This dilemma... Should I go for the fairytale or the human-tale?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>So here's the deal. I love Vassar. Every single bit about it. I applied early last year, got denied straightaway. It tore me apart. I moved on. But....</p>

<p>You see, due to certain circumstances, I'm on my gap year now. I want to apply to Vassar ED again. Is this a bad idea? Will they reread my last year's application? Deny me again? </p>

<p>Please note that I had kind of bad SAT scores when I applied ED I last year (600something CR, 600something math, 700something writing). I have like a 2200 now, with 700 or above in all sections. The rest of the app will mostly be the same, with my transcript being somewhat stronger (for the purposes of this forum, my overall transcript tells you I'm a good student, but not the best of my class. a 3.7 GPA, perhaps? I did British A Levels. 3A's and 2B's), my essays a whole lot better, and my recos slightly better. </p>

<p>Now, why I'm conflicted about going for this is that I'm more or less guaranteed admission if I apply ED at this other liberal arts college (no, I cannot apply ED 2 there because there's a lot of competition from my high school in ED 1, and if one or two get in, I am not going to get in there due to issues with high school diversity and all). It's ranked 30-40 in US News, and has great academics, but I don't think it is a very good fit (it's ok, you know, like whatever). Comparatively, Vassar would be my Hogwarts. The other would be........... a muggle school .</p>

<p>Now to top it all off, I am an international student applying for aid. That makes it insanely competitive at all other schools so there is a very good chance that I will get in nowhere if I apply RD and I do not want to go to a non-liberal arts college in some other country.</p>

<p>What should I do? Should I go for the dream again, with firm conviction that my application would be better? Or should I go for the <em>other</em> school, where I would have a chance to study what I want, but with a consuming sense of the lack of something intangible, inexplicable.</p>

2

<p>Unless you’re a dramatically different applicant from the person you were a year ago, I don’t think you’re likely to get a different decision with your second application. </p>

<p>Sorry. I’m sure that’s not the answer you’d prefer.</p>

3

<p>Thanks. It’s really not about what I would prefer to hear, so therefore there was no need to apologize. I just need to be told all these things so that I become dissuaded from reapplying there. THANKS :)</p>

4

<p>Go for Vassar - all they can do is say no (and you know how that feels already). Never give up. It’s okay to apply ED II if you’re rejected from Vassar. </p>

<p>Okay, now for reality - surely there are more than just two colleges on your list? If not, look for another 4 or 5 schools that you like AND you will likely get accepted AND you/your parents can afford.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

5

<p>I think bringing up your SAT so much is a good accomplishment. I hope you have something substantial to report for your gap year. </p>

<p>I can’t tell you what to do except that I think you should make it a point not to live your life this way: "with a consuming sense of the lack of something intangible, inexplicable. "
In life you will always have choices and often paths you’d like to take but can’t, choices you can’t afford. Do you really want to live with that attitude?</p>

6

<p>I agree with BrownParent: Bringing up your SAT scores is a huge accomplishment and could make a very real difference in the outcome at Vassar. Given the competitiveness of Vassar admissions, it’s entirely possible that your SAT scores were what knocked you out of the running last year.</p>

<p>I realize that, given your financial situation, you’d be taking a risk . . . and you’re the only one who can decide it if’s a risk worth taking.</p>

<p>The one thing you haven’t told us is what you’re doing this year. Are you making good use of your gap year? If you are, there’s nothing that says you have to start school next year. If you’re not happy with your admissions results this year, you could take another year and try again. Perhaps that sounds extreme, but I recently met a young man who didn’t get into his dream college straight out of high school and took two years off before reapplying. What he did during the two years was quite impressive, and showed a great deal of maturity . . . and when he reapplied to his dream college, he was accepted.</p>

<p>For what it’s worth, my biggest regrets are the risks I didn’t take.</p>

7

<ol>
<li>Apply ED. It can’t hurt. </li>
<li>Don’t have a dream school, have a dream life. Vassar is just one of many ways to get there.</li>
</ol>

8

<p>First of all, while high school diversity definitely comes into play, I don’t think an LAC will deny you simply because they admitted one or two other people from your class (out of the 600 people who will start with you). Given that Vassar is one of the most competitive schools in the nation, they have to turn away many qualified applicants every year. They didn’t necessarily reject you because you are an unqualified applicant, so there’s no reason to believe that they will summarily reject you again just because they did last year. But it’s very true that you need to hve something to show from your gap year.</p>

<p>You are the quintessential Early Decision applicant, though! Vassar is your CLEAR first choice; you would go there if you were accepted in a heartbeat. So that should be where you apply Early Decision. That is what ED is FOR.</p>

<p>However, I urge you to fall in love with a few other schools - or at least come up with a list of other schools that you could see yourself being happy at, too. All of us have preferences, but you need to get to a point where you won’t be devastated if you aren’t admitted to Vassar (or get in and can’t afford it!)</p>

9

<p>Oh my God, I didn’t think I would get this many responses but thank you all for the suggestions! I would write what I’ve been doing on my gap year on here but I’m on my phone. Just know that it is somewhat significant. I will take into consideration everything you guys have said. Thanks again.</p>