REJECTED last year; ACCEPTED this year.

Applying to College
1

<p>This is My Story,</p>

<p>Last year at around the same time of this year, I received a letter of what was at the time my "dream college," UCI. The letter was a rejection letter for the Fall 2008 Year, as many others, I felt like a downright failure of not getting in. I tried appealing and didn't make it through that pathway; at the end of my senior year I faced a few options: Get a Job or Go to community college paying everything on your own.
I fell into a deep depression, UCI was my top school throughout high school and I had been downright rejected, Was I not good enough? Did I not try hard enough? The failure lured with me for a very long time</p>

<p>Fortunately I got an invitation to do a one-year medical community service at my home country of Mexico, that saved me from a lot of possible issues.
Last October, I decided to apply again for schools, many told me not to. I didn't listen and I applied to not only UCI but also UCLA, UC Berkeley and UCR.
A few weeks ago I got accepted to UCR and today.... I got Accepted to UCI.</p>

<p>Wow, I felt a huge amount of excitement and happiness. I screamed "Finally! I got in!"
the feeling as overwhelming.</p>

<p>However, UCI is not my top school anymore (UCLA has replaced that) yet I am proud of being accepted and I am considering UCI.</p>

<p>What changed this year?
I'm not quite sure, perhaps the best way I can say it's I've Matured.
Unlike last year I took my time to write outstanding personal statements (which I think ultimately got me in) and I think the time I spent volunteering in Medicine helped me shine to the Admissions Committee.
Unlike last year, I turned all my documentation on time and applied for a Fee Waiver.
And unlike last year, I ultimately was able to use my hardships to my advantage</p>

<p>This is a message to those rejected. There is Hope, there is always a way you can work to get to where u want to go.</p>

<p>Look at me, I got rejected last year and this year, ACCEPTED.</p>

<p>Don't give up guys who got rejected, you're not alone!</p>

<p>Any similar stories?</p>

2

<p>Congratulations!</p>

3

<p>My son was rejected by Cal Poly Engineering this year and we’re still waiting to hear from UCI. But, there is a possibility that he won’t get in to UCI (even though his stats show he is an excellent match for UCI. But Engineering is hard to get into). We’re not holding out much hope for UCLA or Cal.</p>

<p>At any rate, if he doesn’t get into UCI he’ll have to decide if he’ll go to Cal State Northridge, Community College or we have considered looking into volunteer programs. We’re not sure what he should do. </p>

<p>Your thread does show that there is hope and there are options. But it is hard when you’ve been rejected and you’ve worked so hard throughout school…getting great grades and scoring decently on the SATs and such. If he doesn’t get in I just hope he doesn’t take a nose dive with his grades or gets too depressed.</p>

4

<p>Mom2jej, Northridge has decent engineering. I know a graduate professor there who went to Cal Poly for his undergrad and Northridge for grad.
Can’t be too bad :]</p>

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<p>^ Mom2jej</p>

<p>I applied as bio major last year (yeah, it’s competitive too) because I want to do med eventually.</p>

<p>BAD DECISION!</p>

<p>my friend at UCI told me you can “always change your major, there are ways”</p>

<p>So, he told me to apply to a major you like but is not hard to get into.</p>

<p>I applied as a Spanish major/Chicano Studies</p>

<p>Maybe it did have an influence, perhaps a good hook to get in?</p>

6

<p>Just an update…My son just got accepted to UC Irvine in his first choice major (Mechanical engineering). We’re so proud of him.</p>

<p>I think your story is terrific and I’m sure there are many students and parents that have read it and have found hope and comfort in it.</p>

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<p>Congratulations and bravo! for sharing your experience with others and for being persistent in pursuit of your goals. </p>

<pre><code>I firmly believe that taking a year off to mature, and having the time, energy and insight to prepare college applications without the myriad distractions of attending high school — grade pressure, gf/bf issues, activities and EC obligations, peer pressure about ‘where you got in’ — would benefit many students.
</code></pre>

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<p>:) i am very happy for you…but, you wasted a year…</p>

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<p>BigWeight-</p>

<p>I’ve seen your other posts, and you really need to hold back on that arrogance.</p>

<p>I think it’s great! :)</p>

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<p>wow…chill man lol. everybody on CC is so uptight…i’m not arrogant, im just stating an opinion…and i said i was happy for him…wow, C is turning to **** lately.</p>

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<p>I don’t think that helping others is ever a waste.</p>

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<p>Wow, um, I don’t know how you guys couldn’t have detected his sarcasm…I think he was joking…but w/e.</p>

<p>And haikumaruku, gj, I’ve seen you for a while and I think you deserve the stuff.</p>

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<p>^ bigweight</p>

<p>lol, yeah, I sometimes felt like I was “wasting a year” but a lot of these experiences I could’ve never learned in a classroom, it was one of those life-changing experiences, and I even though it was difficult and stressful, it was totally worth it.</p>

<p>I was really worried my “gap” would work against me, but I believe if you’re doing something productive with your time then colleges can appreciate that, that’s why I believe my essays helped me a lot.</p>