Well...It Happened and my life collapsed...

Applying to College
1

Came back from a wonderful vacation with family from Palm Springs…As you might remember from my last thread, USC (SCali) has been my dream since I was a little kid. I have posted my “resume” and info on about 13 forums, and have counted about 670 posts saying, “Don’t even consider any safeties, your into USC definately.”

First thing I do when I got home, I opened the mailbox, and found a normal size envelope. Oh no. No. Pleaaase NO. It CANT be. It just CANT.

Well, folks, it was. I got rejected. I began to cry, and life has been hell since yesterday. This was my last college I was relying on, and now Im down to community colleges. But I havent given up ALL hope yet.

Appeals. I want to appeal, and the earliest I can get it to the SC Admissions office is the 4th of April. The deadline is the 11th of April, a week after that.

Can any of you offer any insight as to what I should do. I am down on my knees for USC, and if this doesn’t happen…oh let me just say, THIS HAS TO HAPPEN.

Here are my stuff:

GPA: 3.6
SAT: 1330
200 Hours volunteering at USC Hospital
Interviewed by Dean of Admissions
Got a Letter from SC, “we asked for the most successful…they gave us your name…”

And these:

Offices Held, Activities and Organizations

Providence Mock Trial Team, 2003 and 2004, Tennis, Basketball, and Football
Sports and Fitness Club, Friends Against Drugs Club, Rocketry / Aviation Club 2001-2005
Volunteering at the following organizations:
USC University Hospital (8 hours per month)
Chamlian Armenian School / Sherman Oaks Elementary School (3-5 hours per month)
Tutoring Elementary and High School students
Boys and Girls Club (tutoring, reading, sports with children) (3-4 hours per month)
Helping feed the homeless around the county of Los Angeles (1-2 hours per month)
Boys’ State Delegate of 2004
Close-Up: Washington D.C. Visit in February 2004 ( Educational Trip)

Honors and Awards

"Honors At Entrance” upon entering Providence High School
Four “President’s Education Awards” throughout High School
USC University Hospital “Honorary Volunteer Certificate”
“National Society of High School Scholars” Member, honored in June 2004
“Who’s Who Among American High School Students” Member, July 2004
California State Senator Jack Scott “Certificate of Recognition” for Close-Up
California State Assemblyman Dario Frommer “Certificate of Recognition” for Close-Up
Numerous English, Math, Science, and Social Studies Awards

Summer Programs

California Golden Boys’ State Delegate of 2004
2004 Genetics Convention (attended personally with Health Careers coordinator, Dr. Harjani)
Invited to the National Youth Leadership Forum for Medicine and Technology
Invited to the National Youth Learning Conference
Traveling to numerous destinations, such as Hawaii, England, France, and Italy

Special Experiences

Traveling to Washington, D.C. with my class for Close Up: Washington DC Program
Being Nominated by my US History teacher, Mr. Talley, as a Boys’ State Delegate and traveling to Sacramento, CA, with other boys to learn about the US Government

ANY advice I get from you guys will help. :frowning:

2

<p>Send them a letter saying how much you love USC, that it has been your first choice for like forever and that you would absolutely go there if accepted, also list any big accomplishments you've had since you sent in your app.</p>

<p>(Since I don't know anything about appeals, this is the advice I would usually give to a waitlisted person)</p>

3

<p>Condolences on your rejection. I know that it hurts.</p>

<p>I think that Monday, you should meet with your GC and talk about your options. I am sure that there are more options than community college and the longshot of a reversal with USC. </p>

<p>There are many good colleges still accepting applications, and some would be happy to accept a student like you.</p>

4

<p>I also don't know how appeals work. But here are two suggestions:
can you get your guidance counselor at school to help you,
and do you know any alums who can help you with an appeal.</p>

<p>Also you may want to post on the parent's forum and ask if anyone there is familiar with the USC appeals process.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

5

<p>Definietly have your school counselor call so that the school knows how interested you are and stuff. Your counselor can also ask why they rejected you and you might be able to do something about it. My friend was waitlisted at her safety and when the school gc called they said it was because she was overqualified, but if she promised to go they'd let her off the waiting list.</p>

6

<p>sorry chris.
for appeals, i dont know how they do it as usc, but for other schools you get a letter from an alum, current student or teacher. try to get an alum because i heard they carry more influence. also, have your senior year grades been better/have you shown an improvement in gpa? you could write about that. you could also tell them about whatever you have done this year that they should consider since after you sent your application. hope that helps!!! :)</p>

