Not an Ordinary Chances Thread

Applying to College
1

<p>I would like some thoughts/advice. Currently, I am attending college as a freshman, but for reasons I wouldn't like to share, I'm thinking about dropping out. Of course, if I do drop out, I will have to reapply to colleges. Here are my high school stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 unweighted
High School: public in Wyoming (relatively uncompetitive)
Classes: 6 AP's (school offered 7 or 8)
SAT I best scores: 800 V 760 M 790 W
SAT II best scores: 770 Phys 740 Math2 760 US His
EC's: Panasonic Academic Challenge 2007, Quiz Bowl State Champion 2007, Head Representative Student Council Sr. Year, Track 10 and 11, 100+ hours working with special ed., NHS, HOBY Youth Leadership Conference, and a few less significant ones
Essays: good
Recs: good</p>

<p>If I drop out, will I have a chance at getting back in college (decent college top 10-15)? </p>

<p>Also, last time around, I didn't say that I would be the first in my family to attend a real college. I am a white male, but my parent is a janitor (my mom is dead). Should I bring this stuff up, or just keep quiet?</p>

2

<p>Come on, someone must know something.</p>

3

<p>Whether you get into a top 10-15 college will depend upon why you dropped out and what you accomplished freshman year (assuming you drop out after you earn some college grades).</p>

<p>You'll get much more informed answers if you say why you're considering dropping out.</p>

4

<p>i'm curious as to what school you currently attend. I would think that you already attend a top 15 University, because of your excellent stats. That being said, your chance of getting back into college would be the same, as if you took a year off before applying (something that many students do).</p>

5

<p>Depends on your dropout situation; I am not trying to be judgmental about your EFC; I say you go for it and apply for top 10 and aim for need based aid.</p>

6

<p>Well, at the moment, I'm at a top 15 school. I'm deciding to drop for several reasons, one being that I'm just not happy where I'm at. If I continue here, I won't be able to perform very well academically, since I don't want to be here.</p>

7

<p>Wouldn't it be easier to just transfer? Or are you going to take a break?</p>

8

<p>instead take a leave of absence. This way you leave your options open</p>

9

<p>Do not drop out. You can take a leave of absence, you can finish the year and try to transfer. Dropping out will not help you to get into another top school.
Just a question: what makes you think you would be happier at another top school?
I would recommend strongly that you meet with your dorm RA or on campus counseling center and think through the reasons you are unhappy where you are.
How long have you been there? If you are a freshman, has it only been a few weeks?</p>

10

<p>DO NOT DROP OUT. Finish this semester, at least, get some good counseling, and do what spsdds and ebeeeeee have said: take a leave of absence. If you decide after a year not to return - nothing wasted, but you're not in a bad place later, either.</p>

<p>I wanted to drop out in the worst way during freshman year. My parents talked me into staying in school - they were right.
Good luck.</p>

11

<p>if you're doing ok currently, you might want to transfer, since that way at least you won't have to explain why you are leaving (or am i wrong?), just why you want to attend the other school - and this is where all the "your school is wonderful for me" BS comes in.
either that, or drop out and make up a good reason why you need to move. unless you have one already, but just don't want to reveal it here.
I wouldn't know what your reason is, but if it has to do with socializing, or getting along with teachers, or not getting enough alcohol :), or simply just something really personal, it would be better to avoid it.
Just remember, you having trouble adapting, anywhere, is a major turn off for any school. Unless, like i said, there is a more objective, or at least family related issue. </p>

<p>For example, I took a gap year after highschool. The reason was I had to stay home to look after my grandmother as she was really ill. Of course, something else could've been easily done besides my skipping a year (parents taking off from work, sister freezing school year, etc). Needless to say, at least the interviewer was really impressed. Why I REALLY REALLY wanted to take a year off was so I could apply to the school where my gf had been accepted. So I decided to use the opportunity, and get 2 good things done.
In short: staying home to help grandma = good
staying home to be with gf next year = not so good.</p>

<p>Besides all this, dropping out without a very good reason is bad. Finishing the year/semester first, then reapplying as freshman or transfer, would be a lot better. Also, be aware that if you do get some credits, you may not be able to apply as freshman at all, to some schools. For others it's already too late.</p>

