My Final (Rather Self-Indulgent) Thread

Applying to College
1

<p>I want to thank everyone on these forums for giving me advice, guidance, and support over the past few years. Being that this may be my last thread ever (at least for a long time), I figured if I ever were to be shamelessly self-indulgent now would be the time. Looking back, my college admissions experience follows a unique and eventful story arc. This is my story. If you are uninterested or disgusted by all of this self-indulgence (as most of you are), don’t read on.</p>

<p>BIRTH-9th GRADE
I have always considered myself naturally smart. I talked early. I was reading before my peers could, doing multiplication tables before my classmates, and writing poetry while everyone else was merely learning how to write. I was often taken out of elementary school class to review more advanced material. I taught myself how to use Microsoft Word in the mid-to-late 90’s and then taught my teachers.</p>

<p>But I have a horrible combination of personality traits: shyness, perfectionism, and forgetfulness. Perfectionists and lazy people both procrastinate more than the average person; the only difference is the lazy person doesn’t care and the perfectionist is waiting for the right moment and feeling really guilty about not getting the work done. Combine this tendency with a horrible short-term memory and a sense of shame whenever I had to hand in late, incomplete, or imperfect work, and you get what happened to me between fourth and ninth grades. I handed in maybe one-third of all my homeworks, thus causing me to receive B’s on a regular basis though my test scores and knowledge of the class material was A-level. </p>

<p>But I didn’t do anything about it because I didn’t realize how competitive the admissions process was. I knew I was smart, and I just figured smart people go to Princeton. In ninth grade, I began seriously thinking about college. My list of schools of interest was short and indicative of my naivety:</p>

<p>Princeton (target)
Northwestern (safety)</p>

<p>10th GRADE:
I began looking at College Confidential to discover, to my horror, that you could not just be smart and get in to top schools. You needed to get good grades, show involvement and leadership, etc. I was horrified. Clubs were not for me. Yet this was also the year in which I matured the most. At the beginning of the year, I was clueless. By the end of the year, I had fixed my homework problem (not by getting rid of my perfectionism, but by simply putting in so much effort that my work satisfied my extremely high standards), made the varsity golf team, become a straight-A student, and taken a job as a caddy. Still, I realized that a Princeton acceptance would not be so easily attained. I needed to do some research.</p>

<p>11th GRADE:
Starting during the summer, I began researching colleges. By the fall, I knew the name of just about every four-year institution in America. I had begun to change my mind from doing writing or journalism to studying economics. By the time I made my first college visit tour in November, I had compiled a list of some twenty-plus schools of interest. The ones I was most into, however, were:</p>

<p>Princeton (reach)
Northwestern (low reach)
Chicago (low reach)
Carnegie Mellon (high match)
Michigan (match)
Rochester (match)
Colby (low match)
American (safety)</p>

<p>Eleventh grade was a marvelous year for me, academic-wise. I scored a 226 on my PSATs without studying a lick. I became set on 2400 SATs and wore myself out, scoring a disappointing 2230 with a very tired brain. Yet this year also saw my GPA and self-esteem rise dramatically. After scoring three 800’s on SAT IIs in spring, I began thinking about applying to more highly-ranked schools.</p>

<p>Between November 2007 and November 2008, I visited something like 25 schools. Some schools (Northwestern and Princeton) had been my dream for a long time now and did not disappoint when I visited. Others that I knew less about surprised me, either positively (Georgetown, Virginia, Bowdoin, Wisconsin) or negatively (Michigan, Chicago).</p>

<p>12th GRADE
I took the SATs again. This time, I was very chill about it all. I scored a 2390. Riding a wave of confidence, I surprised my family (and myself) by not applying early to Northwestern (binding) or Georgetown (nonbinding) in favor of SCEA at Yale. Yale?!?! I had never even visited! But, here was the final list of schools I chose, and it was more top-heavy than I could have imagined just a year before. In order of preference:</p>

<p>Princeton (Reach)
Northwestern (Low Reach)
Yale (Reach)
Georgetown (Low Reach)
Cornell (Reach)
Duke (Low Reach)
Bowdoin (Match)
Harvard (Reach)
Virginia (Match)
Wisconsin (Safety)
Rutgers (Safety)</p>

<p>I worked harder during that fall than any other time in my life. I went through about twenty drafts before finally finishing the PERFECT college essay for my Common App. My Yale essay was amazing, too. I had managed to compile a meager list of accomplishments, clubs, and community service to round out my application, though EC’s remained a weakness. All the while, I kept my grades very high.</p>

