Feeling dejected, venting some frustration off.

Applying to College Admission Stories
1

To whoever is reading this: sorry if it is too long.
I worked my A** off during high school just so I could get to a top three UC, especially UC Berkeley for EECS (which probably killed my chances right there). I’ve endured so much stress during my time in India (because of board exams and the fact that I had to learn two languages at par with native students), and then, when I move to the U.S. my junior year, my dumbf**k school tells me I can’t take honors classes because they have no record of me in their system, even when I showed them my grades from India, which is ridiculous. I pleaded and went to the office almost every week (some exaggeration here), just so I could hopefully convince them to give me those classes. They told me that I could transfer if I did well in my (then) current courses. I tried so hard to do well in my regular classes to show them that I was capable of higher level work. And then, at the end of the semester, they tell me that they don’t allow that since the honors classes have gone too far ahead for me to catch up. I had only 1 AP class that year, since the classes I wanted were all “Honors” designated. This most probably hurt my app. And then, they give me good classes senior year, when it doesn’t even matter.

I invested so much time and energy into my essays and gave it my all. I tried so hard on my SATs just so that the good scores could somehow mitigate my weak weighted GPA. I tried so hard in school, tried to give it my all in everything I did, even petty homework assignments. And then, I find that I got rejected from UCLA, UCB, UCSD, and hell, even goddamn UCI. Meanwhile, I have become this pompous witness to the fact that relatively dumber kids at my school who slacked off 24/7 got into those very schools. Everyday, I have to see one of my friends wear Cal apparel right in front of me (she’s smart though) and it stings so, so much; it burns in my eyes every time I even see her. I know, I know, jealousy is a bad thing, but I just can’t help it, no matter how hard I try.

The thing is, I actually LIKE to learn. For example, I’m self studying Calc BC and Physics C, just because it is so much more interesting than the AP Calc AB and Physics B classes I’m taking right now. I always strived to understand concepts and study more advanced things just for the excitement of learning something more advanced.

I suppose I’ll be attending UCD/UCSB (still deciding) in the fall. They weren’t my top choices, but at least they’re decent schools. I wish I could’ve gotten into UCB though, mainly because my parents would be really, really proud of me and have bragging rights whenever they talk to relatives of friends or whatever. I mean, they’re still proud of me right now, but the disappointment was palpable when they read the rejection email. Also, I believe I could have been more academically challenged at UCB. I wish I could’ve got in so that all of my efforts and their efforts would’ve meant something big.

At the end of this, I’ve learned one thing: trying hard does not get you anywhere. In every aspect of my entire life, I’ve been pushed to the wayside to make place for people who don’t try at all and just get handed what I worked so hard for and so long for. Always, I’ve had to become second in line; I come


this

close to success, but I fall flat on my face. No matter how much I push myself, no matter how much blood and tears I shed, I just can’t achieve anything worthwhile. After this, I’ve pretty much stopped trying, and I’d have to say it feels goddamn good. Since nothing I do ever bears fruit, might as well enjoy myself and slack the f<strong>k off instead of working. It’s going pretty well for me. Like it matters now anyways.
I doubt I’ll transfer to UCB when I’m in college. Hell, I don’t even feel like going to UCB even for grad school. I’d rather not fall and snivel at the feet of a school that clearly doesn’t want me. Besides, it’s just a school, who gives a s</strong>t.

I guess this is just a snippet of the rejections that I’ll have to face in real life. That’s why I’ve stopped caring - I might as well spare myself the future stress. I’ll still keep going on, trying to do my best, but I won’t have as much heart as I used to.

We’ll see what happens in the future. Apologies for some of the bad words.

2

In retrospect I sound like a whiner, but I just had to get this off my chest before I could move on. I’m sure you (the reader) will understand…

3

“At the end of this, I’ve learned one thing: trying hard does not get you anywhere.”

Really? More like “admission to top schools is a crapshoot.”

It really is time to get over it and move on. I’m sure your diligence will help you in the future.

4

Isn’t life itself a crapshoot…

5

I’m really sorry this happened to you. I don’t doubt that you deserved all of those schools. I feel a similar way about some of the schools that didn’t want me, but there’s nothing we can do, really. But don’t stop trying! You might not have gotten what you wanted now, but in the future, things will pay off. Just try and have some faith.

