reapplying as a freshmen, does it sound like a good plan?

Applying to College
1

Basically I got rejected from every school I applied to except for my safety (too close to home, and I want my freedom), and thinking that the best option for me is to take a gap year and reapply. Fortunately, I was planning on taking a gap year anyways for figure skating, to travel to my native country, Korea (never got to in the past b/c skating), do an internship, etc.

Previous application:

GPA: 3.3UW/3.85W with upward trend, took 10 APs

  • didn’t send in any AP scores
    SAT: 1310, and studied only a week before the test

ECs: certified figure skating coach for 4 years and teach children, adults, and kids with mental illnesses in both group lessons and private lessons. ice instructor in 2 different rinks, and was the youngest person at my rink to begin teaching at age 15. professional figure skater 20 hrs/week for 11 years and medaled in several local competitions at highest level. last year won an award for being the most successful skater in my skating club (50+ skaters). competed in both regional and international competitions. Math HN society, Summa Cum Laude 2 years, Precalc tutor 1 year

Recs: excellent recommendations

Applied to: Safety, U Richmond (WL), Boston U, NYU (havent heard back from them yet), Hamilton, Colgate, Northeastern, Boston College, Claremont McKenna ED2, Middlebury, Bowdoin

Reflection: My biggest mistake was not working hard freshman/sophomore year, hence the low GPA. I was lazy about my SATs, and applied to too many schools out of my range and no match schools. I had good essays but they weren’t good enough to make up for my GPA. I am actually not that bitter about the outcome of my application process, plus I think it’s a great opportunity for me to take a gap year and “mature”. I am especially excited to finally get an opportunity to spend a while at Korea to visit all the relatives I never got to meet! I’m already thinking about the new essays I’m gonna write

…and if I took a gap year, these MAY most likely change:

GPA: 3.4UW/3.9 or 3.94 W (upward trend, and junior year/senior year stayed relatively the same w/senior year UW being a little lower because of harder classes and not very good calc AB grade)

  • will be sending in AP Calc AB score (I am above the class average and 60% of people in my class get 5’s), AP Micro/Macro, and AP World Score (3)
    SAT: considering how much time I will have, I am hoping for above 1500 or at least 1450! Taking a rigorous class and will be taking Math
    ECs: very possible for me to become the state champion at the senior level in figure skating, will work hard to try and qualify for sectionals (possible, and a great achievement). Will apply to be a coach at another ice rink (making me an employee at 3 ice rinks) Will also be doing a full year internship at either Gtown (mother works there) or the Federal reserve, and will try to attend NYU Stern’s Precollege

Schools I will apply to for sure: Safety (one that I’d actually be happy going to), Santa Clara, Bucknell, George Washington, CMC ED1, NYU ED2, USC

Schools I will might be applying to (Will choose 4-5 of these): Wesleyan, Vassar, WFU, Carleton, Middlebury, Gtown EA, Chicago EA

Now, I know that I am making a lot of assumptions here by aiming for a much higher SAT score, high AP scores, and higher stats in the ice skating world, etc, but honestly these are things I know I am capable of accomplishing.

So, my question is, does this sound like a good plan? Does anyone have advice? Am I aiming too high? Thank you!!!

2

What is wrong with the safety that you got into this year? Too expensive? Doesn’t have your intended major?

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@ucbalumnus I come from a super strict korean family, so I would like to have a college experience without my mother following me around all the time. And the fact that my safety is 15 minutes away from my house doesn’t help that at all. Visited the school and didn’t like it. I also know a ton of people from my HS who are going to that school, so I was hoping to start fresh and meet totally new people! hope that clears things up

4

The schools you are planning to apply to are mostly reachy. You need to find good match schools that you like and that are not near your home.

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Also, I understand that people shouldn’t reapply to the same schools (I’m reapplying to NYU, Midd, and CMC) unless you have greater achievements than you did your first time applying. do I have those “greater achievements”?

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@TomSrOfBoston have any in mind?