<p>December was a bloodbath at my high school. Many of our best and brightest were flat-out rejected from their top choices and early actions (our Valedictorian was rejected from Stanford). When I found out I was deferred by Yale, I was ecstatic. At this point, I had already settled on going to Northwestern, and the fact that I was in the mix at an upper Ivy almost assured acceptance at Evanston. </p>

<p>And then, I waited, kept my grades high, and enjoyed life a little. In one short span, I was accepted by Rutgers, Wisconsin, and given a likely letter from Virginia. I could not ride any higher. But it was all downhill from there.</p>

<p>I was rejected by Duke on March 28, the same day I officially made UVA. No big deal, Duke was a last-second throw-in, anyway. That night, however, Northwestern was supposed to send me my decision via e-mail, but it didn’t come. I ended up waiting until four in the morning to find out I had been waitlisted. I deflated. A Georgetown waitlist followed.</p>

<p>After some consolation in being accepted at Bowdoin that weekend, I returned from a Fed Challenge competition on April 1 to find three rejections awaiting me (Cornell, Yale, and my lifelong dream, Princeton). I had only a waitlist at Harvard to hang onto (which is at least better than what my friends could say).</p>

<p>I had to choose between Virginia and Bowdoin. I visited both (again) over Spring Break for admitted students’ days. I chose Bowdoin; my parents chose Virginia. They said it was ultimately up to me, but I couldn’t take the guilt. I halfheartedly made my deposit at UVA.</p>

<p>In the month since, I have been placed on Georgetown’s extended waitlist (after seeing so many others accepted off of it). Northwestern announced it was already over-enrolled. And the other day, Harvard rejected me. So, I will almost definitely be going to UVA, what was my ninth choice (of eleven) back when I applied.</p>

<p>Am I bitter? Yes. I feel a bit like I have been screwed by the system. Looking back, I clearly never had a chance. I’m a boring, suburban kid with a high IQ and what appears to admissions to be a lousy work ethic. That’s not what colleges want nowadays. They either want diversity or they want type-A overachievers who hide their academic incompetence by running bake sales and whatnot. But that’s okay; I’m no hypocrite. One of the things that tipped the scales in favor of UVA for me was its somewhat-more-diverse student body. That was just me venting anger and frustration.</p>

<p>Or maybe that was my pride speaking. I have come too far these past few years. I went from naïve, to discouraged, to determined, to proud, to disappointed. I cannot believe how much my grades have improved and my maturity has grown since beginning my college search. And I will always have my most valued asset— my brains. I know I will excel at UVA because I’m too darn smart to fall back in the pack at the nation’s twenty-third ranked university. And I realize that some people would kill to go to a school like UVA, but what can I say? I’m a perfectionist, remember? And I don’t like to settle.</p>

<p>So I will go to UVA and work my tail off. I’ll get my 4.0 and try to transfer to Northwestern. I’ll maybe post for a few more days and then I will lurk and then I’ll stop visiting this site altogether. When I try to transfer, I may post again. Otherwise, my College Confidential journey is complete. Without CC, I may still be stuck in ninth grade-mode and settling for Rutgers or worse. So thank you to all. I couldn’t have done it without you.</p>

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<p>umm that was the most arrogant thing i have ever read… sorry but i don’t think anyone here wants to hear your life story…</p>

3

<p>2-Iron, I suggest you read FortunaHope’s thread titled, “Lessons Learned During This Admissions Cycle.” He was accepted to Princeton. His attitude was much different than yours. It’s just a thought, but perhaps schools like Princeton were looking for more humble applicants like FortunaHope. Good luck at UVA. It’s a great school.</p>

4

<p>I know it’s arrogant (read the title: self-indulgent). Thing is, the college admissions process has been one of the most draining and life-changing experiences of my life. I was a little disappointed with how it turned out and needed to express it all just once.</p>

<p>Most people probably wouldn’t care to read this all. Honestly, if it weren’t my story, I don’t know if I’d care at all. Most people who know me would also say I’m very humble.</p>

<p>But this is my swan song at CC, and I felt the need to, just once, say everything I wanted to say but probably shouldn’t. That’s just how I feel. Maybe Hope Full is right and I should have been more humble. But I don’t think humility would have drastically changed my scores and grades and even my essays.</p>

<p>At the very least, it’s a decent tale of how someone’s preferences, aspirations, and personal traits evolve because of the admissions process. Look at how different my preliminary and final college lists were!</p>

5

<p>I think your story illustrates perfectly the crapshoot nature of college admissions. I wish you the best of luck at UVA.</p>

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<p>Thanks azngod. I really do like UVA. I wouldn’t have applied otherwise. I just feel like I could do better.</p>

<p>If I went to Yale, I’d probably feel like I should have made Princeton. That’s just how I am.</p>

