I agree. I don’t see the risk in taking a gap year, especially if he makes it productive. The worst case scenario is that he is exactly in the same position he currently is, deciding between community colleges and branch campuses that can’t support his interests.
After reviewing your application with your counselor and your family, apply to UMass for spring, as others have mentioned. Apply to Pitt in August (they don’t care about recommendations, so that won’t be an issue).
Create a gap year plan that hits the ground running so when you apply in the fall, your gap activities will be additive to your application. If it makes the most sense to have a paying job, then also tutor Latin at your school or continue the kind of writing projects that you have done to show you are still engaged.
Did I misread that? I’m pretty sure Holy Cross isn’t still accepting applications.
I am guessing that OP will look up colleges that have been mentioned to ensure the major he is interested in is being offered. Many colleges do offer the option of creating a major, but of course, that would need to be investigated beforehand. A year of general studies at a CC will probably fulfill some Gen Ed requirements at a university.
Community College is not the only option. I know UMass Boston has non-matriculated students as well as online options that you could do anywhere. Maybe the other UMass campuses have the same. Look at UMass Online.
I cannot see you spending two years at community college in order to transfer. Again, apply for spring but you could start as non-matriculated. Check the dates for fall.
Your admission results are a mystery. Did you apply late to a lot of those schools?
If OP were to go to a community college, in all likelihood, he would have to stay for the full two years before transferring (other than, perhaps, transferring to an in-state public). Not only would he likely be bored for two years, but it would also eliminate, or greatly reduce, some of OP’s other options. Many privates have very few openings for transfer students, which may be reserved for low-income students and a few other groups that OP doesn’t likely belong to.
I might’ve missed it but have you contacted the schools where you are waitlisted? I’d reach out directly to the admissions office. You might get in if you really demonstrate interest.
The student does not need to go to community college if he decides not to take a gap year. Umass Boston and Umass Lowell still accepting apps. And there is spring for UMass Amherst. If he starts at a Umass campus and with his APs he ll be able to start taking more advanced classes.
Don’t want to get too sidetracked with the community college thing, but I don’t think there is a requirement that students must spend two years at community college before transferring. Maybe some colleges require that, but certainly not all. In fact, I am pretty sure there are many four year institutions that do not require two years of community college in order to transfer.
Brown, for example, says this: To be eligible for transfer admission you must have completed at least one full year of college study (or its equivalent) before your planned matriculation at Brown.
This student, especially with AP credits, would probably be able to transfer after one year at CC.
If you do decide to do a gap year, consider applying to University of Toronto which has a wealth of classics courses. U of T classics courses It’s driving distance from Mass. The UK is a good suggestion too.
I’m sorry this has happened to you. I assume from your comment that you applied very late to your likely/safety schools - I’d encourage a LOCI (and maybe a phone call from your GC) to Pitt if you like the school since I know this has worked in the past. I’d also suggest applying to UMass for the Spring term so you have that available. If you take a gap year I’d look into McGill - they accept mainly on stats and yours are very strong (and Montreal is a great city). If you are open to LACs there are many great ones to look at if you go for a gap year and since you didn’t apply to any, you won’t be reapplying to schools that already rejected you.
We have an acquaintance who got rejected by all his schools (only applied to certain Ivies). He was valedictorian at a prep school, a National Merit scholar, with high stats.
He took a gap year, got a research job and was accepted to UCLA and Brown the next year. He’s studying astrophysics at Brown.
I think this is one of the rare cases where a gap year makes sense. Op appears to have only applied to reaches originally and then added some state schools last minute. If op is willing to go with a well rounded list the second time around, better results are likely.
Also makes sense to pursue the schools where he is waitlisted to see if he can get a spot for this year.
Thank you all for the kind words and suggestions. I am currently thinking about taking courses online and gaining some working experience before applying to another round of schools in Spring. I will make sure to include some actual safety schools (the UMass schools) in the spring application and hopefully start my college education in Jan. I think the relative low popularity of my intended major might have made my applications to the “match/reach” schools that I thought I would get in extraordinarily difficult.
And don’t forget if you are geographically flexible - there are 100% safeties you can still get in for the fall. There’s no - I’m late will they accept me or not - mentioned in very early thread. And with great merit.
Pitt now makes sense not accepting you.we were missing that piece of the puzzle. The timing.
Be careful about taking courses online. For some colleges/universities, taking any college courses after high school graduation means you will be considered a transfer student. Transfer students often receive much less if any merit aid. And at some schools, transfer admission rates are lower than freshman admission rates. If you really want to take some courses, choose some non-credit courses not associated with a college.
Do make sure you have a backup plan. My brilliant best friend got a PhD in history and planned to become a professor like her father and brother. She never got a job in academia and ended up working for a state agency in a lower level position.