Haunting mistakes? Integrity overcoming passion?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Two thoughts:</p>

<p>In an eleventh hour introspection, it's a little late for remorse to hold any sway over application results. Must it be so that human experience will be tainted by regret inevitably and indefinitely? Despite prior mentioned futility, I still think of the many mistakes I've made that now warp and twist my entire gastro-intestinal tract. Aw shucks, probably shouldn't have gotten on the bad side of that English teacher. And maybe, in my search of absolute integrity, my passions have gone the way of thousands of tears to be shed in the coming days - out, away, and onto some kleenex.</p>

<p>I tried to remain absolutely factual and truthful in my essays, but reading over them at this time makes me wonder: how can one truly convey one's passions without jumping from the diving board into a pool of molasses? I'm not Gold-medal-winning-amazing in physics, but I still love it. I have toured around the country, giving piano performances, but my essays only contain a small blurb about my experiences.</p>

<p>I suppose that I really didn't want to come off as fake, or as feigning a passion, but ultimately, I think I may have hurt myself more by burying my passions amongst meaningless words. To those who genuinely love what they do and get accepted, congratulations. I wish I knew how to toe the line.</p>

<p>And now, to make this interactive: how do you feel about your application? For my own reference, if anyone has advice on writing well-balanced essays, I'd greatly appreciate it.</p>

2

<p>Hey...I feel your pain. In retrospect, I think my application is all over the place - stuffed with too many activities and too-small explanations that convey a lack of focus, rather than passion. Still, aren't we our own worst critics? Whatever we put in our apps was what we felt was best at the time, so, first of all, we can't change it, and secondly, it probably turned out better in someone else's eyes.</p>

3

<p>I, too, feel your pain, I think I made my interests/passion sound too broad. After reading all my essays, one gets the impression that I basically love research in Psychology, Alternative Engergy sources, Neurology/Biology, and Mechanics :-). I try to sum it up conclusively as my fascination for machines has transitioned into an acknowledgement of biology's superiority to manmade technology, but I still think the essays are two broad and might not be as focused as I intended.</p>

4

<p>weird... if you read my app you'll think i have add and just do things for the sake of doing them... oh and also i'm a very superficial grandchild</p>

5

<p>I don't know if this is any consolation, but judging from your post your writing is quite lovely. I'm sure you'll be fine.

[quote]
Still, aren't we our own worst critics?

[/quote]

How very true.</p>

6

<p>ok guys since its too late to do anything...I want you to ask yourselves this question.</p>

<p>If you do or ever had a gf/bf how would you have told him/her about your passion. If you wrote your essay in a similar sense (hopefully in a more formal style), I'm sure you did fine.</p>

<p>I hope that made sense? if it didn't then, just ask yourself, did you write from the heart or did you write to impress the adcom?</p>

<p>I can honestly say, I wrote about something that I am genuinely passion about.</p>

7

<p>You didn't get into MIT. It's not the end of the world. It probably had nothing to do with your essays, either. </p>

<p>Understand that college is mostly what you make of it; the vast majority of individuals at any university realize only a small percentage of their opportunities there, MIT included.</p>

<p>If you take advantage of all of your opportunites at the school you end up going to, be it even a far less "prestigious" one, your education will trump that of 99.9% of college students, even those at Harvard, Princeton, MIT, etc.</p>

8

<p>How do you know they didn't get into MIT?</p>

9

<p>Spartan, did you even try to understand the point of my post? </p>

<p>It doesn't matter if it's MIT. It doesn't matter if it's Walla-Walla University. It doesn't matter whether it's just deferral, or outright rejection. </p>

<p>What I'm saying is that right now, in high school, this all might seem like a huge deal. Trust me, I've been there. Back then, all this college stuff seemed like the ultimate conclusion to one's life, rather than its next step.</p>

<p>But in a years' time, you'll hardly even remember this; you'll realize that what a college does for you is ultimately a task placed on your shoulders, not the brand-name appeal of your school.</p>

<p>So, while it might seem heart-breaking now, just realize that it's not a big deal, and you'll overcome it.</p>

10

<p>You say that just cause you can't do anything about it. Make the best of what you're given. And whatever college you end up getting into, make the best of it. But while you can still change things and decide where you are GOING to go, it is very important.</p>

11

<p>Of course applying to college is important. It's undoubtedly important. But who we are, what we want to be, and what we like to do is more important than which college we end up at, because college doesn't (or shouldn't) define our lives. </p>

<p>College doesn't create happiness; ultimately, we do.</p>

<p>Having said that, I'm ironically going to stalk the mailman the next week as I await my MIT decision. ;)</p>

12

<p>My intention was not to lament MIT's decision, but rather to highlight a recurring theme in my life, and undoubtedly, in the life of others. That is, we all suffer disappointment in ourselves because often times, we are our own harshest critic.</p>

<p>Through my high school years, I have come to realize, very realistically, that schooling and education is purely what one makes of it - to quote Calvin and Hobbes "what you put in is what you get out." I understand fully that my drive and my diligence will overcome any alma mater. And that's not to say any college is worse than MIT - I will get a first rate education no matter where I go, given my personal habits.</p>

<p>It's 2 a.m. and I'm not exactly coherent, but to clarify my original intention: I simply sought solace among my many peers applying to MIT. Self-failure (perceived or actual) is a difficult blow, certainly to suffer alone. Thanks for all of your comments.</p>

13

<p>
[QUOTE]
Of course applying to college is important. It's undoubtedly important.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Not really. It may seem like the end of the universe right now, but trust me, in a year or so, it will become irrelevant. </p>

<p>That's the truth, having gone through this myself, and having seen a few hundred of my peers do the same. You're still in high school, still trapped in a world which you'll soon discover to be both childish and irrelevant. But in less than a year, you'll probably come to the realization that your college, up to a certain baseline level, really doesn't matter.</p>

<p>If worst comes to worst, you can always transfer.</p>

<p>Think back to elementary school. Was the world of dodgeball and playground politics really that important in the grand scheme of your life?? Do you constantly stress and think back to those days? </p>

<p>Hopefully, the answer is no. </p>

<p>After a little bit of college, you'll feel the same way about high school and high school's greatest God, general, and doctor; college admissions.</p>

<p>I did. </p>

<p>danielsuo:</p>

<p>Just because MIT rejected you, you're suffering? Have some self-confidence.</p>

<p>If there's a factor of your personality/intellect that's deficient, it's one thing.</p>

<p>But the fact that a prestigious school rejected you, by itself, means nothing. </p>

<p>The sooner you realize this, the happier you'll be.</p>

14

<p>Gracie, I think you misunderstand me. I have realized what you say. Many times over. But as a human being, I still fall prey to the human emotions of nervousness and self-doubt. Patronization isn't necessary.</p>

15

<p>When I made my first post I didn't realize that decisions were out already. It's too late to edit, but I'd like to make it instead "I'm sure you'll be fine wherever you end up going." </p>

<p>It sounds like a cliche, but MIT's admissions committe doesn't decide the outcome of your life... your own character does. I think that's the point Gracie was emphasizing; I don't see that as "patronizing".</p>

<p>I'm sure you know this intellectually, by the way, but internalizing it emotionally may be more difficult.</p>

<p>(I know that as a high school junior I'm not exactly in a position to give advice/comfort...feel free to ignore this post, if you want.)</p>

16

<p>i disagree, the opinion of a spectator is much more accurate than the one going through something... you're Im-par-tial haha</p>