<p>Yeah. And the thing is that some people do that kind of stuff because they want to. I know people who genuinely do a variety of activities, like dance, drama, basketball, math contests, choir, student council, and do it because they want to. And then there's some other people who do it only for college. I have friends that're on both sides of the fence. But one thing about people doing stuff "only" for college: I think college admissions is a huge incentive for them to try. But I don't think they would excel at it unless they really had some sort of talent/interest. Of course, there are some clubs and activities that really require nothing. But most of the time, I don't think people can just do something only for college. And you know wat, I think this kind of corruption exists wherever you go in life. Coping with it is a skill, because you yourself never sets the rules. Life is unfair. But Nalcon, I think you made the right decision. You can either run the system or live it your own way. In a way, by not playing the college admissions system, you chose this to happen. You decided that it was more important to stick to your beliefs. Stand up straight and leave it behind. gatech is a good school.</p>
<p>koker: good advice. I know a lot of students try to write essays trying just to please the adcom. I know others who have had paernts write the essays and heard of others who actualy succeeded in taking the SAT for another person. I for one believe that you have to be who you are and if they do not like that fine. It is their loss. I have seen too many students and one of my own children pin way too much of their happiness on some human beings in an admissions office. The best thing about living in this country is that we do have many choices and as I always tell good students : "There is more than one way to skin the cat". You might not believe that at this instant, but it is true. Hang in there.</p>
<p>oldolddad - </p>
<p>wow. You have had some pretty impressive students. Those are precisely the type of accomplishments (Siemans, winning a Grammy in hs, 14 AP 5s) that I was referring to about who gets scholarships (I used publishing a book as an "example", altho I do think there was something like that in a Rice brochure). I'd love to know what school you teach at.</p>
<p>As for following a passion and pursuing maybe only one activity, our D who was accepted to Rice (she wound up at another school) was in ballet for 12 years, the last four of which she danced with a regional company and attended summer intensives all through hs, the last two summers with a major national ballet company and was in a piece directed by the company's artistic director. She spent an average of 20 hours a week either in class or rehearsal, and I guarantee you it wasn't to pad her college app.</p>
<p>D's passion for ballet was mixed with a natural aptitude for math and science, and she pursued science fair competitions in physics by applying its principles to ballet, following an approach from a book written by a university prof in Pa. who's worked with CPYB for 25 years. I know that this combo of activity informed her essays and her interviews but it was 100% the natural evolution of her academic and personal interests, and not some game playing for college.</p>
<p>My advice all along to my kids has been to follow your natural interests and abilities and to "be yourself" as trite as that may seem, because that is the only way you will end up at a school where you'll fit and be happy. The school that "bites" when you apply will almost necessarily be the right school for you.</p>
<p>I know the prof and the book! Wow, that is impressive. Certainly at the schools such as Rice, Emory, Wash U the scholarships are getting more and more competitive and more of a "crap shoot". I certainly would have been impressed with your D's app, probably more than some of my students who got scholarhsips. (Oh no, what am I saying!). Combining your passion with the science is wonderful. You know there are just a lot of amazing kids out there. I think Rice could put the accepted kids names in a hat and draw for scholarships and not go wrong--- hmm, maybe they do.</p>
<p>Well, I'm the #1 students in NY state for my musical instrument, and I didn't get a scholarship. I guess they already have their share of musicians with Shepherd, but I still thought that this was on par with publishing research, etc. So I guess those scholarships are hard to come by.</p>
<p>wow! this is sad.... I feel dumb for even complaining of no scholarship. You guys are great people even at your ages. Anyway, goodluck to everyone. Hope you do find what is right for you.</p>
<p>Actually, I am much dumber for complaining because I will receive financial aid. I just selfishly wanted to avoid loans/work study.</p>
<p>I also feel bad for complaining because I have the opportunity to attend gatech for almost free, which is itself a great school, its just that Rice was my #1.</p>
<p>you still have loans? it's not as if you can't go, you just have to decide if it's a good investment.</p>
<p>80,000$ is a lot of money to borrow, and the last thing I would want to happen (since I have no idea what I am going to do after college) is decide that I want to go to grad school/med school/law school/start a family and have the debt be a huge burden and ultimately prevent me from doing it.</p>
<p>what do you want to major in? that is really crucial to your decision. if you are thinking about a top law school, that will be very hard to achieve at a place like gatech because their grading is very tough. that is probably true for med school, too. i don't know what you want to major in, but rice would probably put you in a better position for grad school as well. i'm from north florida, and a lot of people who go to gtech from my school don't like it. </p>
<p>so what's going on is much more than $80k in debt preventing you from doing things you want to.</p>
<p>I'm thinking of majoring in bioengineering, and both schools have excellent programs in it. Most of the people I've talked to (including several professors I know at top schools) have said that grad schools don't really care where you went for your undergrad and they are always fighting over the top students regardless of where they came from. If I end up going straight to work out of college than I know firsthand that gatech engineers have an excellent reputation among employers (I assume Rice does as well but you don't hear about it as much as gatech). Gatech also has an excellent co-op program that pays well and gets you great connections and experience. I'm mainly concerned about the college experience and overall environment, which Rice has gatech beaten by far, I'm just trying to figure out if that is worth the extra cost.</p>
<p>by putting you in a better position for grad school i didn't mean that schools care that it is rice but that rice will still have influence over things that are nonetheless important such as research and closer interaction. those things would be important to look into at gtech. also, is it important for you to have a lot of other courses available to you, such as in the humanities or social sciences? that would be the main academic--and student body--difference between georgia tech and rice. i know this is obvious, but rice is not a tech school. that fact alone should be taken seriously in my opinion. i didn't want to go to a tech school because personally even if i were sure about engineering, i still would want options to explore other areas or at least be able to have friends in really different majors.</p>