I was rejected.

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

<p>Hello everyone.</p>

<p>I have been here for around two years, where I have spread my love and knowledge of Notre Dame to others. As I ran to my mailbox, anticipating the next four years of my life... excitement could not even describe how I felt.</p>

<p>I have been waiting for this day my entire life, and I was so nervous/excited/scarred. I opened the mailbox, and I immediately saw two large white envelopes. My stomach jumped out of my body... but the first one did not have the notre dame crest on it.... instead it was my Gonzaga financial aid packet..... I quickly threw it on my lawn. The next envelope wasn't Notre Dame's either, in fact it was an acceptance package to Vanderbilt University. </p>

<p>No big envelopes left. I fingered through the rest of the mail, hoping that I did not see a small enveloped sent from Notre Dame, IN.</p>

<p>Well there it was, the last one in the bunch. I sat down and opened it up, and there it was: a rejection letter from the University of Notre Dame.</p>

<p>I went into shock. Schock turned to anger/confusion, and that turned to tears.</p>

<p>I got it out of my system, and accepted the fact that I won't be attending the school I had been dreaming about since I was a little kid.</p>

<p>I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone on this board and their kind messages. My email box has been flooded from people asking about my status, and your kind words mean the world to me.</p>

<p>It doesn't end here.... I am most likely headed off to Vanderbilt or BC or maybe even USC, but ND better get used to seeing my application because this one wasn't the last.</p>

<p>I'm going to Notre Dame. </p>

<p>Thank You Everyone!</p>

<p>Anything is possible, and I guess I just have to work a little harder.</p>

<p>Anything is possible</p>

<p>Anything is possible</p>

<p>Anything is possible - <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=DelJrP3P7tA%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://youtube.com/watch?v=DelJrP3P7tA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

2

<p>tim we all love you man. ND won't be the same until you're there. We'll be waiting.
good luck next year. We'll stay in touch.
ps. Vandy waitlisted me</p>

3

<p>Take it easy, buddy, although it's not so easy.</p>

<p>Anything is possible. That's right.</p>

<p>Life should go on.</p>

4

<p>Tim, searched through the posts yesterday looking for your update. Thank you for sharing what was an unpleasant experience yesterday, and I wish it had been different outcome. </p>

<p>Over the years there have been many avid applicants who end up going to other schools, and while this might be difficult to fathom right now, they all reported that it worked out in ways they could not imagine.</p>

<p>Just trying to say that you have wonderful choices, and I know ND students who wanted to go to USC over ND. Boston compared to South Bend- nothing needs to be said there.</p>

<p>There have been MANY, MANY applicants who come back to the CC and post how happy they are!!!! Trust me, this will be YOU, but right now it doesn't feel like it. Give it some time.......</p>

5

<p>Tim, the same thing happened to my daughter and a friend of hers. They were crushed. My daughter is now very happy at UChicago and thinks her prayers were indeed answered. Her friend spent a year at Michigan and transferred to Notre Dame she is also very happy now. They are both in the third year, so anything is possible. Also talk to your guidance counselor, they can appeal.</p>

6

<p>I am feeling the same shock for you that I felt when my own D was rejected. God may need to use you as an example to others about how to persevere in the face of adversity, in order to achieve your dream. He has tremendous faith in you Tim, always remember that.</p>

7

<p>Tim -</p>

<p>I was in shock when I saw your title thread and it took me awhile to read it as I was deeply saddened by the thought of you not going to Notre Dame. I have only been a member of these boards for a few months now but I found your enthusiasm and spirit about everything to be quite contagious! I always looked forward to being entertained by your thoughts and comments. I believe that you are a tremendous young man - you are kind, insightful, passionate, spirited - you are someone who truly will be successful in life. I know that this will be a very sad time for you but you seem to have the strength and determination that will get you through this - and I have no doubt that you will be going to Notre Dame in the future!
I will think good thoughts for you and you know that you have the support of everyone on these boards. We are all rooting for you, Tim and we are looking forward to hearing about your future success.
Thank you for everything. God Bless.</p>

8

<p>Tim: it happens to the best of us. You are going far no matter what.</p>

9

<p>Tim, this was something I dreaded when I didn't see you post last night. I am truly and deeply sorry that you won't be going to the school you've dreamed about, but in reality, you will end up at a school you love. Statistics say that those who end up going to their dream school right off the bat are much more likely to transfer than those who go to another school with the intention of transferring, because they find that they love where they are. I am so sorry, this breaks my heart because you infused the ND spirit in me as soon as I started looking at this board. Please keep us updated, we all love you and take this as a personal loss as well.</p>

