<p>i just wanted your inputs as to what you think of delaying a year of college for several reasons 1) to earn money 2) this time you know what schools you have to apply to to get the best scholarships and financial aid 3) gives you more focus so when you go back to college you'll WANT to study hard</p>
<p>these are some reasons why i'm considering to take a year off from college. the main reason being </p>
<p>1) i've realized that i will not be able to get enough financial aid or any scholarships for that matter (i'm just another highly-qualified asian american who's not "hispanic" or "black") </p>
<p>2) I do not want to go to a SUNY state school because a) i hate the SUNYs with a passion b) they're politically and financailly corrupt c) i'll be paying the same amount as another student (who most of the times is mediocre), and I get no benefits or scholarships. That means there's no differentiation between the hard work i did in high school and e.c.s and studying for sats and another student who is average. this means that i have to pay 16,000 dollars as the other student (who probably will get financial aid). I see other state schools and i see that 1) they're academically sound schools, and reward students for their stats 2) much much much cheaper. I feel like going to this crappy SUNY system is like communism, because there is no differentiation between people who work hard and people who don't. They all get in, and these schools aren' that great. </p>
<p>3) with the information i learned about college application this year, i can apply to schools where i stand a chance for great scholarships, special combined programs, better schools that i never considered i had a chance at.</p>
<p>4) it'll give me a chance to visit Pakistan where all my relatives are (that means no one besides my immediate family are in america. so grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles are all in Pakistan) and i haven't been there since 3rd grade. </p>
<p>I would most definitely do it - lol, to tell you the truth, I already have.</p>
<p>I graduated early (finished high school in three years) and took a little time off. I took a few classes at the local community college for mental stimulation, found a retail job at a cozy little store that sells minks, and continued to volunteer at the local nursing home.</p>
<p>After this whirl of a life experience, I realize that money is not so important. I can basically live on what I earn now, even if I had to pay for the roof over my head, and darn it all if I'm not loving this period of my life. I have even decided to pursue a degree in Recreational Therapy rather than something else that I would have done only for the money. I personally think that if more high schoolers stepped back and looked at what they actually want to do with their lives, there wouldn't be so many people who are stuck in dead-end careers they hate. :) Hope that helps.</p>
<p>In my opinion, if you want to take a year off before college you should do so. The reasons you outline above are not very substantial. The reality is that there are SUNY schools which are quite good. If that is not your desire, that is one thing. But I do know that there are students who are grateful that the SUNY system exists and that they are able to attend college within that system. There's an old saying "you get out of school what you put into school". If you don't think you can put anything into the SUNY system (and it sounds like you don't think you can) you would be better off not attending, and they will be grateful that you didn't. Sorry to be flip, but I agree with the above poster...you sound very elite to me.</p>
<p>elitism? i don't know what you call working hard and having hope that one can control his/her own future, but for working harder than the average person, helping others through volunteer work, taking challenging courses while ranking high in the class, and scoring high on the SATs means nothing when the work you put in results in the same output as Joe Schmoe.</p>
<p>I didn't need to take the APs, or the IBs, or do great on the SATs for that matter. I didn't need to do all those extracurriculars helping others, proving myself to colleges that i'm a well rounded person. You think I enjoy volunteering 10 hours a week at some gift shop at a hospital? And now i wish i never did any of this. I didn't need to help others when i was getting nothing out of it. Yet to work harder than my colleagues who did far less, and go to the lowest of colleges while they end up going to great colleges is like a slap to the face.</p>
<p>Why go the extra effort to excel others when you end up below them? Really, what's the point? If I knew that SUNY was the end result 4 years ago, I would 've never done any of this crap. A service i did to the community and school was stolen from me. Valuable time for other things I could've done.</p>
<p>I guess the old phrase, "you get out of school what you put into school," is incorrect. I put a lot into this school, and I got crap in return.</p>
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<p>I put a lot into this school, and I got crap in return.>></p>
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<p>It's too bad that you think the only thing you should get in return for your efforts is financial rewards. Most students do community service, ECs and take courses because it is intrinsically rewarding to THEM to do so...not because they think they will get "paid" by colleges as a result.</p>
<p>Most students do community service, ec,s and tkae courses because THEY DONT THINK ITS REWARDING TO THEM. </p>
<p>You tell that to the plethora of ivy-hopefuls with 50 e.c.s, 1000 hours of community service, and high gpas, etc. </p>
<p>because in america and in no other country are e.c.s and honors level courses are taken into deep consideration, it's a necessity to do them. </p>
<p>yet you miss my entire argument about this filthy mess called SUNY. The academics are average, the quality of life is average, everything is average of below average.</p>
<p>There is no differentiation at these schools between a student with a 1600 4.0 gpa with 1000s of hours of community service, versus a student with a 1000 2.5 gpa, with no e.c.s</p>
<p>They both get in, they both pay the same. There is no "reward" for doing well in high school. And this is not right, not right at all. Its like communism. </p>
<p>Go to any other state, and I guarantee you that their state system is not only cheaper, but rewards students based on merit, and their skill levels.</p>
