I just don't get it...really distraught and seeking answers

Applying to College
1

<p>Hey all,
I'm kind of numb right now because of some of the decisions that have been coming in for me.</p>

<p>First off, here are some basic stats of mine...
Asian Male...
SAT I: 800/800/760 (2360)
SAT IIs: USHist 800, Chem 780, Math IIC 740
GPA: low 90s/100 w, ~90 uw
12 APs taken by graduation
Rank: School doesn't rank
School: Central NJ, one of, if not the top public in the state
ECs: NHS treasurer, president of a web design club, founded/operating own web design company, lots of community service, etc
Recs: 1 was phenomenal, and the other couldn't have been that bad</p>

<p>I applied and got into both of my "safeties": Indiana @ Bloomington, and UT-Austin</p>

<p>But then, starting about a month or two ago, the schools that I considered a match started flowing in....the Business Honors Program at UT-Austin...rejected....UMichigan...deferred (not even from Ross, but the actual university!)...and now, because people in my area have already gotten NYU Stern decisions, I can safely assume that I did not get into Stern Scholars and probably will have a tough time even getting in, straight up.</p>

<p>Now before you say this is just something weird going on or I messed up somewhere, I can say that my essays may not have been the most amazing, but they definitely did not kill me...everyone thinks their essays are good.</p>

<p>In addition, several kids with stats worse than mine from my school have gotten into the schools I listed above. </p>

<p>The only thing I can pinpoint are my grades. I have been on a SLIGHT downward trend ever since the beginning of sophomore year or so, but my workload has been intense. Freshman year, all the honors classes possible. Sophomore year, 2 APs and the rest were honors. Junior year, 5 APs and 1 honors class. Senior year, 5 APs. </p>

<p>I am a Presidential Scholars candidate, National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar w/ Distinction, etc</p>

<p>Could it be that a high C in calc bc this year and a few "bad" grades (I've gotten a couple high Bs and a low B so far in hs), which essentially is a matter of a few percentage points overall, just plain did me in?</p>

<p>I'm really regretting taking the # of classes I did...I think my grades would be so much higher if it weren't for one class each year or so.</p>

<p>Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>There are still more schools you're waiting for, right? Definitely see what happens with your reaches. Sometimes admissions is really, really random and unpredictable like that. I cannot tell you why you didn't get into some of your matches, especially with your stellar stats, but perhaps you should have your GC call the schools to get a few answers. It can't hurt. </p>

<p>I agree, your decisions don't seem to make a lot of sense. But you do have two strong safeties already, and don't lose hope, I'm guessing you still have a few more schools you'll get into. Definitely have your GC call to see if there is a glaring problem with your app and keep positive! You're obviously very hard-working and intelligent, and in the end, whether you're accepted to nyu stern scholars or not will be inconsequential.</p>

3

<p>Sometimes schools look for character, something that shows you're not just a number. Would you say your essays/personal statements showed that or were they just generic?</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the encouragement, and I am waiting for a couple more schools, but they're all huge reaches. </p>

<p>Although our GCs are overburdened, I have a good relationship with my GC and she has always called around for me. </p>

<p>It's just frustrating not pinpointing something that makes me an undesirable candidate for admission.</p>

5

<p>Remember that many people who get in are "special interest" - recruited athletes, legacies, etc. People may get in because they need a tuba, or a soccer goalie, or more people for their art program. It may not be for any reason other than they had more qualified people than they could admit,a nd you didn't fulfill a specific need.</p>

6

<p>AndrewHCO, in my opinion, I thought that my essays/personal statements were fine. My many essay for most schools was one about how one of the greatest things that has happened to me was being cut from a basketball team a couple years ago and it was pretty damn heartfelt imho. </p>

<p>Uh, a lot of schools I applied to were b-schools, so while I might not have been so personal with the short answer questions, I really did put a lot of thought and time into the large majority of them.</p>

<p>Of course, now that I think about it, in a pool of 20,000+ applicants for a lot of these schools, my answers may have sounded generic...but I don't think it was enough to kick me out of contention if you know what I mean.</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses.</p>

7

<p>lingbo, the problem with that theory is that a classmate of mine (asian girl, no hooks) was admitted to NYU stern and stern scholars...and even looking on CC (which can depress anyone), there were plenty of people admitted who I thought I was at least roughly on the same level with.</p>

<p>I guess trying to analyze and guess about reasons is not going to help...now it's just a matter of waiting for my super reaches.</p>

