<p>I apologize if a thread like this has been made, I just thought that it would be a good idea.</p>
<p>So yeah, title is self explanatory. Are there any regrets that you made in the applications process? Schools that you didn't apply to or schools that, looking back over the last couple of months, you have no idea why you applied? Opportunities that you missed, etc.</p>
<p>So yeah, I have a few of my own. Late in my junior year, I was really torn whether I wanted to study something in the area of business or in engineering. Over the summer, I was basically convinced by the people around me that engineering was the way to go without question because it was and the field that would allow me to use my two best skills, math and science. Also, my family convinced me not to go the business route because I simply wasn't enough of a people person to succeed in the field. Fast forward to mid-semester senior year and I apply to eight schools for chemical engineering, I had a one-track mindset that I would do that in college. Then over the last week I began to remember my aspirations for business, and how that opportunity is gone for me now. Back in junior year, my dream school was Georgetown. Now I don't have an aspiration for any particular school, just hope that I get in to my top choices and get good financial aid. Don't get me wrong, I still have a passion and liking for engineering and I do believe that it is the path that I will take, but I am frustrated at myself for completely obliterating the thought of business when I was applying simply because other people didn't think that it was right for me. The fact that those opinions influenced me as much as they did annoys me and saddens me because it took away an opportunity.</p>
<p>Anyways, there's my rant, I made this thread because sometimes it feels good to get these thoughts out of your system, and I encourage everyone else on CC to share their stories and do the same. I apologize again if there's already a similar thread in existence. After doing some searching, I didn't find one with the same tone as this would be.</p>
<p>Also, I forgot to mention that out of those 8 colleges, only about 5 of them are ones that I really like, and the other three I just look now and say "What the hell was I thinking?" I hate the fact that I could have applied to business schools that I genuinely liked instead of these schools where I cannot imagine myself attending.</p>
<p>Once the results come in, some people get regrets. A few months after my results, I had regrets about the college I chose because it wasn't right for me.</p>
<p>Tip: Make sure you choose a college that fits you.</p>
<p>I wish I would have applied for Early Decision to a few more schools. It turns out I already had written the required essays for a few of my colleges so all I'd have to do is recycle them. I'd much rather have gotten my decision way back in december instead of having to wait for April to come.</p>
<p>My worries are amplified until results come in, because my situation basically breaks down like this:</p>
<p>-I have no guarantee of getting into my top three choices. In fact my chances really aren't amazing for any of them. (Cornell, Columbia, UT Austin OOS)
-The next option after those three is an OOS public where expenses will be high and financial aid will be hard to come by. (Georgia Tech)
-Regarding my fifth choice, my mom will basically not allow me to go there because of distance from home. (USC)
-Those last three are the what the hell schools.</p>
<p>disasterpiece02-I wouldn't say goodbye to the idea of a career in business-you can get an MBA and I think your engineering/backround would make you a more valuable leader in business/I know many top corporate types that have a strong backround in science and engineering.</p>
<p>Well, a main regret of not taking enough math (it's complicated; but i'm at a severe disadvantage only taking self-studied precalc when I want to go into science). </p>
<p>one application regret: not pulling out my ED earlier. Now that school is the bottom of my list..I basically was doing it for all the worst reasons</p>
<p>I regret that financial aid was not better at some of my "dream schools". I ended up applying to yale, harvard, and princeton, and UT. When I should have applied to Yale, Princeton, UT, and MIT or Penn.</p>
<p>i just wish i had tried harder on my essays, but i really tried~
i dont regret for applying to many of my reaches and only 2 or 3 matches, and 1 safety(accepted).
i'd be glad to attend my safety though :)</p>
<p>i regret the disparity between my top match/safety school (which i really like) and my top reach school. u of chicago versus st. louis university. i wish i would have applied somewhere inbetween like georgetown </p>
<p>I know this may not sound like a lot but...</p>
<p>I put my work experience as 12 hours per week instead of 15-18ish. That was just stupid on my part, since I've been working 12 hours per week THIS year, but previous years I've been working 20 ish and 18ish. =/</p>
<p>I can't say I have regret or if what transpired is exactly how it is supposed to play out, but... </p>
<p>I regret not knowing all the stuff I found out via this website before applications were almost in the mail. However, had I found this place somewhere in my son's junior year, would our relationship be destroyed by now with how much pressure I might have put on him? Based on everything I've read here, and not seeing other's essays, I imagine my Son's is probably the weakest and least representative thing about him in his applications. He is just too reserved and private to go spilling himself on a page and tooting his own horn to him is seen as arrogance in any venue. </p>
<p>I've given a lot of thought to this this morning and what I conclude is that we raised a team player who leads by example in the classroom, among his friends and on the field. We are inordinately proud of who is evolving to be, but I just don't think that translates well on a college application. I don't know what exactly we would have done differently, but whatever it is, I suppose I should regret it. :)</p>
<p>I've decided to forego any and all savings for college and put it in a therapy fund instead! I am convinced that whatever happens there will come a day when he is laying on some therapist's couch and I will be blamed for everything. :)</p>
<p>I regret applying to a school ED that I knew I wasn't going to get admitted to. I did it because I knew that although it was a super reach, I would probably be able to afford it. I regret not having the finances to apply to Bates ED. I regret not writing my Barnard supplement better. I DON'T regret applying to as many schools as I did, but I definately applied to two safeties that I didn't really need to. I regret not studying more for my SAT II's. That's about it.</p>
<p>Modadunn, I wouldn't regret anything. I have many friends that are like your son. I've even had two of the specifically say they don't believe in writing about their accomplishments because the whole concept of the essay is very egotistical and arrogant (and they are as far away from that as possible, since they care about learning but not the grades). He'll be happy wherever he ends up, especially since he seems like the kind of person who doesn't really care about a school's prestige.</p>
<p>And I don't think he'll ever blame you. Any parent who posts on this forum obviously cares about their child/children, and they probably know that. Even when successes don't come my way, I've never blamed it on my parents... and I'm sure your son will be the same way.</p>