Official Venting Thread

Applying to College
121

<p>Wow. I’m actually very relieved that I’m not alone in my college-admissions-related worries and angers.</p>

<p>I’m more worried than angry, though. I go to an arts high school that places more of an emphasis on art rather than academics. There are only 6 AP’s offered at our school, and the maximum you can take is 4 (and only in you senior year). The teachers take into consideration our rehearsal schedules and overall school schedule - our school ends at 4, and if you have rehearsal, you’ll be going until 10 pm sometimes. See, I wouldn’t be worried if I was going into college for theater (my major in HS), but I’m going in for Linguistics and International Relations. I’m PRAYING SO HARD that colleges consider the fact that my school didn’t offer that many APs, but I took 4/6 of them (didn’t take AP Bio because I had taken Bio already, didn’t take AP Calc because I wasn’t at that math level yet - I’m in Precal) and I’ve maintained a 4.0 (UW) GPA, and I’m in the top 10% of my class. And I’ve got a crap load of EC’s outside of school that aren’t only theater-related, so I’m well rounded, I like to believe. My school doesn’t offer so many ECs either because kids are so busy already with their arts. It was so difficult participating in these outside ECs and balancing them with school and performances. So, with the amount of activities I have, I really, really, REALLY hope the number of APs I’ve taken doesn’t count against me. I’ve utilized my school’s academic offerings to the maximum.</p>

<p>But my anger does settle in when it comes to SAT. I hate that test SO much. I’m sorry, but I do. I hate that it’s SUCH an important factor in college admissions. Maybe I’m bitter because I studied like CRAZY on that test and only got 1870 (my math score seriously weighed it down). But the fact is, I’m Asian, and this is way below average I’ve heard for an Asian.</p>

<p>And ALSO. I’m worried about my admission chances because I’m Asian. What if colleges look at my SAT scores and number of APs and turn me down after one glance because I’m Asian, and my SAT and number of APs is low for an Asian? I’m one of the 4 Asians in the ENTIRE theater department (only 2 in my class including me), so I hope they consider that I wasn’t really schooled the way that my Asian friends at the local high school were (SUPER geniuses. Really. 2100 SAT and still not good enough? :/). I do believe that my essays and ECs and my recommendation will put the odds in my favor, but the SAT and APs will make it a 50/50. </p>

<p>I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t get into USC or UC Berkeley (top two choices), though I’ll admittedly be really sad, and the idea of paying 70 bucks to submit an unworthy app and recieve a rejection letter is so daunting. The thing is I’ve heard horror stories about people with 2100 SAT and 4.0 GPAs not getting into UCI. I’m freaking OUT. This whole process is ULTIMATELY humbling and horrifying and really, really pointless in the long run.</p>

<p>I’m counting on the reputation of my high school - we’ve got some seriously well known alumni - and our rep with colleges already. But in my heart of hearts, I know that that isn’t going to be enough.</p>

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<p>I hate the flippin SAT Subject Tests, for no other reason than that I just failed mine. I get that they are important when compared to the dumbf**k SAT and ACT because they actually test your learning ability, but unfortunately for me I do not live in a region that takes those so i had to do it all last minute because nobody told me about them (including my skankfaces of fake friends) and I freaking BOMBED them. As if I wasn’t insecure enough about my app, then bang I get back the scores I had forgotten about and I realize it is all pretty much over.</p>

<p>Plus I talked to a girl who went to my school and graduated last year and is now at the state public university who was an award winning pianist, and an award winning violinist, not to mention the President of 2 clubs, a 4 year member of band and choir and several orchestras, a Speech Team Captain, and ranked in the top 10% of our class. But somehow, she was rejected from Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Emory, Duke, U Chicago, Northwestern, Georgetown and Amherst. WHAT is the point of working my A** off if just because I am not in the top 1% of my class I will end up going to the same crappy public state school that the students with the 3.2 GPA’s and the <26 ACT scores who never even took an SAT Subject Test ended up at? I could have slacked off all this time, and worried about my hair and social life wayyy more and maybe have been some sort of awesome dancer or something by now. But nope. I worked myself to the bone academically and with a bunch of extracurriculars and for what? Nothing.</p>

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<p>Why not just make it $0?</p>

124

<p>At my school, it is required that we all take AVID and every person had to fill out the UC application and the CSU application. I think it’s great that we have a class at school that is dedicated to helping us succeed, however, I’ve known for some time that I would not be applying to a CSU (the idea of going to a college where the admissions process is so completely number-based doesn’t appeal to me, especially as a probable English major) and I had to waste my time filling out the application for one.</p>

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<p>Why can’t the private schools be satisfied with the common app essay? Most have a laundry list of supplemental busywork and stupid questions. I’ve put everything into the essays and supplements, and I wonder if humans will ever read them? Seriously, popular schools get tens of thousands of applications and I’ll bet 90% are pitched to trash by a computer. I think they should have a pre-application process, and if you make the first cut you send essays.
I can’t write another word…</p>

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<p>I hate how no one advised me on anything i had to do to get in to any top college. At my school, it’s assumed youll be going to an instate school which, in south carolina, means no subject tests. so, if it werent for me searching for requirements, etc., i wouldve never known, or wouldve known too late.</p>

<p>And i hate how ive worked so hard, and it might all be for nothing. If i dont get into one of my top 4 collleges, then ill be going in state like everyone else in my school who didnt work nearly as hard as me. and thats a real possibility. a very real possibility. and im so scared.</p>

127

<p>@OSHUNLIDE
If you do not happen to be accepted to your top choices, and have to attend a state school, then transfer out. You are not doomed.</p>

128

<p>I shake my head how immature people are… So petty.</p>

<p>Have you guys read what you wrote? You will find your posts quite hilarious.</p>

