Rejected people

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>If Yale was your top choice (as it was mine) and your dreams and ideas of you future have just been crushed, I have a little anecdote for you, which I've posted on CC before.</p>

<p>So last February I went with my dad to visit Stanford. I wasn't aware before this that he had applied to Stanford as a high school student in addition to UCLA, where he went. Yes, I know it sounds crazy that he only applied to two schools, but things were different back then.</p>

<p>Anyway, on the way up, he told me about all of his high school accomplishments, how he was one of the top students at his school (which was a very nice one). He then told me that he hadn't gotten into Stanford, and many less-qualified people (in his opinion) had, because they were legacies who didn't need financial aid, while he was a kid who would need a full ride. To be honest, he sounded pretty bitter about the fact that he didn't get in.</p>

<p>We toured Stanford, and he was really excited by everything he saw there. After the trip, he called my mom to tell her about how great it was and how happy he'd be if I went there. Seeing this, I asked him if he wished he had gotten into Stanford and gone there.</p>

<p>He thought for maybe five seconds. Not long, certainly, but he did think. He then said, simply, "No". I asked him, "After seeing all that and being so excited, you really don't wish you could have gone to Stanford?"</p>

<p>He then explained to me that he would never, ever give up his experience at UCLA, not for anything. He still goes to the football games every week with his friends, and he always tells me stories about his days there. If he hadn't gone there, he never would have made the friends through whom he met my mother. I wouldn't be who I am today, or necessarily even alive. He wouldn't have gotten to live the best years of his life.</p>

<p>If you're feeling down right now, like your life can't possibly work out, think about this. You have no idea what lies ahead. Indeed, chances are, considering that you've likely only lived a quarter of your life, you haven't yet done or experienced... well, anything. You haven't yet met the person you'll marry. You haven't yet met your best friend. You haven't read the best book you'll ever read, seen the best movie, heard the best song. You haven't been told the best joke you'll ever hear. You haven't had the best sex you'll have (if you've even had sex). You haven't yet found what you truly love to do.</p>

<p>And so, congratulations, people who definitely do not compose the Yale Class of 2013. You have so much to look forward to.</p>

2

<p>Thanks, I hope everything works out well for you, too. :)</p>

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<p>Great post!</p>

<p>I know u will appreciate your experience in the next four years where not at Yale, just like your father!</p>

<p>Best wishes!</p>

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<p>I think this is important for people to see, so I'll bump it once before I leave.</p>

5

<p>I'm sorry that you got rejected. Although I got deferred, I can truly envisage the utter crush and dejection of being rejected. But you have a great mindset here when you say that there are bigger and better things to look out for. </p>

<p>I hope things work out for you and I am sure you will someday realize your full potential, regardless of where you got rejected from or got accepted into.</p>

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<p>TheWerg,</p>

<p>That post made my eyes water.</p>

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<p>I wish all of you guys the best of luck =)
I got rejected too</p>

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<p>TheWerg, thanks for posting this :). I got deferred, but I feel like this is something that deferred people should also know. Good luck in the future - it's looking bright!</p>

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<p>well--just a baby boomer mom here and think you did nice by posting.</p>

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<p>thanks great post, this made me feel a lot better. This post also makes me think your essays are probably awesome lol gl with other schools!</p>

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<p>these sort of rejections make me wonder how good adcoms are at their jobs.</p>

<p>TheWerg, I've lurked here for a while, and-- in vaguely stalkeresque fashion-- have probably seen enough of you, through your stats and writing, to get a rough picture of who you are. I consider myself a fairly good judge of character, and in you I saw more than the typical "smart" (read: pre-professional) kid, which adcoms probably (or at least I thought so) stave off in hordes with the big reject-wand. I saw an <i>intellectual</i>, which is an important distinction that people often forget to make. I saw someone who not only learned but had something interesting to say about what they had learned, who had passions, and who seemed to have arteries and veins in lieu of circuitry. you seemed to see Yale as a means of learning and not of "success." let it suffice to say that i've seen plenty of "smart" kids get in, but not too many intellectuals. and I wonder whether i really understand what they're looking for...</p>

<p>we're really similar in some ways, some surface-deep (exact same total SAT score, just 800 M instead of W) and some more meaningful (hearts in the humanities but can also pull off math/science ish). we both took big risks on our essays; I'll never regret that and you shouldn't either. I fared marginally better (or arguably worse, depending on your perspective) and got deferred, but it still makes me wonder. would've been nice to meet you, maybe. </p>

<p>i apologize if i might have creeped you out, but i've been lurking here for a while. i don't have your real name, social security number, nope. really. i don't. i promise.</p>

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<p>When I saw the letter of rejection, I was dissapointed for less than a moment, after which I realized that every school I've applied to is outstanding, and that wherever I go, I'll succeed.</p>

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<p>Aww, that was sweet. Yale doesn't know what it's missing...Rejectees Unite!</p>

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<p>I can't wait to get rejected from Yale :)</p>

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<p>I'm pretty sure I've heard the best songs considering where the music industry is heading.</p>

16

<p>I looked up the poster who was rejected from all of those top schools except Duke. </p>

<p>I think that the surprise over the poster’s rejection reflects the fact that people on CC overvalue how URMs are considered in college admission. Even high scoring URMs aren’t shoo ins for admission to places like HPYS.</p>

<p>This stood out in the rejected person’s posts:</p>

<p>“The fact that I didn’t start my activities until 11th grade? That I didn’t get into taking the absolute most rigorous courses until 11th grade as well? (I didn’t take easy classes, just not the absolute top). A lot of this stems from my utter lack of self-confidence entering high school… I was the typical Dungeons and Dragons-playing, video game-loving, sci-fi obsessed nerd in the corner of the room who was scared of talking to anyone, and it took A LOT to get past this stage of my life.”</p>

<p>He was competing against students with exceptionally strong ECs and strong self confidence. Places like HPYS aren’t for students who are very introverted, lack self confidence, etc. Sounds like the person we’re discussing was in the process of blossoming, but may not yet have been ready to handle the atmosphere of a place like Harvard, which is for people who get inspired --not scared or crushed – by being around a lot of confident, passionate, high energy people. </p>

<p>Places like HPYS may be far better fits for that student for grad or professional school after the student has had more chance to continue blossoming.</p>

17

<p>“When I saw the letter of rejection, I was disappointed for less than a moment, after which I realized that every school I’ve applied to is outstanding, and that wherever I go, I’ll succeed.”</p>

<p>Same here. I said to myself, “Well shoot,” but that was about it. Of course, I had just found out that I got into Princeton, so that definitely eased my reaction. I mean, HYP were my top schools, so any of them would have been great, and I think Princeton is a perfect (or at least near-perfect) match for me. </p>

<p>TheWerg, where are you going to school this fall?</p>