<p>Hey, I had the same thoughts as you. I thought why do something if you can’t be the best at it? However, if you are giving up on life just because of this one failure of not getting into the ivies…then it doesn’t seem like you have a chance to be the best anyways. Do you think the best people are best without facing rejection thousands of times? Do you also think that all the most successful people out there graduated from one of the ivies?! If you are as determined to being the best as you sound, then you shouldn’t give up.</p>
<p>Listening to an HR person from Wall Street doesn’t carry much street cred in this day and age. They’re not exactly a culture most people want to emulate anymore. Maybe their hiring system of automatic ivy hires is what got Wall Street into the ethics mess we’re dealing with today.</p>
<p>My D did NOT get into the top 3 schools she applied to two years ago. But she has ROCKED at the college she went to (close to a 4.0, many kudos and honors, and absolutely loves the college). She has had great success in finding internships, and I think she will be in good shape in the job market with her grades and experiences she has gotten. She says now that the admission people knew what they were doing, and she is probably much happier than she would have been at those other schools.</p>
<p>Space out for a few days listening to Tool or other music like that. Just back away. Absorb it all. Lose yourself within yourself.</p>
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<p>Hi I know I already posted in here, but I was wondering if this will cheer you up (the title is appropriate enough):</p>
<p>[MyLifeIsAverage</a> - Life is pretty normal today](<a href=“http://www.mylifeisaverage.com%5DMyLifeIsAverage”>http://www.mylifeisaverage.com)</p>
<p>Here you will find that average is beautiful, and that life actually isn’t that average after all. :)</p>
<p>Okay sorry, done being cheesy.</p>
<p>Take a gap year. Take a gap year.Take a gap year.Take a gap year.Take a gap year.Take a gap year.Take a gap year.Take a gap year.</p>
<p>Some good posts in this thread. Good idea to keep your head up and take their advice :)</p>
<p>I wanted to say this to the OP although I only read the first page of this thread: What you said is essentially true. You did not meet the standards or expectations of the adcoms of these highly selective colleges. But, keep in mind that only a very select group of kids do meet these standards. So what though? Yeah you didn’t end up getting into your dream college but neither did thousands of other qualified applicants. Learn from this, move on with your life. In the eyes of the college adcoms, you were not qualified. It’s as simple as that. I hope that this feeling of incompetence will motivate you to work that much harder in college because if you do, you will surely achieve success.</p>
<p>“In the eyes of the college adcoms, you were not qualified.”</p>
<p>That’s not true at all. The admissions officers have said that they could fill their classes 2 and 3 times over with qualified applicants. They don’t have room for all students who qualify.</p>
<p>Northstarmom: You are extremely naive if you completely believe what the adcoms say in the rejection letters. I laugh at your foolishness… Obviously the adcoms are trying to sugarcoat the rejection. But, it really comes down to you not being qualified. If you were truly qualified, you would have been accepted into the top colleges. Granted, the term “qualified” is relative.</p>
<p>A lot of people who don’t go to top schools become successful in life.