<p>If e.c.s weren't so important i would have never done these trivial clubs and programs. I would have pursued what I wanted, even though they were never offered or could be found where I live.</p>
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<p>If e.c.s weren't so important i would have never done these trivial clubs and programs. I would have pursued what I wanted, even though they were never offered or could be found where I live.>></p>
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<p>Put this thought into your essays next year for those prestigious programs you intend to apply to. And good luck to you.</p>
<p>yeah like i plan to do that. that would be academic suicide u fool.</p>
<p>thumper, i'd prefer it if you keep your opinoins to yourself, because frankly i'm looking for advice and you're just forcing your philanthropic/utopian/everyone is nice except me views, neither of which is being useful. i don't need a lecture on how people join e.c.s because they like to do it, because that is just ignorant and naive.</p>
<p>Ignore the self righteous stuff. It's clear you didn't fully understand the system when you applied to schools and that's reason enough to take the year off. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to go to the best school you can with the best possible financial package. I would just suggest that in addition to visiting family, you find something to do in Pakistan on a community service level.</p>
<p>bluealien, a simple way to realize that most kids join e.c.s is because they start doing them in 9th grade and not before. why not do them in middle school if you're so philantophric. Or why don't you take 2 years off and join the peace corps? I do enjoy helping people, as I suspect most people do eventually, but for most people, the purpose for joining e.c.s is to boost a person's college transcript.</p>
<p>This can be seen how america (and britain) are really the only countries that emphasize e.c.s, and the rest of the world focuses on academics.</p>
<p>"i don't need a lecture on how people join e.c.s because they like to do it, because that is just ignorant and naive."</p>
<p>I just joined a community service/honors organization that chooses students based upon their grades, but wants its members to participate in service. The first thing the president said at the info meeting was something along these lines:
"We love and care what we do for the community. Do not join this organization as a resume booster, otherwise you are not only wasting you're $50 on the induction fee, but you're wasting your time and ours." If you do the required amount of service to the community each semester, they will kick you out and therefore you just wasted your $50. It is as simple as that. Not everyone does volunteerism for money or put it on their resume.</p>
<p>MMood87 - have you read my posts on the Case Western Reserve University thread? Every time I see one of your posts it is so negative. You were wondering why you didn't get a scholarship to Case - I am starting to wonder if it is because of your teacher recommendations. If I can see that you are so negative I am sure that they KNOW you are negative. As a parent I just want to let you know that all the stuff you have written on the Case sight does not make you invisible. They know your scores, your GPA, and that you have been trying to contact them (along with the fact that you are totally compaining about the way they give out there fin aid.). You need to be more careful about what you say. I'm not saying that the ad coms ever check out the site but if they do I assure you that you will never receive a merit award even if you got a 1600 on your SAT. I am not trying to put you down and I would tell my children the same thing I'm telling you. Life is not fair! To make the assumption that others are doing community service and joining clubs just for their resume's is not fair. I am sure that most of the students on this website have loved the activities that they have done. And last but not least-test scores, GPA, career, college, income-do not make you a good person. You have to work hard, have a good attitude, be a team player, be humble, and have empathy for people. You are mad at the wrong people. I truly hope that you can look more objectively at what people are saying to you. Try to look at the good things in life. I can tell you that life passes by so quickly and all these things you are focusing on will seem trivial in a few years. Go out and have some fun!</p>
<p>I would recommend taking a year off to anyone who has the slightest bit of doubt about what they're doing. Colleges will still be there next year. If you don't feel comfortable waiting 'til later to do applications, then apply the fall of your senior year as usual, and put in a request for deferred attendance.</p>
<p>It seems to me that you could really benefit from a year off to reflect, to reapply, to spend time with family, to reassess yourself.</p>
<p>I know I regret jumping straight into school simply because it was the next step. All of those things people tell you are true -- you get what you put into it. It is sad that you view your investment in your ECs in such a light, but things are what they are. In my experience, the majority of cases don't hold with your model. Perhaps in your case they did. Hopefully you'll find that it isn't always the case, though.</p>
<p>With relatively few exceptions (as seen in my worldview), I think you have some pretty solid reasons for wanting to take a year off, and I say go for it and best of luck to you.</p>
<p>my daughter actually did start volunteer service when she was 12 years old, but most organizations are not set up for volunteers that young. Additionally, many students are in sports or other activities that take up their time.
My niece was in IB, but had virtually zero ECs if you didn't count the religious training class she took a few times a week, still she attends one of the top colleges in the country.
My older daughter also took a year off- but she spent her time in a structured program- and she did not take any college courses at that time ( otherwise she would be applying as a transfer student..not a freshman)
I hope that other students who read this thread listen to the very good advice of "don't do something just to get hours" do it because you want to. Doing something unimaginative like working as a cashier for a non profit organization may allow you to check off the community service portion of your folder, but says nothing about you or your interests/strengthts.
Spend some time researching your volunteer commitment and how you will spend your year off from your studies, otherwise you are likely to be disappointed again when you reapply.</p>