<p>I couldn't help wondering as I read some of these posts if the whole college admissions experiance proves the existance of fate in our lives. How is it possible, otherwise, that such a diverse group of people, from literally all over the world, can get to know each other. The number of factors it takes for a person to end up on this website and/or at Dartmouth are staggering, and they go all the way back to birth. Does anyone realize that whether or not you go to Dartmouth could depend on choices you or your parents made years, if not decades ago. For example, if my mom and I had not moved to Chicagoland from Indiana, I highly doubt I would be sitting here writing this post. </p>
<p>Personally, this whole process has confirmed to me that our lives are in some way already mapped out. People who get in to Dartmouth get in because of scores and grades and EC etc. but I believe they get in because that is what is meant for them. Whether you believe in God or not, you cannot deny that some part of our future, including college, is beyond our control.</p>
<p>Think of Cleopatra having had a big nose:
No Ceasar, no Mark Antony, the whole history of Western Civilization changes. And we worry about what would have happened if our parents would have behaved differently. ;)</p>
<p>well...i'm not so sure. granted, there are factors that are out of our hands. I mean, if my parents had moved to Wyoming...lol.</p>
<p>but you can't just ascribe everything to "fate". For example, say I decided not to study at all for the SATs, took them, and then said "whatever my score is, it's fate." That doesn't make any sense. But I can choose to study for the SATs and get the score I deserve. If I've learned anything from Harry Potter, it's that our choices set us apart as individuals...the capacity for choice is what sets us apart from ANIMALS, lol. To some extent, we CAN create out own destiny. Some things are out of our control, naturally - but if we decide that everything is attributed to fate, no one will DO anything anymore. If I just sat around going "If it's my fate to get into Dartmouth, I will get into Dartmouth whether or not I apply!", well...I'm obviously in for a rude awakening.</p>
<p>That said, I'd only believe it were fate if I got into ONLY Dartmouth out of the 9 schools I'm still waiting to hear from...just because my mom randomly said "Hey, you should apply to Dartmouth" two days before my apps were due to guidance. She was like "This is how these things happen - you apply on a lark, and you end up getting in and spending four years there and it influences the rest of your life." Esp. since it's now my first choice lol.</p>
<p>Over the summer, at the last minute, there was an extra seat in a poker tourney at a friends house and he invited me to play and we talked about where we might apply. I was planning on Princeton or Penn ED and he was Dartmouth ED, but after hearing him mention Dartmouth (a school i had never heard about before) I looked into it and really started to love it. Randomly, I found this board and all the amazing things I read really helped me make a choice and now I am an '09 at Dartmouth from ED. btw, the friend wound up applying to Wharton @Penn ED. i never believed in fate but this is something that might have to change that</p>
<p>This is a CRAZY story about fate but also making your own destiny. Out of high school I really wanted Brown but they waitlisted me and I ended up at Columbia. I totally regretted not applying to Dartmouth. After doing well my first year I got into every transfer school I applied to, including Dartmouth and Brown. I couldnt make my mind between these two at all. </p>
<p>After weeks of deciding, it was the day I had to tell the schools and I still hadn't decided. On the way to kinko's I had four letters in my hand, one saying yes to D, one saying no and the same for Brown. I decided to stop for a popsicle at a local grocery store (this is in random Ohio). On the way out there was a claw machine (the ones with the bears and things.) There, surrounded by nascar hats and stuffed lions, I saw a Dartmouth college hat. BTW- there were no other college hats in the machine. It took me 2 dollars and I got it. I put it on and faxed my yes letter to Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Well..I think everything happens for a reason, so you should accept whatever happens to you..good or bad. Some things I do believe are mapped out, like who you'll marry..but you do have some degree of control over your future..like bluirinka said.</p>
<ol>
<li>everthing that exists and can "happen" has meaning in itself
....................(happen: root Lat. Hap=fortune/fate/luck)</li>
<li>all things that happen participate in a cause-effect activity/relationship</li>
<li>therefore all existing things that are happening have meaning.</li>
</ol>
<p>(unless I typed all this with my eyes closed thinking I was playing the piano)</p>