prep” yourself. You should then, once you determine which test you prefer, spend as much time as you can reviewing and practicing. After this, taking one “for real” late in the summer is not a bad idea, because you would also have sufficient time to re-take and up the scores by the September or October dates. </p>

<p>Before you make a decision on which admissions cycle to go through for UChicago, get that meeting set up with admissions and speak with admissions frankly about your goals, getting Chicago’s advice on how best to proceed. Making that connection with Chicago, and finding out what is possible, and all the logistics of the possible, is crucial. You will want to discuss the option of financial aid at this meeting, as well. I presume you are now an independent student, but will still need a FAFSA, and such. As I have urged, meet with Chicago Admissions as soon as you can and start getting a time-line down of the process, and a sense of the “possibilities” for you in the process. My sense is that Chicago will welcome your application. But take the edge of uncertainty off by getting from UChicago the sense of what Chicago will need from you, and what it will EXPECT of you as an older applicant who still needs to be competitive with others in the upcoming admissions cycle.</p>

<p>Your recommendations, and essays, and that short film will also be crucial components of your application. Remember to ask at your UChicago meeting whether it will accept your short film as an application supplement.</p>

<p>If you are going to stay in Illinois, U of Illinois Urbana is also a fine school, and one worth investigating, in addition to UChicago.</p>

20

<p>Thanks all for the help. I have an interview with the admissions staff at UChicago on Saturday. I think a lot of my questions/fears will become clear after a meeting and a plan of attack straight from the University.</p>