I'll let you in on a secret...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wesleyan University
1

<p>The entire college admissions process is a crap-shoot. There's no possible way you can determine your "chances" of getting in somewhere, because the people deciding on your app are human- they are vulnerable to stupid biases that might spring up from what they are doing as they read your app, and have nothing to do with you. Maybe they just spilled their coffee on your application and burned their leg- now they're in a bad mood, and your chances of getting just dropped. Or conversely, maybe they just got a call from their mother who just recovered from surgery- now they are feeling good, and might give you a better chance. In either of these situations what is on your app has nothing to do with your chances.</p>

<p>Or depending on how lucky you are, maybe something written on your app sparks some sort of anger (or conversely joy) in the reader? Maybe your essay topic hits too close to home for the reviewer, and they are genuinely offended. I know they are trained not to let something like that influence their decision, but subconsciously you know it will.</p>

<p>So in the end, it's pointless to fret about things like exact numbers on all your scores, or your number of extracurriculars. The people reading your apps are not divus' or anything, they're just people, as susceptible to bias and emotion as you or me. Don't take it too harshly if you don't get in to some schools, because again, it's not a reflection of your character or abilities. You just got unlucky in your dice throw.</p>

<p>And to be completely honest, you're going to be perfectly happy wherever you end up. If you're looking at the 50 or so schools that are small, liberal arts colleges like Wesleyan, no matter which you get into, you're going to have a great experience, because they are all pretty much the same. And even if you end up having to go to some state school, or <em>gasp</em> your community college for a couple years, you'll be fine if you convince yourself that you'll have a good time. Keep a positive attitude; trust me, it pays off. There's so much life after college to look forward too as well.</p>

2

<p>very well said</p>

3

<p>I second smartalic34 :D</p>

4

<p>Very nice Weskid. Everyone should read this.</p>

5

<p>^^^ Agreed. :)
I think a big thing I learned through my college admissions process was that as important as it is to not over estimate yourself, its also really important to not under estimate yourself. You have to do your best and when you sent the application, its out of your hands now. Good Luck to all the other applicants!!!</p>

6

<p>You are like my favorite person.</p>

<p>It is so easy to get caught up in the numbers and stats and little minute details of each little aspect of your application, that you forget that what an admissions rep is looking at is the bigger picture of you. And really, people generally apply to the same kinds of schools (as I am) so even if you don't get in one place you're bound to get in somewhere else, and you'll be just as happy at that school as you would have been at the other school you didn't get into but is almost exactly the same as where you ended up.</p>

<p>Asking people to chance you and all that.... they have no idea what an admissions rep is really looking for, so they could be totally off. Don't worry about it, if you get in that's great, if not good luck somewhere else that is just as good.</p>

7

<p>I agree, but

[quote]
Keep a positive attitude

[/quote]

easier said than done. :/</p>