129

<p>It’s called a venting thread for a reason! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: The whole thing is likely to be permanent. Which means anyone can see it eventually. lol</p>

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<p>Yeah, how petty we are to express our concerns! If only we were dignified enough to judge others for doing so in a topic expressly created for doing so!</p>

131

<p>currently #4 in my class, taking 4 higher level IB classes including HL math (hardest class at my school) and playing decently high-level varsity sports</p>

<p>kids 1-3 are taking math studies and ab initio languages and HL art, which at my school everyone gets an A</p>

<p>F the world.</p>

132

<p>yeah, i know i could transfer, but id still feel like all my work in high school was for nothing. and, if you find venting immature, then dont look in the thread.</p>

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<p>theyeaman - adcoms will look at strength of schedule and know that you worked hard. Anyone taking ab initio language almost by definition will only have 2 years of the same language, so if you did 4-6 years it will look more rigorous. Don’t worry so much about 1-3 vs 4. They won’t give you a sticker to put on your car or backpack :slight_smile: so everyone will know. Colleges will look at you, not the label. They will see that you took the most challenging path and that you did well in it. You will also be at an advantage when it comes to fulfilling your college foreign language requirement. Try to think of what you have gained by taking your path, not the one small way that others have jumped ahead.</p>

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<p>Bump******</p>

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<p>I hate some people on CC telling people they aren’t good enough for schools like Penn State or UMD or Northeastern when they have 1700s on their SAT and 3.5 GPAs. They are good enough, just not definite yeses… Get it straight</p>

136

<ol>
<li><p>I hate when people say that because I’m black and low-income, I can get into any school I want. I’m aware of AA but I don’t want to be another person to add to the quota. I want to get in because I deserve it. Which brings me to my second point…</p></li>
<li><p>I hate how I say I don’t want to be admitted to a school because I’m black and low-income, but in the back of my head, I have my fingers crossed that it might play as a deciding factor in my top schools. </p></li>
<li><p>I hate being “that kid” that I see a lot of people talk about on here. The one with high GPA/low SATs. It makes me feel bad, but at the same time, my ACT scores are higher than my SAT ones, so I can’t use the “bad standardized test taker excuse.” </p></li>
<li><p>I hate feeling that the only way I’ll get into my top schools is by making my essays perfect. Since my SATs aren’t that good, it’s a lot of pressure to show schools that I’m more than just a number. </p></li>
<li><p>I hate that I was too shy throughout high school to try and out for a leadership position. Now, I just look like a lackey. I’m not, I just like to work behind the scenes, not be the talking head. </p></li>
<li><p>I hate I didn’t do QuestBridge because I’m afraid that might’ve been my only shot at getting into a college without worrying about expenses and scholarships.</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>Amen to that^^</p>

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<p>I hate that even with many genuine, interest-driven ECs, a pretty decent GPA and good to excellent essays, I keep losing sleep on how stressed I am because of my test scores. I hate irrationally freaking out about those scores compared to the rest of my apps because I’m scared that will be what does me in, or that I’m not compelling enough to carry an accept even with every other qualification. I hate that I go to a competitive high school where all people care about is scores and grades and often resort to cheating with them, and that I always get grouped in with the same immature, Ivy/Stanford-obsessed stereotyped Asian group even though I am nothing like them and have completely different professional aspirations. I hate that even though I did well on CR/W and the Lit test because of my clear love for English, my tanked Math score and the stigm that goes with Asians who are bad at math is what completely destroys my self confidence on the worst of days. I hate that I am still willing to put myself through this misery until the Jan. test if I get deferred or rejected. I hate that my concerned counselor actually told me to “chill out” about college hysteria, and I hate that she was so right, that I might not even remember or value this terrible anxiety in 5 years’ time. I hate that I cannot bring myself to be calm about all of this or convince myself that it really is a crapshoot.</p>

<p>I hate that the great stats here on CC don’t do anything to mitigate this fear.</p>

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<p>I hate AP classes. For my freshman through junior years of hs I took regular classes apart from non AP upper level math classes. I got good grades, but some classes were difficult and I got a few B’s. I ended my junior year with a 4.0 W and 3.86 UW. I know that isn’t exactly terrible, but a 4.0 weighted GPA didn’t even put me in the top 10% of my class. </p>

<p>Senior year I decided to change things around and try to take some AP classes. I loaded up on 5 AP classes and braced to get straight B’s. That didn’t happen. In fact, the first trimester of my senior year WITH 5 AP CLASSES was the easiest trimester I’d had of hs yet. 4.0 UW and 4.7 W GPA. Why the hell does the school have AP classes if they are all easier than regular classes. It’s all a load of crap to inflate kids GPAs and make the school look better. </p>

<p>So now as I apply for universities, I am kicking myself for not taking AP classes. I could easily have a 4.5 GPA or higher, be top 10 in my class, and have no worries for college admission. But because I didn’t take some joke class like AP psychology I have a GPA that doesn’t accurately compare to others in my school. </p>

<p>Ya it’s my fault but I just need to rant. I find out if I got into my ED school in about a week and I can’t even sleep because of the stress. I don’t know what I’m going to do if I don’t get in. I don’t think I can handle waiting until April to find out what the next four years of my life has in store. The uncertainty is eating me alive.</p>

<p>I just had to get that off my chest. I don’t know if what I wrote was even a coherent message, but this thread has really lowered my stress. It’s comforting in a way to know that other people are freaking out as I am.</p>

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<p>I hate the people who come on here and post their extremely impressive stats (5.0 GPAs, perfect SATs and APs, ridiculous amount of ECs) and ask for chances…like really? There are people who are actually LEGITIMATELY concerned about their college admissions and here you are with a near perfect resume.</p>