Stressing out too much??

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Washington
1

<p>OK this is kinda long but bare with me.</p>

<p>I currently finished my junior year of high school and will be a senior in the fall of 2014. I took two AP classes junior year which were APES (environmental science) and AP English. I also took Physics which is considered a senior class in my school. Other core classes I took junior year were Algebra 2, regular U.S. history. My electives were p.e. and marketing. I ended first semester with all A's and 1 B in english and second semester with 2 B's (English & Math) and the rest A's.</p>

<p>I also took the SAT with a flat score of 1300 which scares me a little because I didn't do so well. However, this was my first ever time taking the SAT test with no psat or pre-studying. I am planning to study A LOT over summer vacation though so lets see how I do when I retake it in fall. I feel like this will break my college app for UW.</p>

<p>My sophomore year I took 1 AP class (World History) and took honors english 10 and honors geometry. I took chemistry (a junior class) as a sophomore as well as health. For electives I had taken nutrition and wellness, p.e. and pottery. my overall sophomore GPA was 4.0 both first and second semester.</p>

<p>Freshmen yeah I had taken all honors classes expect for Spanish. I took honors english 9, honors algebra 1, honors biology, honors environmental science, and honors humanities. My freshmen GPA was 3.9375. </p>

<p>For my senior year I have no choice but to take mostly elective credits since I have taken mostly core classes the last 3 years. I'm taking 1 AP class (AP gov), taking precal, and Film as lit for my core classes. The rest will be electives. I've taken more than enough science classes so I don't want to sit through another science class. Most likely my electives will be core classes but there will be some "chill" classes I want to take since I want somewhat of an easy senior year.</p>

<p>I have ended my junior year with an over all GPA of 3.89 and am ranked 43 out 474 students. Out of school, I volunteer once a week at a local hospital at the gift shop as a cashier and work at my local Safeway as a courtesy clerk. In school I am a mentor for incoming freshmen students in which I help ease the first year of high school for 9th graders. I'm also a member of Free The Children which involves events like WE day. Besides that I don't really get involved in my school or have any other extra curricular activities I've done. </p>

<p>Now being a minority in this country, my parents pressure me A LOT into getting into a good 4 year university and their goal/dream is me getting admitted into UW Seattle. Being Pakistani I feel as if it would be easy to get in if I focus really well on my personal statement and it would be a MIRACLE for me to get accepted by them from looking at my academics. However, I fear that I might be rejected from UW because of my SAT score and because I usually get rejected a lot for things I sign up for. </p>

<p>In the past I've tried out for volleyball twice, didn't make it either time, then I tried to become a web leader for my middle school to help incoming 6th graders, didn't make that either, applied for the ALY ( Advance Leadership Youth) program, didn't make it, applied for a scholarship but didn't meet a special requirement, applied for the UW YEOC program got denied for that as well. Also I applied for various job openings but got rejected as well because i wasn't good enough. I didn't bother becoming a mentor my sophomore or junior year because I feared rejection but I decided to apply for my senior year and surprising got it (I mentally prepared myself that I wasn't going to get in), which marks this is as the first actual "program" that accepted me.</p>

<p>I fear that UW will reject me and tell me I was not good enough or that I was close to getting accepted like all the other places I've tried out for has told me and because of this I've been stressing out way to much and honestly feel as if I'm not good enough for UW or anything else I try for. I am over thinking all of this and going over my head? I don't know how I'll manage if I don't get into UW. I mean I genuinely put time and effort into everything I do whether it's studying for finals or applying for a program but I either "not good enough" or "almost there but not quite fully." Ugh someone please help me ease this stress on me! Please and Thank you! :(( </p>

2

<p>I think you’re looking pretty good EXCEPT your SAT score. </p>

<p>Have you looked into the ACT at all? I suggest you take some practice ACT tests and compare your score to your SAT score. If your ACT scores are better, then I suggest you focus your efforts on the ACT and use that as your standardized test instead. If not, then stick with the SAT and study really hard for that over the summer. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>First of all…</p>

<p>YOU ARE MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH!! Just reading you type that broke my heart :frowning: </p>

<p>If you keep telling yourself that, eventually it will reflect in the things you do, and it sounds to me like you do put a genuine heartfelt effort into everything you try. DO NOT GIVE UP. There are a million factors to take into account when you are rejected from something you apply for, and you should weigh each of those factors that you can think of and use those experiences to improve your efforts the next time. Also, you see everyone is all about extracurriculars like sports. Do something different. Spend your free time not only volunteering at the hospital; find a food bank or soup kitchen or other ways to get involved in your community and give back. They will never reject someone who genuinely wants to help. Use those experiences in your personal statement to show what you have done to overcome the rejection and how you have risen above these challenges and have helped others in the process. That is exactly what they are looking for. Not someone who played 3 different sports and learned how to run their own business, amazing GPA and SAT/ACT, blah blah blah. That only reflects individual development, NOT community contribution. Go out of your way to make yourself stand out as someone who wants to make a difference in the community. Especially being an underrepresented minority, this doesn’t give you a free ride either. If you can say you are UM and you have reached out to help others, you will only look a million times better.</p>

<p>As far as academics go, it seems to me you are a very good student judging by your grades. @Candela2 is right, definitely look into the ACT, and continue to study your butt off for that ACT. Also, DO prepare for rejection. If you haven’t already picked out alternative schools other than UW, you need to do it now! Additionally, do not be afraid of having to go to a community college for a couple years and try again as a transfer. Do not worry about what your parents have to say; saving them money AND getting a head start advantage on college will make it an easy sell. If anything, Running Start is something you should be looking into as well, especially if you have an “easy” Senior year lined up. Challenge yourself! I know you have been working your butt off all through high school, but it only gets harder from here. Community college, being your worst case scenario, is really not a worst case at all. You will not get rejected for one, and you will not regret the experience. Look at it this way, no matter how many times you get told no, if you keep being persistent, eventually someone will say yes!</p>

4

<p>Thank you its just that I’ve always wanted to go to a 4 year college and I do have other options besidea U,W its just that I get too hard on myself because of the past rejections I’ve gotten but your comment really eased my stress a bit so thanks again!</p>

5

<p>ur probably going to get rejected, kid. give up and save the $50</p>

6

<p>Honestly, yeah you’re stressing out too much :slight_smile: Rejection has nothing to do with not being good enough, it usually just means that objectively it’s not a good fit. And in the case of schools, it often has to do with the school’s budget and factors outside of your control. Many qualified applicants are also rejected from UW because of budget cuts in past years, and that doesn’t mean anything about their academic performance, and especially their character as a person or any judgment of ‘good enough’. You say that you “usually get rejected from a lot of things you sign up for”, and I have some great news for you. So does everyone else! :smiley: But, the people who achieve great things and get what they want in life are those who keep trying despite all of life’s rejections. </p>

<p>I think you will be accepted, but even if you are not accepted to the UW this time around, life will go on and you will find other amazing things to fill your time with until you apply again. There’s nothing that says you can’t take the SAT again and apply until you get in if you really want it that badly. </p>

<p>I’m sorry your parents pressure you so much, that really sucks, but you’re the only one who your school really impacts. They aren’t going to college, you are! And, what’s the worst that could happen? With awesome grades like that (much better than mine, and I went to UW Bothell), I’d say the worst would be that you don’t get into UW and you go to a different school instead. It’s really that simple, and how bad would that actually be if it happened? You would still get your degree alongside like-minded peers, have an opportunity to make a great career for yourself, and enjoy your time in college. So anyway, chin up :slight_smile: You’re gonna be okay no matter what happens when you apply to UW. Good luck! ^__^</p>