<p>Thanks for all the encouragement, everyone. I am just a bit disoriented and finding it really hard to plan out internships/jobs so late in the process. My parents’ indignation does not help matters much either.</p>
<p>Tinmatter may have a point, and that might help you with the parents. You screwed up a bit but not totally. College might have cut you more slack but they can use the room. Take a deep breath and work on making the most of the gap year. </p>
<p>Basically you screwed up royally. Dartmouth has given you an alternative way in. Make the most of your gap year and start in 2015.</p>
<p>@chocochips,</p>
<p>Just curious, are you receiving lots of need based aid from Dartmouth? I have wondered if they take this type of action when the student is a high FA need student -vs- full pay. </p>
<p>Good luck to you! You are very young and will be able to rebound from this set back.</p>
<p>I don’t know what’s a lot @NewHavenCTmom but they were giving me a general scholarship of around 31.5k per year since I wasn’t receiving much aid from the government.</p>
<p>I doubt if it has any thing to do with receiving financial aid as admissions and financial aid function as two totally separate entities. It is an admissions issue. I have seen students who have had a slump in grades, but no one who could not register freshman year. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the decision of the tribal counsel is final and Op really dodged a bullet and basically got parked before starting school, where the year off will give him time to mature and reflect on what has happened. Had this happened during the school year, he would have been parked and it would have been part of his record for grad school and some jobs. Yes, this has been some tough love, but it could have been worse (ITA with TomofBoston). </p>
<p>SInce OP will have to apply for financial aid every year, any monies he earn will affect his EFC and his need based aid. Learn from the experience, go forward and have a productive gap year.</p>
<p>I want to make the most out of this year as I can but it’s going to be extremely difficult considering the little time I have to make arrangements for a decent internship/job without any family connections. Frankly, it will be harder to get back on the horse after a year without the academic activity that I most accustomed to.
Do you guys have any tips for seeking internships/jobs?</p>
<p>There are a number of things you can do during your gap year that does not involve “family connections”; you can volunteer, you can tutor, there are a number of non-profits who would be more than happy to have the extra help.</p>
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<p>This is something that you will have to work out as far as finding a way to keep your mind engaged. It could come in the form of auditing a course or attending some low cost seminars (do not do anything that involves accumulating credits). If law school is in your future, check LSAC guidelines for auditing courses.</p>
<p>I think the thing that worked to your advantage in this whole situation was the fact that you were accepted and committed during the ED round essentially removing all of your other options off of the table. I truly believed that Dartmouth weighed your options in the event that if they rescinded your admissions. Whatever you did to cause them pause would need to be reported if you were to start the admissions process all over again (probably resulting in your not be accepted to some schools). I think in the long run, they did not want to do this (however, keep in mind that you may have to disclose the event, if you were to do something involving getting licensed).</p>
<p>Congratulations on still being allowed to go to Dartmouth! This makes me really happy to hear. Although part of me would agree if they had rescinded the offer (because, think about it. There are thousands who applied and were rejected with the same scores or higher than you who would not have slacked off and maintained their grades. You did not and slacked off. Why do you deserve to attend and they don’t? This is about your dedication to academics which is what will see you through college and this is a highly selective school. Why do you still deserve to go if you don’t always set a high standard for yourself? Most would say you don’t.), the rest of me is glad to hear that they do give second chances and that you will still get to attend your dream college. </p>
<p>I also agree with them for putting a gap year as a requirement. A drop in grades is often a sign that it is too much at the moment and a break from study is in order. Do not be disappointed in a gap year! I took a gap year, in fact, I planned it from the start of junior year because I could not stand the thought of another 6 years in a row of study. I came back refreshed and excited to study again and with a whole new perspective on the world from living overseas and having to speak a foreign language (France) and from seeing suffering in third world countries (South-East Asia) while I was volunteering. So I saw the polar opposites. I wouldn’t take it back for the world. A year is nothing. No one ever said ‘Oh you are one year older than all of us and behind’. People only ever thought it was amazing to have done that. The gap year is a huge thing in the UK. Really, really common. Prince William took a gap year for example. I hope it becomes as accepted and common here as I fully believe that getting some experience other than just studying and short summer internships/travel before commencing college is invaluable. Seeing the world outside of academia is important. </p>
<p>So this post is half-mean (I don’t quite feel you should still be allowed to attend, when I look at the relentless effort I and all the people I know here put in to get this opportunity) and half-nice (I am happy for you that you will still get to attend and experience this wonderful school and won’t go through the trial of having to find another school after having no others. </p>