<p>Not telling anyone at all that you went to another college might also be an option, but kinda risky, especially if you're in a top 15 school.</p>

<p>Anyway, just imagine yourself being an adcom. Would your motives be understood as serious and acceptable, and out of your control, pitied, or laughed at as teen issues?</p>

<p>You don't need to bring that stuff up, they usually ask you themselves about it, or indirectly find out, through the family info section on the app.</p>

12

<p>In checking your back posts, it appears that you are a freshman at Wharton. If so, you have barely started college, so it's way too early to know if you've made a mistake in going there. In fact, it's not unusual for freshmen to be unhappy or overwhelmed during their first weeks or even their first semester at college. It takes a while to get used to college. This particularly is true if one is first generation college and is going to college far from home.</p>

<p>I suggest that you talk to someone at your college counseling center. That will give you some support as well as a means of getting advice on adjusting. Although you'll be seeing someone affiliated with the college, the person won't try to force you to not transfer if it seems that transfering would be what you'd find fulfilling.</p>

<p>It would be best if you at least finish the semester, which would allow you to stay long enough to get used to where you are and to figure out whether you really want to transfer. And, have you considered transferring out of Wharton to being a regular Penn student? That also could be a solution if what's bothering you is not wanting to be in a business school.</p>

<p>However, since you've only been in college for a couple of weeks, I strongly suggest that you talk to someone at the counseling center before making any decisions that could be hard to undo.</p>

13

<p>In checking more of your back posts, I notice a lack of thinking through situations. For instance, once you said you felt like killing yourself because of getting a bad grade on a physics exam. Another time, you expressed fears that the colleges where you were accepted -- Dartmouth, Brown, UPenn-Wharton, and UChicago -- wouldn't have enough nerdy, high IQ people like you described yourself as being. </p>

<p>My advice is to talk to a counselor before you do something drastic that will eliminate some excellent options.</p>

14

<p>You didn't need to write an essay about being first generation college. The admissions officers could see that info when they read the part of your app that said what colleges your parents went to. Also, the fact that your dad is a janitor indicated that your parents were not likely to be highly educated.</p>

15

<p>Listen - carefully - to what Northstarmom said. ^^^</p>

<p>Do not just drop out.</p>

<p>One of the reasons that top universities are enamored with students who represent the first generation in their family to attend college is that they recognize the daunting task it took to get there. The journey to admission, as your situtation may illustrate. is only part of the challenge. Once you get to college, you find that your background can be quite a bit different than the majority of students there. I am not saying that this is the only reason for your unhappiness, but it might explain in part why you feel out of sorts. I came from a family with limited means and worried daily about affording the basic necessities at a very expensive school. Next door to me freshman year was the child of a prominent CEO. Just about everyone I met had a lot more than I did. College is enough of a transition. The socioeconomic adjustments can be the most difficult.</p>

<p>Wherever you go, you have to take yourself along. It is likely that your problems will follow you, so I recommend solving them where you are. Stay put if you can figure out a way (through counseling) to keep the distractions (internal or external) in check. If you must leave, do so in a way which will preserve your academic record.</p>

16

<p>I also notice in your back posts that you describe yourself as intelligent and socially awkward, and indicate that you'd like to be in a college with other students like yourself.</p>

<p>Being socially awkward is not a life sentence. so if you transfer to another Ivy, it's not likely that you'll find other students who are on track to being permanently socially awkward. You'll find some socially awkward students (though, I think Ivies may have proportionately fewer than do other colleges because due to an overabundance of high stat applicants, Ivies can afford to admit students based on personality and other factors, not just stats), but by senior year, most will have outgrown much of their awkwardness and shyness.</p>

<p>I was socially awkward -- from a small town -- when I went to an Ivy. At first, I was miserable because my roommate and most of the other students whom I met were from much larger areas and were far more sophisticated than I was.</p>

<p>Despite being very, very tempted to drop out and transfer to a different school, I stayed and graduated. As a result of my college experience, I grew into a person who is comfortable in large cities (I've now lived in several, including spending some summers in large cities abroad), and small ones. I am able to mix socially without awkwardness. </p>

<p>Anyway, what I am now is a result of my staying at the college where I had been admitted, and hanging around people who had far better social skills than I had. Yes, doing so was frequently painful particularly during my first year in college when big city life was new to me, but it was worth it.</p>

