I Am Officially Done With This Ridiculous Process

Applying to College Admission Stories
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I finally submitted my last application about an hour ago and I am simultaneously relieved and so burned out by this entire process. Thank you to everyone on CC who has helped out in the process and good luck to those with apps left and who will apply in future years. I kinda wish I knew what I know now before starting high school or even at the start of the application process but I feel like I still would not have the best grasp of this whole process until after completing it. It’s like people say, experience is the best teacher. I mean it kinda sucks as Jim says in the very first episode of the office, “If I left, what will I do with all this useless information in my head?” Some key things I have learnt are that you don’t need to attend an Ivy league or pay 80k to become successful. Kudos to the 5% that are Ivy league material but there are way more then 5% of people who earn comfortably and enjoy a happy lifestyle. The rest of us really need to get out heads out of the clouds and realize that you can still be happy and that it matters much more what you will do rather than where you do it. I wish I had realized this because most of the colleges I applied to are reaches, I have barely any matches and only two safeties (which is fine because I did get an acceptance but I did limit my options). I grew up in this hyper-competitive neighborhood and was actually saddened when I didn’t get a perfect on my math subject test. I was complaining that 30% of people did better than me but what I failed to realize was that I had outperformed 70% of test takers. I was trying to blame factors such as being asian or not taking calculus 5000 or other bs as an excuse for not being “good enough” for top colleges. Yes, I was crushed after Carnegie Mellon (my ED school) rejected me but I got over it and am aware that this one moment did not have to define my life. College is supposed to be the best years of your life, the good old days. As a procrastination method for college apps, I would often watch The Office and Andy’s line in the finale, “I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you left them,” really hit home. You will be happy whichever college you end up at because YOU chose it.
Sorry for this entire messy rant but I really had to get stuff off my chest after this entire bs process and kinda just wrote down whatever was popping into my mind.

Anyway, I would like to contribute my stats to the CC community for future use (will update as info comes out):
SAT - 1510 (710 EBRW, 800 M); Math 2 - 780; Physics - 750
UW/W GPA: 3.83/4.11
School doesn’t rank
In-state for Virginia
Sophomore: Self-studied CS A (5)
Junior: Physics 1 (4), CS P (5)
Senior: Calc BC, US Gov, Stats, Physics C (both)

I applied to Computer Science BA wherever I could (except for UVA), and then Computer Science BS for the others.

George Mason University - Decision: Accepted, EA, Honors College acceptance, Major: Computer Science BS.

University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign - Decision: Deferred, EA, Major: Computer Science & Mathematics BA.

Carnegie Mellon University - Decision: Rejected: ED, Major: Computer Science BS.

Awaiting: UVA, William and Mary, VA Tech, GA Tech, RPI, Cornell, UT Austin, UCLA & Berkeley, UMD CP, Harvey Mudd (just submitted lol).

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Congratulations on your excellent HS performance and acceptance to a great school (and likely more to come).

The college admissions process has become very complex and competitive for a variety of reasons, technology (ironic in this case) being one of them as the common app has made the applicant pools massive.

You sound like you ahve a good head on your shoulders. Just know that your college (any college) won’t define you. You define you, and so far YOU have done quite well. Continue pursuing your passions, take advantage of your opportunities, and enjoy the ride.

You will do quite well!

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Congratulations on finishing the application process, your acceptance to George Mason, and your achievements in HS. You are a very sensible young person with great potential. Enjoy your senior year!
Thank you in advance for your future updates.

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Wow!! Your stats are so good and yet you were only deferred at Illinois? This game is getting tough. Ugh. Thanks for writing this because it helps me get my head into the right place. It’s so hard to work hard and think you’re on top of your game and then get rejected. :slightly_frowning_face:Update as you get more acceptances etc. I’m curious and I’m routing for you!!