10

<p>that is the best attitude ive ever seen....its awesome that you've gotten past the first sharp pain of the blow and looked toward the future....i really hope you do transfer and reach your dreams....i seriously admire you because of your attitude...it reminds me of RUDY, one of my personal heros...i'm assuming you've seen the movie and if not, its the best movie ever so get it</p>

11

<p>I sent you a PM </p>

<p>:)</p>

12

<p>Tim,
My D also did not get accepted and is going through a lot of pain right now. She found out Saturday that she was rejected from her #1 and #2 schools, so she has had a few days to process and is starting to take a second look at the schools she did get in to. She will probably go to Lehigh or Wake Forest. I have been looking for your post since Saturday, when D got her decision in So Cal, keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck in the future, you have some great schools to consider....</p>

13

<p>Tim,</p>

<p>I am sooo sorry! As an ND grad and lurker of this site, I was really rooting for you, and was really sad when I saw your post this morning.</p>

<p>I have a dear friend who was in your postition 22 years ago. She was president of our class, smart, funny, kind, outgoing, hard-working, etc. (Perhaps her only weakness was that she was not an amazing standardized test taker). She was, and is, one of the greatest individuals I know. I was shocked when she didn't get in to Notre Dame, which had always been her dream school. She ended up going to Vanderbilt, and ND's loss was Vanderbilt's gain! She blew their socks off in every way and ended up being the youngest board member of the university upon her graduation. She LOVED her four years there, and Vanderbilt is a better place because of her. She is now a very succesful person and continues giving her all to everything she does (I see her regularly because our kids go to school together).</p>

<p>Another friend who had dreamed of ND his whole life did not get in either, went somewhere else for a year (I cannot remember where, but I don't believe he had the amazing choices you do), and then transfered to ND for his sophomore year. He was very happy with the way things turned out too.</p>

<p>My point is, wherever you end up, go with a positve attitude, do your best and then figure out what you want to do. You may end up loving your second choice!</p>

<p>With your unquenchable spirit, I am sure you will succeed no matter where you end up!</p>

<p>Best of luck!!! As you said, anything is possible!</p>

14

<p>yeah dude, i think your attitude shows that you've already won the battle here...onward to victory</p>

15

<p>Tim I am so sorry I have been rooting for you for 2 years. Don't forget the transfer option and you know Irish will help you. My thoughts and prqyers are with you</p>

16

<p>Tim, I am really sorry, I was really hoping for you. That being said, as you know, your story sounds very similar to mine, and you know how that turned out. Just because you are rejected the first time does not mean you will not be a Notre Dame alum! It actually just means you will probably pay a little less than everyone else for a Notre Dame degree! Hang in there and try to keep fighting. I know you have the link but my website is community.wvu.edu/~mrn006/ndtransfer. The day I got rejected was also the first day I got in touch with transfer admissions. It is very doable!</p>

17

<p>Tim, I'm really sorry to hear about this outcome. You deserved to get into Notre Dame as much as anyone on these boards, and I know you'll find a way. Good luck.</p>

18

<p>Also Tim, save this thread, you will look back on these messages later. This is from the Princeton Review message board (before this board was around) from when I was rejected.</p>

<p>Date: December 15, 2002 04:18 AM
Author: dgm
Subject: anonj
Hey Congrats to you and your son, he will just love Notre Dame, its the best. Has anyone heard from Irish80122 from the kids board? I think that was his name, hope he made out alright. </p>

<p>Date: December 15, 2002 10:55 AM
Author: anonj
dgm, he did not get in. He is talking about maybe transferring in after a year.
Here is a weird coincidence about Irish80122. He and my son were BEST friends from preschool through third grade when we moved from Denver to Virginia. They reconnected through this board. Irish was the nicest, kindest kid in their class and it appears he's still the same. I was kind of hoping they would both get in so they could have a reunion of sorts. </p>

<p>Date: December 15, 2002 12:36 PM
Author: dgm
Subject: Poor kid
What a coincidence, I feel bad for the kid as I know when I first came on this board in October he E-mailed me and my heart went out to him. I just wish that anyone that wanted it as much as he did would get accepted. </p>

<p>Date: December 15, 2002 06:00 PM
Author: Rushed
Subject: It's a shame ND can't see a bit deeper into the
hearts of applicants. I was lurking the kid's board just to see how they all made out ED/EA, and he's over there sincerely congratulating everyone who did get in, and offering tons of support and such kind posts to those still waiting or RD. Doesn't even display the slightest bit of disappointment or negative response over his deferral (it was a deferral not rejection right?). He's already working with what he has and trying to make the best of it.
If anyone deserves to attend ND, he does. I sincerely hope he makes it. What an exemplary attitude... </p>

