<p>I was just deferred from my dream school, Penn. It's the only school that I really want to go to, and my mom is pushing strongly for another school for (financial reasons) that I don't really want. Most of the other schools on my list are equal in my eyes in terms of preference, and Penn is way above the rest. So if I don't get into Penn RD, I'll have little excuse to avoid my mom's school.</p>
<p>What can I do? I wish I could just take my application back and rewrite the entire thing. I can't do that of course, so my options are limited. I'll certainly write a letter, and update the school if I win any awards anytime soon (unlikely). Is there anything that I could do?</p>
<p>My counselor never gives me straight answers, so I must rely on the (thankfully) over-zealous parents of CC. Thank you!</p>
<p>Read this article on the CC website about one person's deferral drama. She has an outline of things you can try.</p>
<p>And now is the time to get a plan B into action (a plan that doesn't include Penn). Fact is, only a small percentage of deferrals get accepted in the RD round. And many of last year's EA/ED deferrals and rejections are wonderfully happy at their present colleges.</p>
<p>Put aside Penn RD. Just assume it will be like winning the lottery. Maybe it will happen--but it probably won't.</p>
<p>Why don't you start another post called "Looking for a New Dream School". List all the things about Penn that you loved and see if CC parents can find you a new dream. (There is a dream school for you. This time next year you'll wonder why you were so upset).</p>
<p>As much as it hurts to get rejected, sometimes it's that very disappointment that pushes you furthest in life. </p>
<p>Don't give up hope on Penn, but don't be too overly obsessed about them either.</p>
<p>If you don't want to go to the school your mom wants you to go to, then don't. It's your life. Loans can be paid off after college, assuming you get a job.</p>
<p>I'm no parent but...Having gone through college and grad admissions (and seeing my friends do the same), I don't believe there is a such thing as a "dream school." I know Penn is a fantastic place to be, but then again so are many colleges. You seem like you are going to take charge of your education, and that in itself is 75+% of what will make your experience (most of the rest would probably be from friends and classmates, not the institution itself). </p>
<p>If you want to try writing Penn a later that's probably fine, but I would then assume you won't get in and start looking at the other schools on your list. Determine what the things you really liked about Penn were and look for those in other schools (you will probably find that they have meet most of the criteria, other than sweatshirt value). The worst thing you can do is hold your breath until April. I agree with qbicle on the finances issue. There are a lot of ways to work those loans, including teaching programs. Good luck.</p>
<p>I'll have to respectfully disagree with the previous poster. I applied during the last cycle and was waitlisted then rejected from my "uber-elite" dream school. Even though I was accepted to one of its few peer schools, and even though I really love the school I go to now, there is always the tiny sting of what could've been.</p>
<p>That said, I'll echo others' remarks. It's time to move on until you've addressed getting applications for other schools in. What did you like about Penn? There has to be some other school that you like. While I put my dream school head-and-shoulders above others, I still had a group of top schools that I (and almost everyone) would be perfetly happy attending.</p>
<p>If I did believe in the "dream school" concept (the closest thing in my mind would be graduate or school, in which you get to set your own agenda, study what you want, etc). I know rejection is crappy (everyone remembers their thin envelopes), but your happiness should ultimately depend on you, not on the oohs and aahs you might get from people when you tell them where you go to college. </p>
<p>The real problem I have with the "dream school" concept is that a "dream" ought to involve something you commit a good portion of your life to (like a career in medicine or becoming the next Bill Gates), not something that ultimately takes up four short years. You'll only wasting time if you look back on "what could've been." There are more important and bigger things than your undergraduate college.</p>
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<p>I applied during the last cycle and was waitlisted then rejected from my "uber-elite" dream school. Even though I was accepted to one of its few peer schools, and even though I really love the school I go to now, there is always the tiny sting of what could've been.<<</p>
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<p>Elleneast wrote of an experience of a classmate of her D's experience. She was rejected by her dream school, went to another school, transferred in to dream school after freshman year. Ended up realizing that dream school wasn't a good fit like the school she was at and is working on transferring back to her original school. So you just never know. . .</p>
<p>none of them are that. Even those admitted to their first-choice schools may realize at some point that they compromised on something. No school is perfect all the time. There are always things that might not be the absolute best...classes at not-so-great times, housing problems, so-so food/dining options, not as many internships/research opportunities, etc.
But if most of your important criteria (whatever you determine it to be...though hopefully it will focus on your curriculum & studies!) are being met, then many colleges can be great for a student.</p>