And remember, the school doesn’t make you; you make the school! Good luck at UCD or UCSB–I know people who have completely loved their time at both :slight_smile:

6

For what it’s worth, several people at my school would’ve killed to get into UCD or UCSB. In fact, UCD was the first choice of one of my friends–and this is a pretty smart kid, too. After finding out she was waitlisted, she was basically in tears the whole next week. She skipped school the day after getting the decision. Try to value what you have. I know it’s hard, but don’t just give up on all your admissions just because everything didn’t go your way.

7

Actually I don’t understand. lol

Well I guess you know now that life sucks. Or whatever.

Take advantage of your situation. Go to UCSB and learn to party AND get an engineer degree at the same time. I think that’s a situation not many people have. I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it.

8

@chippedtea and quomodo: Yeah, I’m pretty much getting over the rejections now. I’m not going to let the opportunities that have been handed to me go to waste just because I wasted my time moping around and wallowing in my sadness of getting rejected. I still believe that hard work will pay off in the end, even if the end is very far away. I won’t give up. However, I’m not going to care as much as I did anymore, and just go with the flow I suppose. It still stings though to see other people get into those schools though.
@chaosakita: What I meant is that I typed up this rant so that I could stop thinking about it and let it all out. I gave my mixed emotions shape in the form of words. And yeah, life does suck most of the times lol

Thanks for the support people.

9

There’s always community college. Take me for example. I graduated with a 2.6 from high school and decided to enroll in my local community college. 2 years later I’ve been accepted to UCSD, UCR, UCI and my number one choice, UCLA. Who cares what people say about cc’s, if you’re motivated and dedicated enough you’ll get your second chance.

10

I’m really sorry you didn’t get into the schools that you wanted. And you sound like a really hard worker. As mad as you are, I really think you should just chill it out in college. With the stress you got goin on, you’re going to have gray hairs by the time you graduate in four years. And who knows, it’s likely that the school you’ll attend isn’t as bad as you think. I’ve visited the Berkeley campus, and it’s crazzyyy packed with people!!! It’s almost overwhelming! Smaller, intimate schools are nicer sized I would say.

11

I understand why you are so angry, and it’s natural to feel that way. You worked incredibly hard for what you wanted to get, but unfortunately, life is so unkind.

All I can say is the same as others; relax and focus on the positives. You’ve gotten into other great California schools that, in all honesty, can give you an amazing education and opportunities as long as you use them. California’s state schools are notorious for being the best, so use that to your advantage. And hey, if you really don’t like it, transfer out after a year or two. I’m near positive you could get in as a transfer.

That being said, try to also be a little more grateful. Yes, you worked very hard, but unfortunately did not get what you want. It is not the end of the world, and just think about all of the homeless people and orphans in India who would jump at the chance of a higher education. Things will grow better if you look at your situation, realize it really is not so bad at all, and move on with life.

12

Your parents’ cocktail party bragging rights will have very little impact on your future success.

13

I decided to go to Davis. I’ll probably try to go to Berkeley for grad school, depending on how things go.
@ Determined123 and snsdgirl14: Yeah, I definitely plan to chill out in college. I don’t want to waste those four years stressing myself out.
@ glassesarechic: Yeah, I know. But still, I would’ve liked for them to have had those rights.

14

Dude you got into UCSB and UCD and that’s a pretty huge achievement in itself. I had a solid 3.67 took 6 AP courses over the last two years passed a fluency test in my third language (which is French) did three internships, one in China for a month, I played two varsity sports for three years and I didn’t get in to any UC school, not even UCI which is pretty ****ing dissapointing. Now I’m going to a mediocre school in Boston which is far too expensive, filled with over indulged rich kids, and it doesn’t even have a proper campus. Maybe what happened to you isn’t all that bad, it may even be a blessing in disguise you never know.

15

Take a break this summer and visit UCD. Once you start feeling that Aggies pride, try not to look back. You’ll have a great 4 years there. If you work hard and graduate at the top of the class, you’ll have much better job opportunities than your high school classmates who failed out of Berkeley.

16

Dude in the end it doesn’t matter. You take your skills and hard work to any school and make the best of it. I bet you’re going to be more successful than any UCLA or Berkeley student

17

@ kinetix: Wow. I can tell how hard you’ve worked just from reading your post. Tbh, all Berkeley sees is you missing enough AP’s and things like that. It’s your high school’s fault for not letting you take them, and in reality that put you at a major disadvantage.

