<p>Not only for Harvard, but also for the other Ivies. Just a bit of a rant.</p>
<p>I'm very determined to do my best for my application, really.
But sometimes, before going to sleep, I contemplate everything. Those 'what if's are rather bothering. For a moment I may happily think that I'm a rather unusual applicant, which may or may not give me an edge. A second later, it's like, NO, there are better, more deserving applicants than you.</p>
<p>I know, not getting accepted is really not a big deal. </p>
<p>Still a long, long journey, yet I already feel hopeless.</p>
<p>Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get in…If you only set your sights on an Ivy like Harvard, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. I applied to Harvard, and I didn’t think I’d actually get in. I mean, I knew there was a chance, but I had mentally prepared myself for a rejection. That’s not being negative; it’s simply being realistic. With that said, I got in, but even if I hadn’t, I know that I still would have been completely happy elsewhere.</p>
<p>I had similar feelings as I was working on my applications – you can’t help but think that no matter what you do there is always someone better. But I just told myself that there was nothing I could do to change things for the better at that point.</p>
<p>It’s important to get past this mentality. Once you understand that wherever you get accepted and wherever you end up you will be happy, you’ll get through your admissions season with much less stress.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. I also apply to universities that seem to suit me well. I’ll be happy to end somewhere, but sometimes I can’t bare it…seems stupid, I know.</p>
<p>Maybe you should talk to someone. Feeling this badly before going to sleep, about where you might get in for college, does not seem healthy to me. It is not your fault: our culture, schools and many parents induce this kind of thinking. Try reading “Beyond the Ivies” or “Colleges that Change Lives,” books like that. People go to state universities’ honors programs are often very happy and do great in life, and so do kids at Harvard. It really is what you make of it, trite as that sounds. Enjoy your high school years!</p>
<p>The single most important step in the college admissions process is finding many schools that you’d be excited about attending. Try looking at and visiting other fantastic Ivy League and non-Ivy League schools. If you talk about your interests people on the forums might be able to suggest a few.</p>
<p>I applied to 14 schools, and was excited about the possibility of attending almost every single one of them. At that point, getting into Harvard felt almost like an afterthought.</p>
<p>^ Second Admiral. In short, you should have more than one dream school. Harvard is definitely one of my “dream schools”, but in fact, all of the schools on my current list are also dream schools. Even the thought of going to my safety excites me! I would advise you to find some other schools you absolutely LOVE, so then in the event that you get rejected by Harvard, you won’t feel bad. :)</p>
<p>(In case that wasn’t obvious enough, UChicago’s also up on my list. It’s actually my 3rd choice school. I just sent my NMSF qualifying thing there earlier today. :))</p>
<p>Are you asking me, fledgling?
Besides HYPS, I also apply to UPenn, Berkeley, WashU, UofT, UBC, and McGill. I would love to enter one of them! But, (I know, I know, it’s a rather childish thought), I really want to prove myself to my Ivy cousins, to show them that, even without that kind of expensive education, I can make it. <em>heavy sigh</em></p>
<p>Monochrome is right; I’m a girl. Oh nice, Stanford! That’s one of the other places I’m definitely going to be applying to, though I didn’t have NMSC send my letter thing to them because I thought they wouldn’t think much of it. :P</p>
<p>^ tomofboston is right; UPenn is also an Ivy. Stanford, on the other hand, isn’t - but it’s just as highly regarded as an Ivy and is also very prestigious.</p>
Oh nice, Stanford! That’s one of the other places I’m definitely going to be applying to, though I didn’t have NMSC send my letter thing to them because I thought they wouldn’t think much of it. :P</p>