<p>Enjoy your gap year! Think of travel or simply volunteering in your local community. As someone pointed out, earning money will affect your financial aid. So it might be in your best interest to only work a part time job and spend the rest volunteering for a cause you are passionate about. You could remain at home and make a huge difference in your local community. Change how a current charity is working, join several, start at one and move to another, travel for 3 months and then work a bit later, volunteer for three, find an internship later in the year and maybe just over the summer at the end when they are more common. Do not worry at all that you don’t already have anything set up. Best of luck!!</p>
<p>I just checked back to see where you were located and so forth.</p>
<p>There is a lot to be said for simply holding down a job, in terms of maturity. I don’t know whether your problem was a drop in grades, or something to do with academic dishonesty or the like. (It sounds as if Sybbie thinks it was the latter…)</p>
<p>I think that you could take several different approaches. One kid I know worked for half the time, and volunteered abroad for the rest. You could pick a country depending on your language skills. I know an excellent organization in Guatemala, for example. Another approach is to work a part time job, and spend the rest of the time volunteering. Since you live in NYC, the possibilities must be endless. You could also take the opportunity to explore something that interests you. Take watercolor classes. Learn a new language or improve your knowledge of one you’ve started. Go WWOOFing and work on an organic farm.</p>
<p>I would urge you to think in terms of generosity of spirit and action: to yourself, to others, to the community, to earth. Don’t just think in terms of how you can position yourself as a corporate drone.</p>
<p>If you want advice from people whose kids have done gap years, you could post a query on the Parents Forum here. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you. :)</p>
<p>Before you all jump to conclusions about my academic character and whatnot, I had a very tough year with my family. In the midst of trouble at home, I was maxed out on all AP classes (6 - the max that is allowed at my school) and despite being told I could drop AP Bio for second semester by Dartmouth, my school didn’t allow me. My transcript average fell two points from the date of my admission. I got all A’s besides two D’s. I have never plagiarized or cheated in my life. Although it might be hard to empathize with a “slacker” such as myself, it is still rather disjointing to be placed in such a late-minute situation. I am still learning how to cope with it.
Having said that, I am grateful to be allowed the opportunity to pursue my interests outside of the classroom. Thank you for all the sound advice. I am definitely looking into doing some non-profit work since volunteering probably got me accepted in the first place. I don’t think I’ll have money to finance travel though 
I should have probably been more proactive and informed Dartmouth before things got so out of hand.
Anyways, I am glad I can use this year to become a stronger asset to the community :D</p>
<p>CC: You got two D’s in high school? Big deal! It sounds like your life will be absolutely fine and good, even if you never have anything to do with Dartmouth again. I would think about what YOU want out of a college experience, regardless of where you end up going, and out of life; don’t worry about sanctimony and sanctions coming from Hanover.</p>
<p>I’ve been following the saga of Chocochips. Another great cc handle by the way.</p>
<p>My feeling is that so many (not all of course) of the families and students who reach the HS academic pinnacle, which is what I would call the pool of Ivy League admits, have had everything go their way in terms of natural intellectual gifts, familiy stability, school support, home support, health, etc. </p>
<p>Sometimes bad luck encroaches on this charmed existence. I believe that’s what happened here. An 18 year old student made an assumption about dropping a course, perhaps slacked off a little, and things got a little too out of hand. Combine that with perhaps Dartmouth being a little oversubscribed this year and you get the gap year decision.</p>
<p>I believe that all things considered, the gap year decision is good one. I’m sure it was a tough decision for Dartmouth. And I know it is hard on Choco. But it is not the end of the world. The gap year will fly by and Choco will be ensconced in the Hanoverian classrooms before you know it.</p>
<p>Choco: Good luck to you. Make the best of your gap year. Keep in touch with Dartmouth admissions to let them know of your strong desire to benefit from a Dartmouth education starting next school year. This cc poster is rooting for you.</p>
<p>@DartAlumnus : thanks for understanding! I will definitely devote much of my time to answering those questions.
@kaukauna : I’ll have to say that road to high school graduation has been bumpy to say the least 
I will update the saga as the year progresses.
Thank you for all the encouragement 
It has definitely lifted my spirits</p>
<p>ChocoChips, I am frankly surprised that they almost rescinded your acceptance for 2 Ds and 4 As. I apologize for briefly wondering if it was something more serious that led to your situation.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are perking up. I know this must be very difficult to deal with. Lots of disappointment and anger, I’m sure. And, of course, having to tell people that no, you aren’t going this fall after all must be embarrassing and tiresome, to say the least. I hope you will soon be able to put that phase behind you.</p>
<p>You can have a great year, and return to school refreshed and ready to have a great college experience.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your kind words @Consolation
I am definitely hoping to work hard and make the most out of my situation so that I can regain my work ethic.</p>
<p>Is it customary for them to disable the Blitz accounts for those taking gap years?</p>
<p>I’m sorry, I have no idea what they do about blitz accounts for those who haven’t actually matriculated yet.</p>
<p>@ChocoChips - I believe your Blitz account will be disabled until next summer. </p>
<p>Maybe find a job/work immediately for the fall months, start looking now for an internship for spring (check out opportunities in Washington, DC), then take coursework (not for credit if that’s banned) in summer to adjust again to the academic swing of things. </p>
<p>Sounds like foolproof advice</p>