<p>Hello, so I am currently a Senior. I applied to UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine. I was accepted at UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz, and I was waitlisted at UC Santa Barbara (dream school) and UC Riverside. Still haven’t heard from UC Irvine but I doubt I will get in. So my freshman year I was a mess, I didnt care about school and my community was a negative influence. After seeing the negatives that the community could cause an individual to do, I decided to pick myself up. Since Sophomore year I have placed on the principals list every quarter. I worked the hardest I could to get into UC Santa Barbara and it just didnt happen since I was waitlisted. I am extremely dissapointed and everytime I see UC Santa Cruz I feel even more dissapointed, not becasue it’s a bad school but because I feel I deserve more. I am now considering community college and then possibly transferring to a private school. The pure fact that I am considering community college is making me feel like a failure. My family socioeconomically is living at poverty level and I gave it my all for them, but still it wasn’t enough… So I feel like a failure. This might not make any sense at all. I just needed to vent.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about needing to vent, it’s perfectly understandable.</p>
<p>If UCSB was your dream school and you don’t get in as a freshman, then you can always go as a junior after 2 years at a junior college. the main thing is to decide what your real goal is. There are many routes to the same goal.</p>
<p>Don’t feel like a failure if you don’t get to your goal with Plan A. There is always Plan B, and Plan C!</p>
<p>My son has a 4.2 and got rejected by UCLA and UCSD, Occidental, Pomona…You should just go to Santa Cruz and transfer…you may even like it! My niece’s dream school was UCSB, ended up crying all the way to Long Beach State, and she LOVED it! Get great grades at the less prestigious school and you will shine. You will NOT like the CC schools, too much like high school. Go to UCSC!</p>
<p>I’m sure your family is very proud of you. You got into UCs and there are still many opportunities available to you. There are many paths through which you can reach that brighter socioeconomical future.</p>
<p>What do you want to major in? Will you have financial aid if you go to UC Santa Cruz? </p>
<p>Also, community college is NOT a failure option. It’s actually a really smart one. I know several people who went the community college route and then transferred to a UC. They emerged from the community college with a strong background and did well or have been doing well. It’s actually such a great value, I often think that they’re the really smart ones. They bucked the negative myths about community colleges, made the most of them and are doing well–and without paying for 2 years of UC fees and whatever room and board would have cost. </p>
<p>Community college transfers are also great for the UCs. The students they get from them are already tested against a real college atmosphere where students have disparate classes and a lot of freedom. </p>
<p>What you’re feeling makes sense. Let me tell you though that a year or two from now, away from this college-crazy atmosphere, it will feel better. Whatever you choose, keep being that awesome principal’s list student you are and you will be well on your way.</p>
<p>You should hang out and watch the rejection threads. You might feel better.</p>
<p>And you should also see what other “grown ups” say about community college. Especially the California ones. I don’t think students should be so quick to dismiss them. You are going to be fine!</p>
<p>MindySue: In my experience it’s a pretty big myth that CCs are like high school. In what way do you think they’re like that?</p>
<p>There are some really stellar CCs out there. (There are also some really great CSU options. I’m glad your niece enjoyed her experience and made the most of it!)</p>
<p>Thank you all for being quick to reply, it makes me feel as though someone does care. It’s uterly dissapointing because I worked so hard, and it feels like I am not being rewarded. If I do go the cc way then I will definitely not apply to any uc school, all privates.</p>
<p>UC Santa Cruz is a great school! Don’t rule it out completely; you may end up loving it. UCSC is still a public ivy, and the campus is amazing. Just keep in mind, it’s really liberal. CC isn’t a bad option either, and you could always try transferring to a private college after one year.</p>
<p>Just here to offer a shoulder to cry on. Rejected from ucd, uci,ucsd,ucla and soon to be from ucb. I had a mess of a freshman year too, which basically tossed me out of private school options because they take the whole 4 year gpa. Community colleges can be great, but the one near us is hugely impacted by budget problems. UCSC is a great school, I’m going to visit again before deciding.</p>