<p>I need advice because I keep hearing that if your application had something explicitly wrong then it's ok to take a gap year and apply again. </p>
<p>For my Commonapp recs, one of my teachers (who had written an AMAZING rec for me) completely forgot to put that Rec in commonapp, and at the deadline I didn't know unis will give you extensions for missing materials (and couldn't contact her either!) so I asked someone else who's less experienced to write me a rec. It praised me and all, but there were barely any anecdotes to back up the compliments; (maybe) as a result, all the Ivies rejected me. Now I know admission was extra competitive this year and all, but I made 2 huge mistakes in my application this time: 1) the whole Rec situation I just explained 2) I'm an international and I applied for financial aid at Ivies that are need based for international applicants (I don't really need aid, it would just make things a smoother for family, I applied Eventhough my parents didn't want me to :s)
So I'm wondering, should I take a gap year and reapply? I really want to, but I don't trust my judgement right now cos I'm not in the best mental state after these rejections. The uni I am planning to start at this fall is UCLA btw, but I just don't feel that joy and excitement due to these rejections Eventhough it's a good school and it's in LA :s
I'm also quite confident I'd get accepted again, because only the top 3% or something of intl applicants get likely letters from them, and I was one of them.
So what do u think? Should I go UCLA and try transfer to Ivies (which is extremely extremely hard)/stay there or take a gap year and take another go at applying (improve SAT score, new essays, etc).
Here are my stats:
SAT score: 2220 M790 CR680 W750, (I was getting 2330+ in my practice papers, but the invigilator in my centre was shouting at ppl during sections, having phone convos and stuff like that so I think it affected me more than I thought :s)
I go to a British school, my grades are all the highest (A*) in every subject
SAT Subjects: chem 800 Math 2 760 (will resit if I reapply)
And I have solid ECs too</p>
<p>Help please! Also please don't criticize me more on what I've done, I know I screwed up. Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>You should go to UCLA and do well there. It’s an excellent university with a very good reputation. Taking a gap year and reapplying is unlikely to change your result. I think entering UCLA with the stated objective of getting the hell out as quickly as possible is going to color your whole experience there negatively. Let go of what’s past and make as much as you can out of an opportunity that the majority of American students would envy.</p>
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<p>Uh…you can’t do that. If you apply ED, you are promising to attend if admitted. You’re not permitted to make that promise to “most of [your] schools” simultaneously, because you couldn’t possible keep it.</p>
<p>Why aren’t you excited about UCLA? UCLA is one of the best universities in the world, and is honestly higher ranked and better known than a few of the Ivy League institutions.</p>
<p>I think it’s normal to feel a little disappointed after rejections, but give yourself some time. Over time that feeling fades away. That disappointment is not a sign that you will be unhappy at the school you chose. UCLA is an excellent school, and I think you should go there in the fall with the best attitude possible. If you are truly unhappy there after a semester, then you can start putting in transfer applications in the late fall/early spring.</p>
<p>Don’t take a GY for the explicit purpose of getting into a “better” school. Honestly, that disappointment will fade within the first few weeks of the school year, and in all likelihood, you’ll find yourself in love with UCLA before Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>However, there are compelling reasons to take a GY outside of raising your admissions chances (which, unless you do something really remarkable by October 15th, it won’t). Consider taking a GY for other reasons. If those reasons don’t speak to you, then you shouldn’t take one. You’re ready for college, and you’re just grappling with understandable but transient disappointment.</p>
<p>I’m not too sure about advice, but could you explain what a likely letter is for international applicants, and which school sent you one? I’ll assume that you have an extremely strong “hook” since your grades/scores are great but not amazing-top-3%-material. Congrats on getting in to UCLA!</p>
<p>Applying for financial aid would not be a reason for rejecting your application. What could be a reason for rejection at an institution that is need-sensitive would be if that institution determined that you do need aid. Remember, you will not get your student visa if you cannot demonstrate that you can pay the full cost of attendance. If you were rejected because of need, that college or university did you a big favor.</p>
<p>@Wilsun the likely letter is an invitation to the Engineering open house, it starts like “as you are a very strong applicant we would like to…” or something like that, basically hinting your in the whole time.</p>
<p>I dont think I demonstrated need, but do u think that rec cost me? That’s the biggest reason I’ve been considering a gap year; after the rejections I even thought up fresh essay ideas.!</p>
<p>Here’s the thing: unless you’re really, really close with your teachers who gave you recommendations, a gap year might mean weaker rec letters, as the teachers would have new students and new affection. The difference might be slight, but enough to make your chances not any better.</p>
<p>But here’s another view: if you use your gap year really well, for something like inventing some awesome gadget or conducting research and such, it could actually increase your chances. However, achieving something as impressive as that might be as hard as getting in as a transfer, so…</p>
<p>Maybe you should go to UCLA. Why are you obsessed with the Ivies when UCLA is on par with the lower-Ivies? I hope all you want is not the HYP brand name.</p>
<p>The letter you describe was just marketing. Every reasonably promising applicant for that major got one. A likely letter flat-out tells you that you are in, pending formal admission by the committee. They are sent to candidates that the institution absolutely Must Have - usually athletes, but occasionally other truly exceptional candidates.</p>
<p>That’s what I thought too but I asked ppl who were already in UCLA and researched online and it turns out it is a likely letter. Not every applicant (for engineering) got it, I asked a couple of guys and they said many of their Friends accepted to eng didn’t get the letter :s</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts Melody, as many ppl have already determined, I guess I’m still just recovering from all those rejections. And the fact that some ppl in my school with exact same stats as me ( some who literally have NO proper ECs) got into like Stanford and MIT isn’t helping my mental state :s I’ll get over it, this is just a great way to get all my sadness out I guess hahaha</p>
<p>I highly doubt you got rejected because of one mediocre recommendation (and it’s not like that teacher was saying anything bad about you). You should just go to UCLA and then transfer after one or two years if you find yourself still wanting to.</p>
<p>Hey now, I don’t think it’s fair to label gap years as a “waste” of youth. If you have some sort of plan then it’s definitely useful. I would agree it would be a waste if the OP only wants to take a gap year because he’s unhappy with the level of prestige of the school he has gotten into, especially since re-applying won’t guarantee anything – but taking a gap year in general is far from being a waste.</p>
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