Rejected Everywhere But Safety, What Now?

Applying to College
1

<p>Rejected yesterday at: Princeton, Penn, Harvard, Columbia, Yale, and Dartmouth</p>

<p>Can anyone provide some rational as to why I didn't even get one school, it's been driving me crazy for the past day.</p>

<p>Objective:</p>

<pre><code>* SAT I (breakdown):n/a
* ACT: 35 comp (34 E, 36M, 34 R, 36 Science)
* SAT II: 2400 MathII/PHY/CHEM (I think they saw 2350 though)
* Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):4.0
* Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):1/200
* AP (place score in parenthesis):5 BIO/LANG/CALC BC
* IB (place score in parenthesis):n/a
* Senior Year Course Load: 8 classes, maxed on APs/Honors
* Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): 1st/2000 teams in the stock market game, yielded 97% in 10 weeks by trading over 47 stocks, Science O Champ in 3 events
</code></pre>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<pre><code>* Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): (4 years Varsity Track, Captain, Middle-School state sprint champ 100m, 400m), (3 Years Varsity Football, Captain), (Science Olympiad, Captain), (Spanish Club, Founder), NHS, State Powerlifting Champ, 8 years of the Bassoon (self taught)
* Job/Work Experience: 3 Jobs from 8th-10th grade before founding an online retail company with $3,500-$4,000, which now has over $400,000 in sales
* Volunteer/Community service: Over 200 hrs
* Summer Activities: Various Jobs, Took Classes at Community College
* Essays: Took me over 5 months and they have won me over 45k in scholarships so far
* Teacher Recommendation: Saw them, very good, they've won me scholarships, so I know this wasn't the problem.
* Counselor Rec: Best Student Ever
* Additional Rec: n/a
</code></pre>

<p>Other</p>

<pre><code>* : Recruited for Fball (smaller div 1A schools) before a sport's injury, indicated that I would play upon recovery
* State (if domestic applicant): Mid-West
* Country (if international applicant):
* School Type: Religious, football is all that matters in my county though, so nothing special academically
* Ethnicity: White
* Gender: M
* Income Bracket: Middle
* Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Started with $0 at 14 working at an auto factory, made over 100k in 4 years through business/stocks to pay for my own college education. Unbelievable trading record for my age.
</code></pre>

2

<p>I'm sorry; I don't get it.</p>

<p>You got into MIT EA, "it's [your] first choice by a long shot"; this has been the most competitive year in the history of the universe; and you still want us to stroke you?</p>

<p>MIT = Safety? You're not going to get much sympathy.</p>

<p>Many many other people who got rejected from the schools you didn't get into are absolutely amazing, and so are you. You're the exact same person you were 48 hours ago!</p>

3

<p>i don't understand...what do you want us to say? Anyone calling MIT a safety is crazy enough, you should be thankful you got in. A lot of kids didn't get into ANY of their top choices and are now stuck going to their local city or state college unlike one of the TOP 10 universities in the nation</p>

4

<p>It's the expense factor, I wanted another competitive financial aid offer to hopefully drive the cost of MIT down a little, since I'm paying for my education</p>

5

<p>But you mention in your stats that you made over $100K in trading stocks. With assets like that, of course the school expects you to contribute heavily.</p>

<p>You can always ask MIT for more $$ and see how they respond.</p>

6

<p>WHOA kid,
you need to chill out and count your blessings [ MIT!!]. There are THOUSANDS of student who would give anything to be accepted at MIT AND be able to afford it. Congrats, pat yourself on the back and move on.</p>

7

<p>Red</p>

<p>I know you are disappointed.</p>

<p>Give it a couple of days and perhaps your acceptance at MIT will seem more special.</p>

<p>The financial aid officer at MIT tried to explain why your EFC was so high. It would have been similar at any school.</p>

<p>I know it is hard to have perspective when the wound is so fresh. </p>

<p>There is no point in torturing yourself re: the rejections. </p>

<p>There comes a point when you just have to accept what is in front of you.</p>

8

<p>MIT chill out ! Who cares that the other ives kicked you out</p>

9

<p>You are beyond amazing: go to MIT and don't look back.</p>

<p>I think this is clearly a case where an applicant (you) don't need any of those schools, and it was their loss for rejecting you if even half those stats are true.</p>

<p>BTW, if you dont mind, could you pm your scholarship winning essays? I already applied to colleges, I'm just curious and like entertaining reads from remarkable people :)</p>

10

<p>Uh, maybe it's because your essays demonstrated to them that you would have the attitude you have about getting into MIT. C'mon. Move on. You just got into one of the hardest schools to get into in the country. I'm convinced it's actually the hardest in terms of sheer brain power; I think a lot more people apply to Ivies hoping for a fluke. But to MIT? The bigger brains apply there, IMO, so pure admit percentages don't tell a clear story.</p>

11

<p>Are you complaining or bragging???</p>

12

<p>Man, talk about an ungrateful kid. You get absolutely no sympathy from me.</p>

<p>You've already won 45k in scholarships, you've made 100k off the stock market, and now you want more?????</p>

<p>Honestly, I think you're just bragging. That or you don't have the common sense to see that you're 1000x more fortunate than about 98% of America.</p>

13

<p>Harvard 7.1% select, Yale 8.3% select. I'm not sure there's much else to say. Obviously it's not the stats they are using as their basis for decision. Almost everyone applying has good stats.</p>

14

<p>definitely, take it for what it is though, it wasn't too effective in college admissions.</p>

15

<p>Many reject Harvard for MIT. Think about it. MIT students are smarter than Harvard students. Yes I said it, and it's true. Go to MIT. You'll be happy there.</p>

16

<p>honestly, I don't see what the issue is here. my best bud from h.s. last year had 36 ACT and was ranked top 3 % of the class, yet got rejected from everywhere and just got into one and his only safety school: University of Illinois. There are so many people out there with good stats who get rejected, but you at least got into MIT. Be happy and enjoy your life a bit, now that college apps are over.</p>

17

<p>Possible pompousness???</p>

18

<p>I read his essay - it's eloquent but not verbose, ambitious but not pompous, inspiring but not cliche, and as authentic as you can get.</p>

19

<p>
[QUOTE]

ambitious but not pompous

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Perhaps he should learn how to apply that to real life. "oh no i only got into MIT!!11 someone shoot me plz!!"</p>

20

<p>Hmmm.... it IS April 1st, you know....</p>