7

<p>Well my grades aren't THAT great right now, but I was honored for being a member of the "Who's Who" National program for a second time, therefore joining the Honor Society. Also, I volunteer at the USC hospital. Could I get them to call and talk to USC about this? Would it be wise to send in MORE than one letter from school/alums/etc?</p>

8

<p>you should send in more than one letter if they all reveal different facets of your personality/achievments. don't send a million letters saying the same thing. </p>

<p>good luck...i feel your pain. i hope this works out. but DEFINITELY do as everyone said and get your guidance counselor involved. be aggressive. my gc told me that she gets kids off waiting lists by "pushing and pushing" i.e. sending letters, calling, etc. i know this is not a waitlist, but perhaps the same tactics apply.</p>

9

<p>My condolences, but I must admit that the schools you were applying to (minus Occidental) were competitive this year. Even Oxy had a great number of local applicants this year, a lot of whom they had to turn down or waitlist.</p>

<p>Not all of your safety schools or your match schools will turn out the way you expect them to. Trust me on this. :)</p>

10

<p>I was thinking of this: Come Monday, I have a teacher that has always said she helps students get fantastic appeals and is very successful. If I work with her, along with my counselor to write a great letter, that would suffice the minimum requirements. If I were to also do the following, would that be good?</p>

<p>Have some teachers I know send letters to USC
Have the dean/counselor/VP Call/Write to USC
Have my volunteer coordinator at USC-UHospital call USC
Have Alumni write letters</p>

<p>These actions would certainly cause USC to think about my application again. Would it be wise to do ALL this? Is it too much? Should I do more? (I sure as hell can get a lot more) Suggestions?</p>

11

<p>
[quote]
Have some teachers I know send letters to USC

[/quote]
</p>

<p>One or two, at the most. Not the same teachers. USC alums?</p>

<p>
[quote]
Have the dean/counselor/VP Call/Write to USC

[/quote]
</p>

<p>GC, maybe, but don't have your entire administration calling USC.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Have my volunteer coordinator at USC-UHospital call USC

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Eeehh... Maybe. This one is sort of a stretch.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Have Alumni write letters

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No need to send the calvary.</p>

12

<p>I would see if the volunteer coordinator can get the hospital admisintrator to make the call.</p>

13

<p>Now, since I want to get my part of the appeal done on Monday, meaning the letter and my personal info, transcripts, etc..when should these letters from the teachers/alums be sent in? I mean i dont think they will all be able to write something ON monday. Should I send the teacher's letters in seperately?</p>

14

<p>the cavalry would decimate your oponent when going up against a smaller less armed opponent, no matter their zeal the might of the heavily armored cavalry will cripple any and all resistance.</p>

<p>SEND IN THE GOSH DANG CAVALRY ITS YOUR LAST HOPE.</p>

15

<p>:) Im currently outlining a plan.</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
SEND IN THE GOSH DANG CAVALRY ITS YOUR LAST HOPE.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Haha, sounds like we're talking war tactics here and not college admissions. But I would definitely agree; do WHATEVER you can do. You have nothing to lose!</p>

17

<p>damn..you have a great transcript. can't believe you didn't get in. some stupid admissions officer probably was in a rush and didn't look at all your EC/activities.</p>

18

<p>I don't agree with appealing. I think it is rubbish for everyone to always appeal things. It sucks you did not get in. You should have. A lot of people should be in the schools that rejected them. You cannot go your life always appealing everything and whining. Just deal with it. Be better than USC and know that with the stats you have you will achieve no matter where you go. </p>

<p>If everyone appealed everything that did not go their way, our lives would be indefinite and constantly fluctuating. It would be chaos. Life really appears to suck sometimes. You know it does. But in the long run, this could be working out for the best. What often seems wrong is right in the end. </p>

<p>Accept fate for what it is and work with what you are dealt.</p>

19

<p>Sir Watson, I completely disagree with you. If you just take what life gives you, you will SURELY miss out on many different opportunities that could have been yours. I see my appeal as my "Last offering to USC." :)</p>

20

<p>I majorly disagree, you might just have had a half-assed admissions officer. Definately appeal, and at least you'll know for sure if they really made the correct decision.</p>