<p>I was recently rejected from UNC - Chapel Hill as an OOS EA applicant. I know that OOS is very competitive, but it still stings. UNC has been my dream school for nine years, and although I applied to numerous other places, I don't really feel drawn anywhere the same way I felt drawn to Chapel Hill. I feel a little desperate asking the internet for opinions, but I'm at a loss. My motivation is definitely dwindling, and I'm now questioning whether or not I even have a chance at my other schools because I really poured my heart and soul into my UNC app. I'm open to any advice/words of encouragement, especially that of people in similar situations. For reference, I have a 32 superscored ACT (11 writing), 31 regular composite. 3.95 UW GPA, 4.18 W. I've taken 8 honors courses and 1 AP (my school is fairly small, doesn't offer a ton). Class rank is 19/236. I'm a 4 year member of Lifesavers, a group leader in Freshman Mentors, 3 year member of Model UN, and 13 year piano student that's participated in NFMC Festival with all Superior ratings and AIM exams (6 years each). Up until a few months ago, I was holding three jobs simultaneously, which was what I wrote one of my essays about. During the school year, I was totaling somewhere around 30-35 hours a week and around 50 between all three over the summer. The other essay was about how visiting my family in North Carolina throughout the years and experiencing the school helped me cope with my parents' divorce and how it was my dream to be a Tar Heel....basically a giant love letter, ha. My recs should have been really solid. I was only able to read one, but almost cried when I did because it was so sweet. My counselor eval should have been very good as well.</p>
<p>I've also applied to USC, Vandy, UIC (accepted), Alabama (accepted), FSU, BU, UNCW (accepted), ASU, UGA, and SIU (accepted, it's in my town), </p>
<p>I'm considering applying to Belmont and SLU as well.</p>
<p>Again, I'm really just looking for some words of advice. I've worked really hard throughout high school, and although I did it all with Carolina in mind, it would kill me to see it go to waste. To those who got in at Chapel Hill, congrats. I know y'all will have an amazing four years. :)</p>
<p>When I was a senior in high school, I applied to CSULB and I was rejected. I didn’t have much of a backup. I went to Mizzou for a semester and left for a while. I went back to school when I was 22 and became involved at a community college. I kept a 4.0 for two years and I just got into CSULB. I’m waiting to hear from Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSB, but I think I’ve got a decent shot of getting into one of those schools, even though I’m OOS. My point is just that if you could go to one of those other schools, there’s no reason you can’t work hard and be in Chapel Hill in a couple of years. You might fall in love with the school you end up at, or you may end up transferring to UNC. It definitely sucks to be rejected, but it sounds like you have some great secondary options. Don’t be discouraged and keep up the hard work!</p>
<p>Just sit tight and see where else you get in. This is kind of late for advice, because there’s nothing to do unless you are looking for colleges accepting late applications? This whole dream school nonsense isn’t productive. I hate to see kids caught up in that. No use hindsighting it now, but I don’t think the giant love letter approach is a good one.–they aren’t evaluating you on how much you want it. Just distract yourself and try to enjoy your last semester of HS and see how it all falls out.</p>
<p>The whole attitude that working hard is a waste has to go. Are you so short sighted that you think it isn’t worthwhile for your own success whatever you do and wherever you go? Think how well you will be prepared for any college you go to. Just getting into a college isn’t a goal, it is just a means to an end which is your own education and preparation for the next stage. </p>
<p>Now come back and tell where you end up deciding and I’ll bet you will be over it and ready to be excited about fall.</p>
<p>Good for you for applying to those other schools also. You have some great choices there. Give yourself a bit of time to get over the sting, but don’t wallow in it. If you can go back to visit your other favorites, that would be great. Seeing students loving their environment will get you excited about other options too. Our family visited UConn and although it didn’t really click, those students were infectious. It’s amazing what positivity can do for the soul. Look for all the good in the other schools. And let us know where you end up. </p>
<p>Well, you knew unc had very low oos acceptance rates. So, don’t take it so personal. The thing is, you took a chance, but now you need to move forward and take another chance. Odds are your backups are all very decent choices. I would go where you will be appreciated. On your list I see alabama and with your stats you would likely be in honors which would help open some doors. Vandy would love you too I believe. The thing is, look at which one will appreciate you and give you the best opportunity. Honestly, I know you feel bad now but in 5 years you may look back and see this as a blessing. You could consider unc for grad school possibly. As prospective students we seem to be in awe of the schools, when in fact it should be a match of which will best help me make my goals. Sometimes it is not the one we think.
