Big Problem.

Applying to College
1

<p>So, how do I start this? I'll try short and...well, sweet's not really the word I'm looking for.</p>

<p>I am gay. My parents found that terrible news when I told them about it a couple of years ago.</p>

<p>I've centered my college application essays around the crazy misadventures that have resulted from these two facts, since those misadventures have dominated the landscape of my life since the began occurring.</p>

<p>One of my strategies for curtailing these misadventures, though, was to mislead my parents into thinking that their actions during these misadventures had been successful, i. e., somehow de-gayed me. </p>

<p>So — on a January 1st, before the essays had been sent out — when my parents found one of my essays meditating on my relationship with them, another misadventure began. I didn't call them evil tyrants or anything, but I did mention that I was gay and had no real control over that.</p>

<p>Among other things, they made it so that I sent, instead of my actual essay, this poorly written bs essay (that was prepared for their eyes only) to all of my colleges that I hope to actually get accepted into.</p>

<p>The bs essay is just a survey of my academics and ECs and not at all what I know from my time here what a college application essay is supposed to look like. Moreover, the last phrase typed in the bs essay is the terrible "<insert college="" name="" here="">". </insert></p>

<p>It appears that in this stressful situation that will surely affect me for the rest of my life, I didn't pay much mind to what the content in the bs essay was.</p>

<p>So...I'm screwed. And I've sneaked my way onto the internet now to ask you guys how I might salvage this situation and end up somewhere decent this fall. That prospect has been the one thing I've devoted myself to since these misadventures started, the one thing giving me hope. Now the light at the end of the tunnels seems a bit dim...</p>

<p>I don't know what my relationship with my parents will be like when these colleges would be sending out acceptances, but I need to take action now if I can in order to makes sure that there are options then. I have a safety that I'm somewhat confident will still accept me with my essay, but I need to be able to compete for its scholarships in order for it to be an actual option.</p>

<p>I don't know what to do. Please help me.</p>

2

<p>I don’t have much time. >.></p>

<p>It seems like I could retype my essays (I have no access to them now) during those moments that I have computer access and entreat colleges to read those instead. But I’m sure they get loads of emails like that and might not give my explanation much credibility, or even read it.</p>

<p>I might have my guidance counselor send an email in my support, but I would have to be able to trust her not to say anything to my parents and thereby make my home situation more difficult.</p>

3

<p>^How did your parents force you to submit another essay?</p>

<p>Anyways, maybe you can explain that you uploaded the wrong document. I think entomom or someone else mentioned that applications went through the clerical staff first, so you can straighten it out with them. Call them and send the essays that you want to submit before your application was sent in to be reviewed. </p>

<p>Sorry if this is useless - I’m not native and I may misunderstand some parts of your story.</p>

4

<ol>
<li>“Upload this essay. Now.”</li>
<li>“Ok.”</li>
</ol>

5

<p>Well, I know little to nothing about you and your family, but I am sorry to hear about your situation. I would question why you cave in immediately and not submit it sometime out of their sight, but what’s done is done, I guess.</p>

<p>But seriously. Make a quick call to the admissions office and explain simply that you uploaded the wrong document. I don’t think the detailed reasons truly matter; things like this happen a lot and hopefully the university understands. Just say that you made a human error and the wrong document got submitted. OR the email solution is a viable option as well, though it may take longer to get a response. By the way, why would your guidance counselor rat you out? (an honest question, not rhetorical or sarcastic. I just wanna know)</p>

<p>And why are you worried about the acceptances? Do your parents hate some of your college choices?</p>

<p>Anyways. You’re the one who’s going to suffer the results of this application process, so take control immediately. You’ve missed your chance once when the app is not yet submitted, so move in right now.
(Will your parents be standing by the phone to catch you as you call admissions?)</p>

<p>Again, I’m sorry if this sounds nosy/insensitive.</p>

6

<p>Were they standing over your shoulder when you submitted all your essays? You could have said that you needed to make a few more changes, and then when they left could’ve uploaded a different essay and just submitted it then and there. Or I dunno, replaced the essay at almost any point. Don’t want to criticize you or anything but this is kinda huge.</p>

<p>This will directly effect your future for atleast the next 4 years. You’re right to make a big deal out of this, because very qualified applicants have indeed been rejected or atleast badly effected by poor essays. </p>

<p>I don’t see why they’d be so insistent on you not sending the original essay. Even if they don’t approve of your homosexuality or other escapades/issues, it can atleast make a great essay to send in. Maybe what you wrote was just too controversial or extreme?</p>

<p>Anyway, at this point all you can do is call/email the colleges and send a new essay. Explain the situation or just say that you accidentally uploaded the wrong essay, and you’ll probably be fine. You seem like a pretty nice guy, and I’ve looked at your other posts and you’re consistently helpful and thoughtful. I’m sorry about issues with the folks, I’m sure you deserve to go somewhere great. Good luck</p>

<p>EDIT: Find a way to do it. Get the essay and email it somehow whenever you get the chance. You don’t want this hanging over your head for the next 4 years. Hell, you could even include a few sentences at the end detailing this fiasco in just trying to send your essay. And this is just me, but I wouldn’t trust your counselor (don’t flame me for this guys). I feel like she will probably just call or somehow inform your parents so you can ‘work all this out’. I’m not sure about your counselor, but all of mine have been uninformative, unconcerned, and uncaring about the students when it comes to the more serious issues. And she wouldn’t be much help anyway. You know what to do already</p>

7

<p>I agree with the above: contact the schools, say you submitted the wrong document, and ask if you can mail or email them the replacement. No explanation required.</p>

8

<p>Agreed… Call the school and tell them you sent the wrong essay, then email them the new essay, along with an explanation that you uploaded the wrong one the first time.</p>

9

<p>What a horrible thing to happen! You have my sympathy. I agree that a quick call or email to the admissions office would hopefully resolve the situation.</p>

<p>Just as a general thought, clearly your parents are trying to make your life very difficult and stop you from being who you are. Maybe instead of hiding and dodging them constantly, it’s time to stand up to them and tell them you can’t change who you are and that they should mind their own business? I realize this would be extremely hard and maybe impossible in your situation, but it sounds like they’re extremely controlling and that might not go away when you leave for college.</p>

10

<p>Don’t forget that almost every public library has computers available for free for short periods. What parent would ever keep a child from going to the library?</p>

11

<p>I say you email your own essays and explain the reason why you did so. There is no way in hell you can let anyone, including your own family, inhibit your personality in a very subject admissions process these days. If you let it as is now, you’ve almost sealed your rejection.</p>

<p>This is not the time to hold back, you need the details of your situation so the adcoms at the schools you’re applying to understand the context of the situation you are in.</p>

<p>Good luck! I’m rooting for you!</p>

12

<p>

</p>

<p>No. No! No!!! The essay itself is all the adcoms need. They certainly do NOT need an essay explaining the context of the essay!</p>

<p>“I made a mistake. Here’s the replacement” is quite sufficient.</p>

13

<p>1) Log onto the CommonApp
2) Change your password
3) Create a variant of your common app
4) Replace your essay with the one about you
5) Submit the application to some more schools with later deadline</p>

<p>To pay for them, you need some kind of credit or debit card. I’ll let you figure that part out. </p>

<p>Then do what the others say about replacing your essay. I think that you have a sympathetic story to your local rep. I’d tell it. Others may not agree.</p>