8

<p>I don't really think you should have considered BHP a match simply b/c you're out of state. </p>

<p>Anyways, you have great stats. I am surprised that you've met so much trouble, but be glad that you've gotten into UT-Austin overall. If anything, you can stay within McCombs or CAS for a year and transfer into BHP, pending good performance.</p>

9

<p>The first thing I noticed was that you lack major awards (at least state level, preferably national level). You probably didn't list them, but what type of honors/awards have you received? "Presidential Scholars candidate, National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar w/ Distinction"--- these awards don't show anything beyond an affirmation of your standardized test scores.</p>

<p>Another thing, grades are VERY important, especially at the elite universities. They want to know that you can balance everything and still maintain good grades. A "C" will definitely raise some eyebrows. Also, the business programs you applied to are very competitive. There could've just been better qualified candidates that you. </p>

<p>On a final note, if you're Asian (esp. Chinese), then the negative effects of having low grades are compounded.</p>

10

<p>I'm sorry you've gotten some unexpected results. You sound like an amazing candidate, from where I sit. I'm not familiar with those schools, but what about the idea of appealing UT- Austin? And look at some strategies for turning a deferral into an acceptance at U Mich?
Don't let this get you down..look at it as a test of your determination and resilience and see what you can do to try to turn this into a positive. You must be very bright and a very hard worker...don't stop now!</p>

11

<p>PlayerHater, I have been involved in Science Olympiad and have a couple medals on the state level from that...and I have a couple other bit ECs here and there. </p>

<p>I understand what you are saying about competitiveness and how elite the universities are nowadays, but I didn't think it was at this level.</p>

<p>My gut feeling is that what you are saying is definitely correct (though Mich was not supposed to consider affirmative action anymore). I just think it's so ironic that it was my grades that did me in in the end.</p>

12

<p>If colleges only looked at kids with state awards, that pool would be very small</p>

<p>look at our state, gettig an award in california, well....if you get it great, but if you don't it isnot a regflection on your ECs...</p>

13

<p>teslasnake. I don't see anything wrong with your stats nor your EC's and most people don't have national awards.Just a few misfires in the admissions game. Hang in there. You are part of one of the most difficult years in college admissions at a time when many students are applying to 20 schools. College admissions people are really pretty stuck trying to figure out who is coming and who isn't. Not your fault.</p>

14

<p>sax is right, kids apply to just apply....</p>

15

<p>Don't loose hope. I was rejected by my match and safety schools! For a while I thought I was not going to get in anywhere, but surprisingly I was accepted by my reach school! </p>

<p>It is very difficult to analyze these admission decisions. Good luck.</p>

16

<p>No offense, but people with your scores are a dime a dozen. If you don't have something that truly makes you stand out, you're just the same as the other thousands of kids with great grades that applied.</p>

17

<p>Arctic16, no offense taken, but one of my points was that several kids from my school who stood out even less than me (and I mean it) easily got into the schools I mentioned.</p>

18

<p>Have you or your guidance person made any calls? Most of these admission people are reasonably forthcoming, but it won't be totally open. Pick the one that you were totally shocked at (and which said that your profile would have gotten you in) and ask the guidance counselor to make a call.</p>

19

<p>YOU think these kids stood out less than you did--obviously they stood out for some reason or they would not have been admitted</p>

<p>I am sorry you are distraught---you have worked hard and have great grades etc--you will find a place where you will thrive.</p>

<p>As I tell my sons---when a door closes another one opens....best of luck to you</p>

20

<p>I am sorry to hear about the admission results. I agree with what ray111 said; have your counselor call.</p>

<p>One thing nobody has brought up yet is your recs. Are you sure they were all favorable? You can't read them, of course, but when you were asking for recs did you ask the teachers if they would be willing to write a strong letter for you? Just because you got a good grade in a class doesn't mean a teacher will write an enthusiastic letter for you. In the book "The Gatekeepers" in which a reporter for the NY Times followed the admissions committee at Wesleyan (a top LAC) for a year is a real-world example of a bad rec, so clearly it does happen.
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There were times, I must admit,that I thought Tiffany might have taken a stronger interest in mastering the material in our course. When I saw that Tiffany was a National Merit Semi-Finalist I was a bit surprised. While clearly bright and competent, I had seen in Tiffany neither an exceptional skill for testing nor a particular affinity for the subject.

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