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I appreciate this post. As a first gen, slightly older student trying to navigate this process its been incredibly frustrating at times. UC applications were pretty straightforward (thank goodness) but the rest has been a learning experience. Having to send official high school transcripts, get deans reports, acquire letters of recommendation - which has been like attempting to herd cats, all these different due dates, 9 million essays, counselors that either aren’t familiar with how this works or don’t provide the correct information, paying for the stupid ACT test and stupid CSS profile out of pocket and on the list goes. :neutral:

Good luck to you and hope you have plenty of good news to share in your next update!

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Unfortunately, acceptence rates to CS at UIUC are extremely low, in the range of the other top CS programs in the USA. They were competing aginst people with GPAs > 3.9, math SAT II of 800, AP Calc BC in Junior year, and a higher level math course during senior year, etc

Had the OP being applying to LAS at UIUC, they would not only have been accepted, they likely would have been invited to enroll in the Honors College.

That being said, @XtremeBlaze777 - getting a 4 on AP Physics I is pretty impressive. Only 21% of the people who take that AP get a 4 or a 5, and they have to work pretty hard to get to that point.

Being able to write that at 18, after a couple of big disappointments, tells me that you will do well wherever you end up, and, more importantly, you will do well in life. There are people three times your age who don’t have the wisdom to realize this.

Good luck!

PS. That line should be quoted to every students who starts writing about their “dream school”.

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As a resident of Virginia, you should be admitted to Virginia, the College of Wm. & Mary, & Virginia Tech based on your stats.

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Thanks a lot for your comments. Yeah, UIUC was always a reach for me.
About 15% of my senior class is enrolled in multivar/matrix algebra (the most the school has ever had, they had to create a new session for it). Honestly, I like my BC class though. The teacher is funny and can make the class interesting. Also, I am enjoying the content in general, I can literally see the applications through both physics and stats.
I did technically apply to LAS but it was CS+Math so it doesn’t rely count. It was honestly so perfect because I intend to minor/double major in math regardless of where I go.
As for the Physics, my teacher prepared me well I think. Yeah it was a hard exam but not too bad. I honestly didn’t give much thought to it since a Physics 1 score doesn’t matter. It is algebra-based and therefore not equivalent to a first-semester physics course. I am taking Physics C though so I can hopefully get a 4 or 5 to place out of credit.

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lol yeah, I got my CS A score and was like alrighty T20 list here we come. I know I wouldn’t fit at an ivy league (except for Cornell, they really did stand out) but my list is still reach heavy. These top schools are looking for world leaders and publishers (which is prob 5% of the pop, hence their acceptance rate) so I’d be happy going to a local public school. My original list had UVA and Tech towards the bottom but now they are literally #2 & #5.

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Yeah rather than do multiple posts, I am just gonna do a big final update. Since I am writing this, I’ll add that I have been accepted at UMD but I think I will announce most of my results after the last one comes in.

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Your post title SOOO resonated with me (I’m a parent of D20)! Ridiculous! Just wanted to share my husband (CEEE/CS a long time ago), myself (Communications) and my D16 (Chem E - graduating in May) are all UMD!

If you’re going north, the tunnels make this the perfect school for MN winters. You can tell who lives on campus: the ones wearing shorts to class in January… It’s big enough and small enough, plenty of school spirit and a beautiful area to explore. Best of luck to you!!

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Congratulations, now relax and chill, you’ve deserved it.

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Your title is exactly what I have been thinking lately! I also was rejected from CMU (after excelling in their SAMS program the summer before). I have written a ton of essays and am just finished with it all. The expectation that we will be able to answer how we will add to their campuses (when we haven’t even been there) if we have cured cancer… and what the future holds for us when we are 17 is absolutely insane! I know adults who can’t answer most of these questions (and they have experience). I am waiting for the final rejections that will be coming shortly. I really don’t know what they want. I am a good student, played sports throughout all of H.S., attended SAMS received 4.00 from Carnegie Concepts of Mathematics, have completed Calc II and Calc 3 from the University of Idaho and am first generation. My SAT scores were in the 97% and I am from a rural H.S in the middle of Idaho. I am also venting because the whole process is really challenging and receiving the rejections after spending money I don’t have is like pouring salt into the wounds…

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