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You sound like you’re pulling yourself in a lot of different directions: More skating, a trip, three jobs plus an internship instead of two jobs, a summer class at NYU… You might want to step back and figure out which of these directions is truly important and meaningful to you. You’re more likely to be impressive when you focus on fewer things at a time.

An internship that a parent finds for you is different from one you get yourself from an application reader point of view. Don’t obsess about how prestigious the place where you intern sounds. Colleges know high school students are not making policy at the Federal Reserve. Focus on something where you will develop skills and/or learn about possible future career path that will interest you. A tiny business where you are holding down the fort with one other employee can be a challenging learning experience.

It may not be too late for this fall: Many state schools have rolling admissions. There will be a NACAC list of schools accepting late applications you can look at come May. Talk to your guidance counselor about options. They may have ideas about where last minute applicants went in previous years.

Be cautious with doing NYU or any other college class during a gap year. Earning college credit after high school graduation may make you a transfer rather than freshman applicant, which can hurt both your admissions chances and merit aid.

I think you need a less reachy college list for next time. Most of your list must be less selective than the colleges that rejected you this time around.

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@AroundHere thanks so much for the feedback, I totally get what your saying. do you have any “match schools” in mind?

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To be a true safety, the school should be one you will actually be happy to attend. I think you should have a couple of those and a low match or two. You would have to let us know what you intend to study, and what you are looking (and not looking) for in a school.

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@inthegarden well I am pretty set on going into business (international, more specifically), but it would be nice to go to a well rounded school just in case I decide to switch majors! I am looking for a school with a healthy balance between academics/social life, not too heavy on the greek life, and has okay-decent fin aid

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Would you be living on campus or living at home if you went to this school? Is this school mostly residential or mostly commuter?

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@ucbalumnus living on campus. It is 1/2 residential, 1/2 commuter

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@camwow, maybe Dickinson College, Denison (Global commerce/International.Studies/Economics but no business school),University of Rochester, University of Pittsburgh (though I don’t think it has great financial aid.) Susquehanna would be a safety you might like, with IR, some business-related degrees.

14

I did this and it worked for me, although I did not go into my gap year planning on reapplying to colleges, but the school I committed and deferred from started having some problems and I changed what I was planning to study, so I withdrew from that college and applied to a few more. I only applied to two of the same schools and did my first choice ED I and actually got in this year (did RD last year)! So I think you might as well try considering you seem to have a solid idea for your gap year (I did not lol), but make sure that you accept that you might get rejected again.

Also show your top choices a lot of interest, they will obviously know that you’re very committed to their school from applying twice and doing ED/EA, but also reach out to your admissions counselor and if you can visit!

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If you will be living on campus, wouldn’t that make you less accessible to your helicopter parent?

If you take a gap year, would you live at home with your helicopter parent instead?

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@ucbalumnus not really bc I would be skating at the same rink, meaning she will go with me to skating practice every day

17

Your mom just can’t visit you even if she’s 15 minutes away. But she can just show up at the skating rink? That’s frustrating. But as ucbalumnus asked, wouldn’t you have to live at home if you take a gap year? At least if you went to the state school you’d have some freedom at college, on weekends, etc. And it’s so big that even though a few kids from HS are going, believe me, you will meet tons of new people.

For the GAP year, just be careful as many colleges want you to be accepted first and then defer enrollment once they know what your plan is for that gap year. Find out first what the requirements are before you turn down an offer to your state school.

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@Fishnlines29 oh I didn’t see ucblaumnus’ 2nd question. It’s a really complicated situation with my mom. I love her to death, but she would never leave me alone at the ice rink. I don’t mind living with her for another year at all if I havent gone off to college yet, but I would like to explore college by myself and have independence because, well, it’s college!

19

I think the plan is fine.

Bigger issue (from my perspective) is that there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to either your original or new application list (and most are reachy with your current stats).

How are you deciding where to apply to?

Another alternative is going to a CC, doing well for a year or two, and transferring in.

20

^But if she transfers in, won’t she lose any chance for merit aid?