I’m not sure about your reasoning for not seeming as interested in UCSB or UCD, but both are phenomenal schools and you will great an excellent education at either one. If your heart is still set on Berkeley, as a previous poster said, you can always transfer.

I was definitely one of those “slackers” in high school. I didn’t even -graduate- from high school. If you do decide Berkeley is your ultimate goal, then go for it. Literally nothing is stopping you. Transferring is relatively simple from a community college, and you’d save 2 years worth of tuition.

I’m not kidding AP’s and SAT’s are irrelevant for transfer admissions. I never even took the SAT :p. And I’m not trying to gloat or anything like that, but if Berkeley is where you want to be, then damn, do it! You could transfer and be here in 2 years. I know plenty of freshman that didn’t get into Berkeley originally and have now transferred here as incoming juniors.

Keep going hard for what you want in life and don’t put in less heart or anything like that. I failed out of 2 high schools and have been hurt by a lot of people, but in the end only you can motivate yourself and pull yourself out when you’re down. Judging by your post, I can sense that you definitely have a lot of passion about school and life in general. Don’t let something like this get to you any more than it has.

Seriously consider transferring if Berkeley is where you want to be. If not, I have no doubt that you would love Davis or UCSB if you continued to apply yourself and make the most out of your college experience.

** For the record, it’s also MUCH easier to transfer to UCB from a CCC than a UC.

I wish you the best of luck! :smiley: You’ll be successful no matter where you go in life.

18

And who do you think is going to get farther in life: the slacker at Berkeley or the highly motivated, top of their class student at UCD/UCSB?

When it all comes down to it, we go to school to prepare for the rest of our lives and to learn how to achieve our goals. Take your motivation to school and you’ll be able to carry it with you for the rest of your life when you’re actually doing what you went to school to do in the first place. A top UC school may look great on a job application, but when you get Berkeley students who can’t even bag groceries, their school starts to matter less and less.

Take it from someone who’s volunteered at homeless shelters and served post-Harvard grads: your college isn’t always going to be the leg that you stand on. You may have worked your butt off in high school to get into a good college, but in reality your college isn’t going to affect you when you’re 40 years old and have 3 kids and a loving partner. Go out there and live your dream. You don’t need to go to a top UC to do that.

19

Three of my cousins went to UC Berkeley, another went to UCLA, my own brother is a junior at an Ivy League school. All my life I’ve lived in the shadow of my brother, who had a 4.7 GPA, 2170 SAT, and did every internship and volunteer job he could find.

And you know where I’m going? To community college. I was rejected from every UC I applied to, despite having pretty competitive marks myself, although they don’t even begin the scratch the surface of my brother’s excellence. I got into other CSUs and private colleges, but all my life I’ve wanted to go to UCD, and I’m going to CC to transfer there as a sophomore.

Do I feel jaded at the fact that my sweat and blood has amounted to nothing? Hell yea I do. Do I feel jealous that people who are half the student I am got into UCD? Of course. Am I sad that twelve years of work has been invalidated by a single letter? It’s all I think about. But the most important question is; what do I do now?

My AP Calc teacher told me something after taking the AP test (in reference to test results, but it still applies to this) that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life, “Know that no matter what happens now, it doesn’t matter. You are not here by coincidence. Everyone in this room is here for a reason, and that is because you have worked too hard for too long to let anything stop you. You will succeed in life if for no other reason than because you will let nothing less happen.”

So to the topic creator, don’t worry, no matter what happens, good things will happen to you. You are the type of person that succeeds in life regardless of whatever happens. You are too driven and too inspired to let any less happen to you. I could’ve chosen to go to a four year college that I was accepted to, but going to UCD has been my dream since before high school. That’s why I’m going to CC, to follow my dream twelve years in the making to its ultimate conclusion. You can’t give up now, I know just from your post that neither you nor I are the type of person to let life stand in the way of our dreams.

20

@ matark: Amazing. You’ll get to UCD. I am certain of that. In fact, I have no doubt that you’ll get into all the UC’s you’ll be applying to and probably anywhere else as well. Take courses you enjoy, space out your time, and you’ll do great.

Awesome post. It fully inspired me.

Best of luck to you!