And yes this time the door does not open to you…but it’s just the top schools door
there are so many other opportunities out there
continue to do your best ! you will see, one day you will look back and think that this is nothing</p>
<p>“Northstarmom: You are extremely naive if you completely believe what the adcoms say in the rejection letters. I laugh at your foolishness… Obviously the adcoms are trying to sugarcoat the rejection. But, it really comes down to you not being qualified. If you were truly qualified, you would have been accepted into the top colleges. Granted, the term “qualified” is relative.”</p>
<p>Yes, I’m so naive that I’m a Harvard grad who has been on the national alum interviewing committee for Harvard, headed my regional alum interviewing committee, and has talked personally with admissions officers there. </p>
<p>I’ve interviewed plenty of student who’ve had the stats to be admitted to Harvard, but were rejected. Some of those rejected students have been accepted to Yale and Stanford.</p>
<p>My apologies that I have not read this entire thread. </p>
<p>OP, I would like you to know this woman who is attending a public university, the state’s flagship, but certainly a university that is not on a lot of people’s radar on this forum. I don’t know what other schools might have accepted her. This is what I do know:</p>
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<p>She has bloomed where she was planted. This young woman is already saving lives, many, many lives and she’s still a college student. She has big plans for her future. Who cares what schools chose or rejected you or her? You can make of your life what you choose to make of it. That is what this amazing young woman is doing. Also, surprising to some, the University of Iowa has many top ranked undergraduate and graduate programs compared to other public universities. The “top” universities aren’t the only ones turning out graduates who will change the world! Maybe not even turning out “most” of them!</p>
<p>Northstarmom: Your titles do not impress me at all… In fact, you come off as being pretentious. According to you, it is impossible for a harvard grad to be naive. That thought in itself is naive my dear. If you are that acquainted with the admissions process as you claim, then you must surely understand that the absolute top-caliber students are admitted into HYPSM. In my last post, I stated that the term “qualified” is all relative. The “qualified” term I was using refers to these top students that do get into HYPSM. Let’s also remember, the OP has stated that he/she has gotten rejected into ALL these colleges. Look, it comes down to this. The OP was not qualified when she was being compared to the top caliber students. Neither was I. I got rejected by Harvard and Yale, and wait listed at Princeton. I just didn’t stack up to that kid who won the international science fair 3 years in a row. Back to the original argument, the OP was not qualified.</p>
<p>"Northstarmom: Your titles do not impress me at all… In fact, you come off as being pretentious. According to you, it is impossible for a harvard grad to be naive. "</p>
<p>You didn’t understand what I wrote, and you made a sweeping generalization that I didn’t make. My point was that I’m not naive about this particular subject because I have inside information about it. </p>
<p>“If you are that acquainted with the admissions process as you claim, then you must surely understand that the absolute top-caliber students are admitted into HYPSM.”</p>
<p>I understand and know that some absolute top caliber students are admitted into HYPSM. All top caliber students who apply are not admitted to those schools, however.</p>
<p>For instance, a student who is exceptionally qualified academically, but has an essay, interview or recommendations indicating that the person lacks ethics, is narcissistic and utterly selfish, is racist, sexist, or homophobic isn’t likely to get into those schools even if the person has outstanding academic qualifications. </p>
<p>Of course Harvard grads can be naive about some things. I would never dispute that. Unlike many of the public’s perception of Harvard grads, I know that being a Harvard grad doesn’t mean that one is a genius or is informed about all subjects.</p>
<p>Our school is considering a shift to integrated science in high school. The curriculum would span 8th, 9th, and 10th grades, 1/3 chem/physics/bio each year. Once the Integrated Science program is completed, the students can take AP classes. Any thoughts on how such an approach would help or hurt an applicant to top universities?</p>
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<p>And there are students rejected by Yale and Stanford who’ve been accepted to Harvard. What’s your point?</p>
<p>^The point is, part of college admissions is luck! In fact, it’s the biggest part.</p>
<p>Hi OP,
Nothing that we will tell you will make you feel better. What you are looking for is inner peace and satisfaction with what you get. You will have inner peace when you learn to accept what you have and stop beating yourself over your failures.</p>
<p>You think that getting into HYP is the most valuable thing in the world? You do not know the value of anything until you lose everything. I have friends and relatives in Haiti whose studies have been interrupted because of the earthquake. OP, if only they had what you have in your plate. If only they had an admission offer from what you would consider as the lamest school in the world, they would be happy. </p>
<p>I only wish that some of my friends had the opportunities that you have. To you it is the end of the world that you did not get into your dream schools or the Ivies, but for others, it is not even the end of the world that they cannot finish high school or college.</p>
<p>It is good that you set your standard high because the higher you try to reach, the further you might go in life. However my dear, you need to learn to let go and reconsider your priorities in life. Is it worth it, crying for something that makes you so sad when you know you will nog get it now? The admission decisions were taken, you were in for some places and out for others. Are you more worried about your future net worth than your self-worth? You can always go to a more prestigious school for grad school. </p>
<p>Remember that your college experience will not only be about the school that you will attend but the people that you will be living wit. You can go your dream school but you might end up being disappointed and unhappy there if you are unhappy with the community, the students, the teachers, and the staffs. </p>
<p>I hope that something will bring you the satisfaction that you are looking for and you will hopefully feel better. Good luck in your search for the perfect college.</p>
<p>Lots of good advice here.</p>
<p>I hope someday you post a happy update after spending a couple of years being “top dog” at one of your so-called average college choices. Bloom where you are planted, as they say. :)</p>