Should I take a Gap year and reapply or transfer later on?

Applying to College
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81

no, I don’t think so–I was excited about 8 schools that didn’t work out (and it is what it is!! and thats OK!). And I’m not here to discuss that.

82

We’ve suggested best courses of action.

  1. Go to Wash U, get high grades, get great recs from professors, be really involved in meaningful stuff on or off campus, and try to transfer. Remember that those Ivies etc…will not accept apps for spring transfers from freshmen. The apps will be due mid March if I recall. So you start off with a bang.

  2. Take a gap year, but you’d better make it count in some way that will push your app to the top of the pile.

  3. Go to CC, get great grades, do all the stuff in 1., and transfer.

  4. Go to Wash U and be open to everything, even the idea that you might come to love it. They obviously want you, unlike the schools that didn’t offer you admission.

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83

From what you wrote earlier it seems like CMC might be a better choice for you if it works out. If nothing else the weather is better :wink:. It is a smaller school but it’s part of the consortium right? Even though it’s in California it won’t be populated solely by Californians, you’ll get the chance to meet lots of new people from all over the country and the world. And while getting out of California might be nice you could do that for grad school or when you start working. My personal feeling is that living away from your home state is fine but often not all it’s cracked up to be, especially if you’re close to your family. Travel can be expensive and just a pain in the neck to be frank.

You’re an accomplished student given the schools you were admitted to already. Wherever you land I hope you have a great experience.

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84

I might still have a chance to go to CMC, (please don’t tell me I don’t! I’ve spoken with them.). What about going there instead?

85

Thank you, I appreciate it!

86

That’s an excellent school. If you think you will fit there, go for it. But don’t go to ANY school thinking at the outset that you will immediately try to transfer. It will poison your mind.

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87

Which means, while that quote actually is helpful if you’re willing to be introspective (and ask yourself “why do I think the way I do), you’re not willing to do that work and help yourself.

Anyway, it’s your life, but don’t expect strangers to be helpful if you’re hardheaded and unwilling to consider other viewpoints.

Cheers.

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88

I will do my best not to go in with that mindset wherever I go

89

I am open to other viewpoints. But the matter of the situation is what it is. I am at a point where I’m not excited about my current options, and am about others. This is simply how I feel, about the college game at this point–there’s very little (at this immediate moment) I can do to change that.

90

Also, clearly, you didn’t deem it to be OK. If you did, you wouldn’t be entertaining thoughts about a gap year or transferring.
Why lie to yourself and strangers on the internet?

91

No, it’s not okay, but that is the current situation. I can’t change that.

92

If CMC is still open to accepting you, and I am kind of wondering what this situation is, then you need to pay a deposit immediately, as in the next ten minutes. They will have a waitlist. They will use it. They aren’t going to hang on to a seat just because you can’t make up your mind.

And as soon as you deposit elsewhere, you immediately contact Wash U admissions and withdraw your acceptance. You will probably lose your deposit.

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93

I need to reach out to CMC first, but yes if I decide to switch I will do this.

94

You can’t change how you feel? Basically, you’re saying you’re like Pavlov’s dogs.

Eternal stimulus makes you feel a certain way and you have no control over that. Then you make decisions off of feels. Think about whether that is how you want to live your life.

95

No, I actually make decisions using my brain far more than “feels” which is bad too.

96

In your previous thread, what pushed you to choose WashU over CMC? What caused the huge viewpoint flip now? If you have solid reasons why you decided to go back to CMC, good for you. If not, then you have a lot to think about.

Edit: You haven’t reached out to CMC? Then all this is moot if they say, “No, we can’t accept you”

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97

Yes, I am sensing buyer’s remorse here. Or the grass is greener…

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98

To be brutally honest, I don’t see much evidence of that.

How is choosing a school you don’t feel you fit at using your brain?
How is some aversion to CA kids using your brain?

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99

100% agree. Unfortunately, if you point it out to OP it becomes “NOT a helpful comment”.

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100

I committed to WashU because I wanted to take on the challenge of the unknown and unfamiliar - which I still want to do. I’m actually not sure what caused the flip! 2 weeks ago, I would’ve said CMC is a perfect fit but for some reason I just see it as a very social school, that’s kind of fratty now.

CMC said they would get back to me on whether they would accept me and they haven’t - I meant reaching out again.

Reasons to do CMC? No need to worry about STL, I liked the campus when I visited there too. It also seems like a “safer” starting option, like there is less of a chance I would hate it. But no, there isn’t anything extremely compelling.