<p>First off, the people that got in have some reason they outshined you. Live with it.</p>
<p>Secondly, why did you bust your ass so much in high school to get into a good undergraduate education, when you're implying that you want to go to grad school? I'm not trying to be mean, but that's just dumb. Why are you so uptight about your undergrad school? IMO, you should have just enjoyed high school instead of working through it.</p>
<p>Thirdly, I was in the same spot as your last year. Except I got in to some really good places (Caltech, Duke, Rice,..etc) but eventually wound up in a state school.</p>
<p>If you're really dreading going to UIUC (which is way better than the school I'm currently at BTW), take a year off. Or better yet, TRANSFER after your freshman year. </p>
<p>Also, I think you're overvaluing college. Sure, your degree is almost integral to finding a good job, but what gets you past that is YOURSELF: yoru interviews, ECs, passions...etc. </p>
<p>Honestly, you seem quite miserable, so stop trying to fill out a resume, and go do stuff that you truly enjoy. You'll get a lot more out of it.</p>
<p>I'm in the same situation as you, (waitlisted/rejected) except my state school is ranked quite a bit lower. I felt the same frustration at first, thinking, wow, I just wasted my life. Then I realized that being angry about my college decisions and my regrets wasn't going to get me anywhere. So for now, I'll just relax a little, make plans for college, and make the most of what I have. Actually, I'm a little optimistic about my future college life and the goals I want to achieve that I actually don't mind going to my state school. Hopefully for you, this is just a phase that'll pass and that you can eventually move on with life.</p>
<p>I highly doubt that everyone who got into these schools instead of me has 'outshined me' as you so bluntly put it. I try not to be prone to hubris or excessive pride, but I'm not mad at the colleges for rejecting me. I'm mad at myself more than anything. </p>
<p>UIUC sucks. Period. Students segregate themselves there like crazy and the whole atmosphere is more like one big party than anything else. Could I have found a better safety? No.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
Also, I think you're overvaluing college. Sure, your degree is almost integral to finding a good job, but what gets you past that is YOURSELF
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>Listen, I actually LIKE school. I'm not even worried about what sort of job I'm going to get in this wide, empty world but I am worried about finding a place that I can be happy being myself for the next four years. Not sitting in a dorm room by myself, not having to endure classes with people who couldn't give a damn, and not desperately trying to get an apathetic professor's attention.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
Hopefully for you, this is just a phase that'll pass and that you can eventually move on with life.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>While I appreciate your sentiments, mediocrity sounds like the worst thing in the world to me. 'Move on' into what? Realizing that school was never really that great and a deskjob at Company Suck was exactly what I wanted?</p>
<p>It doesn't sound like you have received all of the decisions yet, so be optimistic! You may not even have to go to that state school (which I am sure is not all THAT bad)! </p>
<p>As a current junior, I sometimes worry about only getting into a school where I could have gotten in by doing half of the work I did. But really, the hard work is not wasted. You learned things in your classes and learned how to study and manage time for college. I'm sure if you keep up your hard work all throughout college, you'll end up in a great graduate school! :)</p>
<p>Thanks Janelle09, slshi, Anon<em>Person</em> 1, purify, somni, and VAzimi for the support. Maybe it won't be too bad.. for the moment anyways. I'm going on a visit this Friday, so we'll see. :)</p>
<p>Wow that's sad. It's pretty weird because something like that happened to me too.</p>
<p>I worked my ass off for four years, did countless volunteer hours and went half-way around the world to apply to good colleges. I KNOW I qualified for them (compared to some other acceptance posts I see) and yet I'm on a wait-list for two and so far only my state safety has accepted me.</p>
<p>Everyone goes "Oh! What a good school!" but these people are... normal. They're not CC people, they're just Jane Doe or Bob Smith who are happy they can get into ANY university.</p>
<p>I HATE that university! It's ranked #38 in the nation but I hate half of the people that go to it, the look, the 'school spirit'. They're not academic, they're 'getting by', and I'm going to have to compete with over 5,000 overseas students for a class rank. How the (*^$ am I supposed to get a decent class rank if my classmates came from India Institute of Technology!?</p>
<p>You don't go from community college to Harvard and you don't go from a StateU to anywhere great. Anyone who says I'm beign arrogant may be right, but excuse me if I busted my ass for four years and people get in to this school without even doing half of the work I did. I worked too hard, and I'll still end up with a mediocre life.</p>
<p>At least my second choice isn't a state school filled with mouth breathers, Silvestris. In fact, it seems that I was actually more realistic in deciding what schools fit me best. Brown was my only real reach, and it is a reach for anyone, but I made sure to apply to a similar school that was slightly easier to get into and much more generous with Financial Aid.</p>
<p>It seems you finally got your reality check.</p>
<p>If somebody posts a thread where they're upset about being rejected, what you DON'T do is reply with all the reasons they should be grateful and all the ways they're being unreasonable and all the unpolitically correct things they're saying. Seriously. This happens too much on CC. Say something nice or shut up... at least wait for an appropriate, unpersonal thread.</p>
<p>Miss Silvestris, your situation is the nightmare of all overachievers. Work hard for a few more years and go to a good graduate school. Or you can stray off the beaten path--you may find a few more berries that way.</p>
<p>Quite a few kids in my med school class did their undergrad at UIUC... some of them actually kill the curve on a regular basis. Undergrad doesn't matter for grad school, for the most part. That's why we have standardized tests like MCAT, LSAT, GRE that are the same for everyone, regardless of where they went to school.</p>
<p>Also, at least two or three of the kids in my class started at community colleges. Atypical, perhaps, but proof that it can be done.</p>
<p>Well, if you're as intelligent and ambitious as you claim to be...you will do just fine in life. There are many people in my family who started with nothing and are now very....very...wealthy because they seized opportunities. College does nothing besides open some doors. (And all colleges are fine on the teaching part).</p>
<p>i'm sorry. it sucks to work really hard and end up somewhere you think is mediocre.
but hey, at least you'll be top of the class...and most of the people I know who went to good grad schools did their undergrads at a state university. college isn't the final verdict, the last battle -- it's only a beginning. you can still shine if you work hard and master the material.
best wishes.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I can see myself in this situation next year. It's also happened to quite a few of my highly qualified friends, and they've turned out fine. I think you're missing the big picture. With such a huge university, I'm sure your generalizations aren't true about the ENTIRE school. There is bound to be something there that you can get into to distract you from the mediocrity of the school. I'm usually not this optimistic, but look on the bright side; going into college with this attitude won't improve your situation at all. And to be a broken record, it's only 4 years, and there are transfer options. I'm sure you're just venting your frustrations now, so hopefully you can view your situation differently in a few months.</p>