Food for thought. I went to the university of missouri-kansas city. Step sister school to university of missouri. Everyone said I was making a mistake. My former classmates, actual friends of mine include 5 self made millionaires. We took classes from pillars in the business and finance areas. These contacts were valuable in our careers. It is not know as THE school to go to in missouri (that would be wash u or even mu) but it worked well for us. One classmate helped develop google. No one would have thought that! Opportunities exist everywhere, stay alert and be ready. YOU will do fantastic based on your high school performance, just set your own path.</p>
<p>I am going to guess that you need FA to attend UNC. State schools are very stingy in giving out FA to out of state students. You have excellent stats. I wouldn’t be surprised if you got rejected because of FA. I think you have very good chance at USC and Vandy, and they do give out need based aids. I hope you and your parents have looked into what you can afford when you applied to those schools.</p>
<p>This is the hardest time for many seniors right now - all applications are in and all they could do is worry and wait. You are in a better position than most because at least you have few acceptances already. </p>
<p>@oldfort, UNC-CH is one of the few state schools that will give substantial FA to the top OOS students they accept. Not really relevant to OP, but just FYI.</p>
<p>@AmaranthineD, that’s why I think Oldfort may be right about the FA issue. Since they DO meet need for OOS students I can see they might focus on OOS students that don’t have much need. Most other OOS publics will just gap admitted students. UNC-CH is listed as a blind admission school but this student being outright rejected is hard to understand.</p>
<p>You will move on. My dream school was Duke (if, because of the rivalry, you want to stop reading, go ahead), but I was rejected in December early decision. Opportunities will open for you (and it sounds as if they already have). Look on the Duke board here and find some of the stuff I was saying on December 12 and listen to me now. You will be fine.</p>
<p>One of my daughters had to attend her second choice school when her favorite did not offer sufficient financial aid. She was heartbroken. From May to about January. By then she had met some great friends, fell in love with some of the nuns (faculty and staff) and gotten involved in student activities. She is and will be forever grateful that she had to attend the school she hadn’t wanted to “be caught dead at”.</p>
<p>Let go of your dreams so that you can embrace the school that you attend. Maybe burn one of your UNC shirts or the rejection letter, or perform some other little ritual to put that dream behind you. When you get to your college, make sure that you make no comparisons, but look around and find things to appreciate. You will find them, if you are open to new opportunities.</p>
<p>Sorry things didn’t work out for you at your “dream school”. First of all, you should NEVER take a rejection, even from a school you love, as an indication that you are not worthy or what you did in HS was not good enough. Admission officers look to create a well-rounded class and often at these top schools there is just not enough room for all of the worthy candidates (particularly since you are OOS for a state school). Everything you did in HS will help prepare you for success in college (wherever you go) and in life. Second, if UNC didn’t accept you, it should no longer be your dream school – simply put you need to take a deep breath and move on. You already have some very good choices and you will likely have even more soon enough so find the school you get into that suits you the best, embrace it, and have a great college experience… </p>
<p>It’s like the old song – if you can’t be with the one you love, well then, love the one you’re with. You obviously have the brains to make it happen. Forget UNC, focus on the schools that accept you, revisit all of them, pick your favorite. Then, give loving your school 100% effort. If you go with “transfer to UNC” in the back of your head, you won’t really be giving the school you’re attending a fair shot.</p>
<p>Just want to let everyone know how much reading all these responses has helped me. Definitely provided the pick me up I was looking for. Best of luck to those of you making/waiting for your college decisions. We’ll all figure it out. :)</p>
<p>You still have more schools to hear from :).
Have you received your financial aid award letters yet?
UNC-W may be an option, since you may transfer perhaps more easily into UNC-CH from there. But can you afford it? Unlike UNC-CH, UNC-W doesn’t meet OOS need…
In any case, if you wish to apply to colleges:
<a href=“College Search | College Finder | Colleges by Major & Location”>College Search | College Finder | Colleges by Major & Location;
I would say Earlham is the top of the bunch, with great success in graduate school admissions, and New College is an intellectual/hippie powerhouse if you’re thinking grad school; Susquehanna, Albright, Austin, Agnes Scott, Juniata, New College Florida are all good picks.</p>