<p>Again, I suggest that you talk to someone at your college's counseling center. A counselor can provide you with the emotional support and advice that will help you navigate your new situation as painlessly and wisely bas possible.</p>

17

<p>If it is true that social awkwardness is impacting your transition to a college campus, you may want to explore ways to boost your abilities in this area. A counselor can refer you to a social skills group or therapist. Some great books to read are How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and and What Does Everyone Else Know That I Don't? by Michelle Novotni (the latter is targeted toward the ADHD population, but sometimes people with social development lags or social anxiety can be on the autistic spectrum at the Asperger's end of things).</p>

18

<p>If you could find funding for it, an extensive educational neuro-psych evaluation could quickly and economically (versus years of therapy) define your challenges and suggest excellent ways to tackle them. If, for example, you found out that you were at the mild end of an Asperger's diagnosis, you could plug into a whole community of fellow Aspies and discover time proven ways to alleviate symptoms. Perhaps you will find that you have a mild anxiety issue. I cannot really guess what the results will be. Whatever it is, you want to know so you can manage it and have the best life possible. Getting some kind of diagnosis, or at least scientific feedback, could be the best thing you have ever done for yourself. Don't be deterred by the cost, which can approach $2000. If you can find a highly recommended, accomplished professional who specializes in this type of work (I know there is a doctor named King in the Princeton area, not too far from Penn, but I am sure there are some closer to Philly), it will be the best money you have ever spent.</p>

19

<p>Because you are a first-generation college student, you face challenges many other students do not. Your father, not having the experience of college, can't tell you what you're going through most likely is within the range of normal adjustment to college. You don't have the support network that students with families who have all gone to college have. </p>

<p>Educators know that your population of students is at-risk to drop out and that's why many schools now have special programs for first generation students. I took a quick look at the Penn website (other posters seem to think that's where you are) and while I couldn't find a first generation program (it could exist, I just didn't see it) I did look at the counseling center site. </p>

<p>I've copied some of it below for you; it sounds like it would be a good place for you to go. (They can be contacted at <a href="mailto:caps@pobox.upenn.edu">caps@pobox.upenn.edu</a> or 215-898-7021). </p>

<p>I REALLY encourage you to go to the counseling center. You might be surprised at how much they CAN help. (And you might be surprised how many students use them; there is NO shame in asking for help.)</p>

<p>Please do not drop out. It will only make your life more difficult. And given time (and some effort), chances are you'll come to love Penn and will graduate and go on to great things.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>From the Penn website:</p>

<p>Counseling is a partnership between an individual and a professional like a psychologist or social worker who is trained to assist undergraduate, graduate and professional students.</p>

<p>To help students in their adjustment to college life and to help them take full advantage of the academic and social environment at the University. </p>

<p>To learn to manage personal problems and situational crises effectively, learn strategies to cope with academic stress, and develop self-awareness, personal responsibility, and skills for life-long learning. </p>

<p>We welcome all students regardless of race, sex, ethnic background, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or physical status. </p>

<p>What kinds of concerns do students bring to CAPS?</p>

<p>• Stress and anxiety
• Relationship problems
• Trouble adjusting to college
• Feeling unmotivated, sad or having trouble concentrating
• Eating concerns
• Sexual identity concerns
• Sexual abuse
• Racial/ethnic identity concerns
• Feeling shy or self conscious
• No meaningful goals
• Academic/choosing a major/career related concerns
• Misuse of alcohol/drugs by self or others</p>

20

<p>I saw your other posts. You mention that you like sciences more than business and that you are currently at Wharton.</p>

<p>Why not consider transferring within UPenn then? UPenn has excellent science departments too. Moving from one major to another within the same school will be far easier for you.</p>

<p>Also, I completely agree with Northstarmom, Spidey, and inthebiz. They give sound advice. Since you are originally from Wyoming, I can see what a culture shock it can be for you in the initial weeks in Philadelphia. But the city life can eventually grow on you. If you still don’t like being in Philly after a year, then consider transferring elsewhere but you really should give it a try first. You have barely been in UPenn for little over a month right now… not enough time to get adjusted to your new environment IMO.</p>