<p>When i was a kid, i always wanted to go to Harvard or something like it but, now that i see the groundlessness of it (Way too much tuition and, just too darn hard to get into). I've decided that i want to go to a state university such as auburn, GA tech, or UGA and just get into the honors program. I know i'll be overqualified for this position and plus being an honors students gives you alot of perks while going to HYPSM would just bankrupt my parents and make me miserable for another four years. I guess the degree would get people to think i'm smart but, i don't care whether they think i am or not so, i can just prove it when i get to med school. Plus, add the fact that many people go to state colleges and become successful so yea. </p>
<p>-I'm so happy now, i'm going to start relaxing more and quit all the stuff i do just to impress colleges (Boring clubs/ unnecessary APs) Yea, now i can start playing soccer more and hit the gym alot more. Besides it doesn't matter where you go undergrad. As long as i go to med school i don't care about my undergrad. </p>
<p>However, it’s a good thing that you’ve decided what you want to do, and it sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into what’s best for you. Good luck.</p>
<p>I was the same way wanting an Engineering major at a near-Ivy League caliber school and then I was like, “Hey, I’m going into the military regardless of where I go to school, so I’ll stop worrying about it and go somewhere I actually like!”</p>
<p>Now I’m looking to major in Political Science/International Relations at either Indiana, Texas, Texas A&M, or Virginia Tech with Texas being my “reach” school! So much stress relieved. Also, my lack of a technical major stops my chances at Naval and Air Force ROTC which means Army it is! (another stressful decision I had to make)</p>
<p>Um, great epiphany, but you sort of missed the point :o. People are as successful attending their state school as a top private only when they work as hard as they would at the top private, if not more so. Yes, being in a honor program will “give you a lot of perks”, but you’ll have to work just as hard to look for opportunities on your own and to stand out in your undergrad institution in order to have as the same job opportunities as would someone attending a more well recognized university. </p>
<p>Please don’t think that attending the honor college of GA tech means that you can now “relax” and still stop trying your best-----you may be surprised by how hard you would still have to work for the next four, five years. Not only are you not necessarily choosing an easier path, you may very well be choosing a harder one.</p>
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<p>LOL :). Those boring clubs are not helping you get into colleges------it’s depth, long-term involvement and dedication that matter. Resume padding only works to a very limited extent. </p>
<p>And you should be able to decide for yourself whether dropping all the AP courses is actually going to help you.</p>
<p>Xr, Simply what i’m saying is that i have alot of stress relived and, i can relax a little bit. I mean, i’m not going to sleep in class or anything but, i won’t be nearly as stressed.</p>
<p>As for the club, i do them just because they look like great EC’s for elite colleges but, most state schools only look at GPA and SAT (At least in my area) so, i feel like i’m good.</p>
<p>I wish I could be as decisive as you, Daxlo5, but I’m way to ambitious to let Duke go, even though I know it’s futile. Best of Luck at wherever you choose to go. :)</p>
<p>Same with me. I used to want to go to MIT, UPenn, etc. but I realized in 10th grade that I didn’t have the capacity to reach there. It’s not that I’m depressed or an underachiever. I just found out more about myself. So I’m going to a state school… meh it’s not like those 30,000 kids at your state college are going to fail. So I’m content. Plus I have 2 brothers under me.</p>
<p>My two cents with a note that I don’t personally attend GA Tech but have several acquaintances and friends who do:</p>
<p>a.) It’s an engineering school. ;)</p>
<p>b.) GA Tech’s professors don’t coddle their students and don’t care if you flunk out of their classes. The four-year graduation rate is sitting around ~30% the last time I checked. At the Ivies and other top schools, professors have a vested interest in helping the students succeed, whereas at GA Tech, they don’t really seem to care.</p>
<p>Not that I’m saying it’s difficult to get a good grade at GA Tech - it’s easy to get a good grade anywhere if you know what classes to take - but in general, I’d say the students at GA Tech simply feel more stressed than the people I know who attend other top schools.</p>
If Harvard knew that’s what you thought of the clubs and APs on your application, they’d be glad you didn’t apply.
I’m not attacking you BTW, lots of people are like that, and they just need to think, why is it impressive in the first place?</p>