Hello CC, my account is only one month old but I have been around this site for much, much, much longer than that. Since I was a HS sophomore, I had lurked several forums (What Are My Chances, the SAT forum, AP forum, College Search and Selection, etc) to gather as much information as I could. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to contribute to the community in my own ways, and this is my story.
Back in freshman year, I had one goal in mind: Get To UPenn. Raised in a Chinese-influenced household who hosted events for other local Chinese parents, I was told (brainwashed, in extreme words) that grades and SAT were THE MOST important factor of getting into high level schools. Convinced that this was true, I half-quit the alto saxophone, and instead of going into Jazz Band I stayed with Marching Band because it “looked good for college”. (That’s not the only reason though… read on to see)
Freshman year went remarkably well. Straight As, bang.
Sophomore year… not as fun. Having taken Advanced Chemistry (two periods long), I had to wake up at 6:00. WORST. EXPERIENCE. EVER. I hated everything about that class. I hated the teacher - she was terrible at explaining any of the concepts and it didn’t help that I struggle with staying awake to a monotonous voice at 7 in the morning. After the first semester, when I was holding on with an 88 (low for me). Looking back, I should have known that if I had taken the same class during an afternoon period I would have rocked that class… but it was so hard to stay awake (thank god college isn’t completely like that). Of course, I didn’t believe that.
Third marking period… 75 average. I just gave up. Barely avoided a C with an 84 final grade. That, and Spanish II/III (WORST TEACHER EVER, I STILL believe that and always always will) were my only Bs.
I was distraught. The end of sophomore year was a low point in my life. I had achieved my first Bs in school, which was devastating to me at the time because I was taught to believe that anything that’s not an A = fail. (I don’t believe that anymore.) My weight ballooned twenty five pounds, and I was on track to regain the fat I had worked so hard to lose (55 pounds). I learned to hate the saxophone by the end of eighth grade (this kid ruined it for me… we’re friends now though LOL) which was the second reason why I didn’t take Jazz Band, and marching band saved my love for music… and by sophomore year’s end I contemplated quitting music forever to save my junior year.
I didn’t. Junior year was such a turnaround, not as much academically (2 more Bs, one in another 7 AM class) but so much socially. I lost that extra weight and a little bit more, and this time I kept it off. I rediscovered my love for music and joined the school’s symphonic band (in my school you HAVE to start at a lower level band in your first year), and got first chair. Marching band - became soloist and section leader.
Senior year was even better. Only one B in Bio, and that one’s so close. My musicianship reached an all time high and I started learning other instruments, became an award winning drum major, and advanced to the school’s wind ensemble where I got first chair again. (!) No early academic class (just early gym which is fine for me).
And here we are. The college applications.
I applied to Penn early decision because I’ve always felt a connection with it (born in Philly, visited the campus many times as a child, involved in two programs/research opportunities over three years). Other schools I’ve applied to are Michigan, Notre Dame, Miami, Rutgers, Pitt, TCNJ BS/MD, UConn BS/MD, Saint Louis Med Scholars… those are the primary ones. And now we wait.
**If you read this part, you probably either scrolled down really fast or actually read all that. Here’s what I learned.
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DO WHAT YOU LOVE. My “hate” for music in 8th grade was actually just temporary frustration - frustration that, even though I’m in wind ensemble, cost me the opportunity to join jazz ensemble, which I’m pretty sure I’d dominate in if I took jazz band freshman year. Don’t sacrifice your passions unless you absolutely have to.
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Try everything. Marching band was so nerdy to me in eighth grade, and I laughed at my friend when he said that I join it. Reluctantly, I decided to go. Best decision of my life. I would not nearly be the same person I am today if I didn’t go on that one day.
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Don’t do something purely for college. Of all the clubs I joined freshman year, I am not currently in most of them. Why? Because I never enjoyed them. Why do something you don’t like? I don’t need to statpad because I do what I love - music and science, two areas I want to pursue in college.
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For colleges: cost is a very, very important factor. My parents have always maintained that they can pay for my undergraduate education no matter what. At first I was grateful, and I still am. But then I thought: should they go through that burden? Last week, I received a letter from Pitt that gave me a FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP. That’s over $100K right there… and then I realized that maybe schools like Michigan and Vanderbilt weren’t worth forcing my parents to give up $200K.
If I get into Penn, then I get into Penn at a very reduced price (for reasons I don’t want to publicly go into). If not, I go to Pitt for $50K over four years, or attend a BS/MD program if I get in one.
- Following #4, I have to bring up this point: do as much research as you can on that school and determine if it’s worth the price. After finding that I only need to pay $50K for Pitt, I pondered if schools like CMU and BC were worth applying to. Honestly, this is another regret of mine, and if I could have done my list differently then there would be some changes.**
So all in all, every person will have their own college story, and this is mine. I suppose that I’ll post updates as I get my decisions. Last thing: I know that I am a top student - my 3.73 and 2340 SAT shows that (that SAT story is a WHOLE different thing, when I get some sleep I’ll elaborate) shows this. I could get into top 20, maybe a top 10 college if I wanted to. But that doesn’t mean I should just go. Two years ago I would have applied to the college for its name. Now I apply to them because, after doing my homework, I can picture myself there - and THAT’s what matters.
Stay gold kids.
Excavalier