Hi everyone! I am currently deciding between taking a gap year abroad or just going to the uni that has accepted me even though I’m not sure it’s a great fit. I’ll go through my two options.
Basic stats:
GPA: 3.9/4 UW
SAT: 2230- 780 CR/670 M (ew)/780W
AP: Bio, Spanish Lang, Spanish Lit, Computer Science, English Lit, Calc AB, Psych
Intended Major: Cog Sci (HCI specialization) & Comp Sci
NEU:
Northeastern is a good school. However, I’m worried that it’s not my best fit. I was very confused by the college process and was compelled by my parents (who are very inexperienced with the whole ordeal) to apply to the most prestigious universities that offered programs I was interested in- often large universities, like UCSD, McGill, and NEU, even though I personally would like more personal attention and a more intimate classroom setting. I’m also worried about how inflexible NEU seems- what if I change my mind? NEU seems like a school where people know what they want to do and pursue it from day one.
I was told by my guidance counselor not to apply early to Tufts, my favorite school, because he thought I would like more options. When I was rejected from my reaches (which were smaller schools that had more what I’m really looking for- JHU, Brown, Tufts, Rice, etc), he confessed that he regretted telling me not to apply ED to Tufts. It’s a little late now…
Gap Year:
I have wanted to do a gap year for a while. My parents are willing to support me financially and emotionally. It’s also important to note that I’m already very young for my grade (I turn 18 this summer). If I end up doing one, I would go to Spain and study Spanish at Madrid’s Complutense University. The only thing holding me back is that NEU is a 5 year program, so I would be even further behind my peers if I was not admitted to a school I reapplied to.
If I did this option, I would apply early decision to Tufts. I was rejected RD this year, for, I’m thinking, these reasons: bad math SAT score (670) and a poor “Why Tufts?” Essay. I wrote the why tufts essay before I visited…big mistake. I didn’t have any specific reasons as to why I like Tufts. After visiting, sitting in on some classes, and doing an overnight, I could probably write a 4,000 word “Why Tufts” essay! I would take the SATs (and actually study this time) in May. How ridiculous would it be to go into a gap year thinking I could get into Tufts ED if I was rejected RD? Obviously, my grades (3.9 UW, rank 4/180) would not change. I could probably get that math score up to a 700-720 (I would have gotten a 720 back in November if I had read one question a little more carefully; I realized I read it wrong as I was walking out of the test center on my way home. Argh! Such is life).
Basically…how risky would it be for me to defer acceptance (I’m not even sure they’ll let me do this yet, I plan on asking when I visit Sunday) at NEU during a gap year abroad to reapply ED to Tufts? Would Tufts even reconsider me Am I just plain being ridiculous?
Most programs at northeastern have a 4 year 2 coop option.
@TomSrOfBoston I didn’t know that! That makes me feel more comfortable about taking a gap year regardless of whether or not Tufts admits me. Thank you.
Bump! Also, anyone know Tufts’ policies on taking university language classes abroad/whether that makes you a transfer student? I tried emailing admissions but it’s been a week and they haven’t replied. I can call them today.
At Northeastern, half of the student body is on co-op at any given time, so the student population is cut in half on campus. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone call it “large” before.
@informative I live in the Boston area, so I know- it’s a big school, even if half the student body is off campus at any given time. Besides, I’ve looked at the schedules for several different majors- how could half the student body be gone at any given time? They often have coops during different semesters, and freshman aren’t going to be on coops.
Anybody else want to weigh in before I send in the deposit to my study abroad agency? (NEU agreed to defer my acceptance)
Go study abroad 
It’ll be hard and it’ll stretch you in ways you couldn’t imagine, but you’ll come back more than ready to tackle college.
Go for the gap year! Do the year abroad to expand your horizons. Taking a gap year will also make you a more attractive applicant for many schools - it shows a willingness to take risks, openness to new experiences, a sense of adventure, a degree of maturity that many applicants lack…http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/in-fervent-support-of-the-gap-year-2/
Don’t worry about being out of step with your peers. Many will take time out during their college years and won’t graduate with their entering class. You do not get a prize for finishing college faster and, once you are there, no one cares what year you are.
And yes, reapply to Tufts and some of the other schools, but also think more about where else you want to go. Most selective doesn’t necessarily mean ‘best fit.’
Do understand that universities rarely change their decisions in subsequent application years. Make sure you have other schools that you like and would be happy to attend this time.
@N’smom I would only “reapply” to Tufts ED I (I applied RD this round).The rest of the colleges would be new and much smaller/a better fit than the ones I applied to.
@“Erin’s Dad” yes, I know. Tufts is the only one I am reapplying to. I know the odds are against me but I really couldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t try again ED.
My reading of your post is that if you had been accepted to Tufts you would not do a gap year. If you would have done so anyway please ignore my post. There’s merit for some to take a gap year independent of where they go to college. Perhaps that’s you.
But if my understanding is correct that the gap year is primarily to create an opportunity to reapply for college my sense is that you should start college in September. Northeastern has strong academics. You would lose a year by taking the gap year and your reapplication to Tufts is very unlikely to be more successful the second time around. If spending time in Spain is important to you defer that for a junior year abroad timeframe.
Be sure to check on NEU and other schools as to whether taking college courses after high school graduation will force you to apply as a transfer. Scholarships tend to be less available to transfers.
Reapplying to schools that rejected you the first time has a low likelihood of success, so if you take a gap year to reapply, you should have a new list of more realistic schools to apply to.
Turning 18 in the summer after high school graduation is not really that young for one’s grade level.
@ucbalumnus I talked to admissions at both NEU and some other colleges and they all said that they would not be concerned about Spanish classes in a foreign country. They usually have more problems with kids who did not leave the country during the gap year and took community college classes with an intent to have the credits transfer when they are admitted to a college. I’m not a Spanish major, and my AP scores already exempt me from the language requirement at the schools that had one, so I’m not concerned with having my credits transfer.
Yes, I know that I have a very low likelihood of being reconsidered at Tufts, which is why I am only “reapplying” to one school. My goal was more to apply to smaller, more intimate (akin to liberal arts colleges) schools that would fit me better than the larger “name brand” schools I applied to this year. It’s less that I don;t think Northeastern isn’t “good enough” for me and more that it’s not really what I want out of a college. Northeastern has very strong academics but the program I got into has zero flexibility (what if I change my mind or discover I dislike it?), and I actually do not like the co-op program. At all.
I am the youngest person in my grade. I have been, as far as I can recall, for my entire high school (and likely middle school) careers. I am sure that at other schools, there seniors younger than me, but at mine I have always felt behind.
@fogcity I would have thought “I have wanted to do a gap year for a while” would prevent ambiguity.
@lpreston, assuming you are not @Qwerty568, you should contact @Qwerty568 who is going through the exact same thought process (NEU accept, gap yr, Tufts reapply) and may have some information about whether study abroad classes would cause Tufts to treat you as a transfer applicant (which you do not want).
Any other thoughts? (I’m leaning towards the gap year. It is difficult to express/have others understand my dismay at NEU. I know how “teenage angst” it sounds, though).