<p>Date: December 15, 2002 07:16 PM
Author: dgm
Subject: Rushed
You are so right, Notre Dame would be extremely lucky to have a fine young man like that, I really do wish him well. He always acted humble, always bringing up the spirits of the other posters, His parents should be extremely proud of him. </p>

<p>Date: December 15, 2002 08:06 PM
Author: Rushed
Subject: It's enough to make one want to build a coalition
from the boards and campaign ND to reverse their decision. I assume his stats were within range for the school? Anyone here think that sometimes admissions staff just makes mistakes? Maybe they were supposed to check one box and accidently checked another? Or someone hit "shift" instead of "enter" and an intended admit becomes a deferral/rejection?
There is one young man on the kid's board, deferred from Georgetown (Emmanual Kant??? I probably have it wrong) - his deferral makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, no matter how you view it, unless somehow he sent in illiterate essays (doubtful). Someone should call those people up and ask them what drugs they're taking, or else suggest they try some (sorry, I get mad on behalf of kids I do not know - I must be slipping down the slope 2003 built!). </p>

<p>Date: December 16, 2002 07:24 AM
Author: anonj
Rushed, his numbers were in range but at the low end. I think he had a 1290/3.5. But if ever there was a kid you desperately wanted to get in it was him. He's talking about transferring in after one year, but I'm afraid he'll do what most kids do, and that is start to really love their safety school and then never transfer.
At least he and my son have been able to email a few times...and the next time we're back in Denver they'll probably get together there. Another thing about my son being friends with him from very early in childhood: after we moved my son sought out the exact same kind of kids to befriend. His best friend in Charlottesville (3rd through 9th grade) is exactly the same kind of kid! So Irish got him off on the right foot where friendships are concerned, a fact for which I am eternally grateful. </p>

<p>The same can be said of you my main. I still have that thread now five and a half years later! You touched a lot of people here man, and we were and will continue to be rooting for you.</p>

19

<p>Ohh Tim. I don't even know what to say.....except that sometimes not everyone who deserves to get in, does.</p>

<p>I thought I should tell you that I was waitlisted....I was really, really bummed, but at the same time I felt that it was their loss, not mine. You've been admitted to some amazing schools--if USC, BC, Michigan, UNC, and Vandy all want you and ND does not--that says more about them, than it does about you. I still love ND, and I'll always be a fan of theirs (unless I end up at Michigan lol), but no school, and no admissions committee, is perfect. Just like UCLA, Cal, Harvard, Stanford, and Michigan reject people with incredible potential, so does ND. Life isn't fair, but at the same time, we must remember that success is nothing without failure.</p>

<p>I know right now you hope to transfer, and I can't say I blame you! You would make an amazing addition to the Notre Dame family. But please, please, go into your next two years with the same enthusiasm you would have had at ND. Reward the schools that accepted you by proving your worth, and I actually bet that two years from now, if you follow this advice, you won't even want to transfer. And if you do, you'll have a great record due to your passion for education.</p>

<p>There are many, many successful people in the world, and many of them, actually most of them, were not Notre Dame alums. Are ND alums very successful? Of course! But so are grads of SC, Vandy, BC, Michigan, UVA, Princeton, and Harvard. No matter where you go, you will prevail. As Pete Carrol so wisely proclaims, "Leave no doubt."</p>

<p>"Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed." ~Corita Kent</p>

<p>Best of luck to you, no matter where you attend, you will leave your mark.</p>

20

<p>I'm so bummed to hear that, Tim. Busy as I've been at work, I've been lurking and checking the boards periodically to see how things would turn out for you. I think ND messed up, personally, but whatever has happened has happened for a reason.</p>

<p>Either you will do as you as are planning now and head off to another university to amass the GPA of which I know you are capable, and transfer in, with a far more profound appreciation of Notre Dame than most anyone else there--or you will end up wherever you go, fall in love with it there, and go on to do great things. </p>

<p>I pray for you, I cheer for you, and I swear to you, based upon 45 years of experience with things that I thought were crushing blows, but ended up to be part of a far greater plan I never could have envisioned at the time--everything truly happens for a reason. Some day, whether you are a genuinely happy graduate of Notre Dame or of some other university, doing whatever it is your path will take you to do, it will all make sense.</p>

<p>If I could hug you through cyberspace, I would. You are one of the deepest, most profound, most together young people I've seen on this board in the three years or so I've been coming to visit it. You will succeed in whatever it is you choose to do. You "get" life in a way most people your age do not; in a way many of the students ND has accepted never will.</p>

<p>I wish you the best...</p>