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<p>Let me explain my post further. It’s upsetting to me to read how disappointed you were to be accepted to a top 20 college like UVA. In contrast, it was heartening to me to read how excited FortunaHope was each time he was accepted to a college. I suggested you read his post because I think everyone, including me, could benefit from FortunaHope’s humble attitude. I’m no different from the majority on this board in that I also hope to go to a top school. I’m a junior, so I have no idea how I will react when I start receiving rejections next year. With no offense intended, I hope my reaction is more like FortunaHope’s than yours, but only time will tell.</p>

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<p>Point well taken Hope Full. I completely understand you.</p>

<p>Though I cannot help but chuckle at your last line. Of course you want your reaction to be more like FortunaHope’s…he or she got in and I didn’t!</p>

<p>If I were in FortunaHope’s situation (lowish expectations…great results), though, I would probably sound very grateful and humble. It’s not like I would be like, “I got in and you didn’t! Ha!” </p>

<p>But my expectations exceeded my results. I would overall argue that I am more disappointed than I am pompous.</p>

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<p>2-iron…just wanted you to know that an old codger found your post fascinating. While a person or two has concentrated on your arrogance, I was delighted by your voyage of discovery and overall honesty. It’s becoming increasing rare that a person lets others peer so deeply into their desires in such a forthright fashion. For that I thank you.</p>

<p>I think walking in Jefferson’s path may not be a bad way to spend a couple of years. If indeed UVA can’t contain your intellect and curiosity you will have no trouble latching on to the Princeton’s of the world. </p>

<p>Just be careful, once you arrive in the gritty Northeast, you may find that Charlottesville was your destiny all along.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

10

<p>It seems as though you were pounded with a wave of bad luck. A 2390 with 3 800s should have more options than you did; I don’t care how dull, lazy, or egotistical you might be.</p>

11

<p>I liked this post. I don’t see how he comes across as arrogant. The post is well-written and honest, as well as being humble. A 2390 with 3x800 should have had better options - there is no arrogance in venting about that.</p>

<p>I wish you the best; I know many of us aspire to top colleges (including me). I think the pressure and aspiration to get into a top college really makes us lose sight of how relatively important it is though. I’m sure you will do well wherever you are.</p>

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<p>Thanks for appreciating my honesty. I know this thread will rub some people the wrong way. I was just disappointed.</p>

<p>I wanted to go out with a bang, and I wanted to thank College Confidential by showing how much this process has changed me (for the better, really).</p>

13

<p>I thought your post was really rather interesting. Good luck to you at UVA.</p>

14

<p>I liked the post. Considering your background, I totally feel you on that.</p>

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<p>Both are excellent schools. A college degree with good grades from either one with take you anywhere you want to go. It’s all good!</p>

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<p>Thank you for your post. You are letting us juniors prepare for rejection and better understand that things may not turn out as we expect next year.</p>

17

<p>Good post. I’m still an overly optimistic sophomore who hopes to never write a post like this, though.</p>

18

<p>Came for the self-indulgence, stayed for the lulz.</p>

19

<p>Eh. Sad, but that is life. Oh well, UVA is a great school. I am applying in-state this year coming up, so I might meet you one day. :D</p>

20

<p>Alright I’m going to respond to this. Honestly, I can’t say I don’t empathize with this at all, for we seem to have had similar results. We had a similar freshman year, though in the end my strengths were more with extracurriculars/awards than my SAT scores (though my SATs were safely at 50%/above 50%/above 75% for all of the schools I applied to). Still, I definitely can relate to your situation. I dreamed of Columbia for years and decided, on a whim, to apply to Dartmouth early. That was a mistake. I found myself deferred (OMG! Only 9% deferred this year! That has to mean something!) and then rejected, and Columbia had no problem rejecting me. Not only that, but 5 NESCAC schools, all of which had risen above the Ivies in my eyes (I would have KILLED to get into Bowdoin, dude) all rejected me in a hellish two-day span, despite amazing interviews and generally “fitting the profile”. I, too, am waitlisted at Northwestern. I’m headed off to Oberlin, which I loved when I visited–I just never thought I’d be going there. I’m Northeastern born and bred, and though I have the option to go to Cornell in a year (guaranteed transfer), that doesn’t even excite me.</p>

<p>So I know how it feels, but we’re going to be okay. Not going to your first choice (or first few choices) isn’t the end of the world. Get excited! This is college!</p>

<p>UVA is an incredible institution. My best friend will be attending in the fall. He has a full ride on merit, but money wasn’t an issue for his family. He chose it over Harvard and Stanford anyway. I’ve heard it’s an amazing place, and you’re going to be 100% fine there. You might have a lot more fun than you would have otherwise.</p>