It’s March and like most HS seniors, I’m thinking about college and college acceptances more than ever. I decided to make this list as a way of letting go of some of my frustrations with the application process. Take this lightheartedly, and feel free to add anything :p!
In consolidating my college list, my first stop was usually the college's website. Some of the website's for even top universities are just unbelievable. I found myself spending up to fifteen minutes JUST looking for the school's admissions requirements, or navigating through to find undergraduate majors. Many of the college videos were also hugely unimpressive, so blurry, shaky or dull that the video almost became the factor that dissuaded me from applying.
The fact that I had to pay one years worth of tuition (exaggeration), just to APPLY to go to school. And lets not forget the price of testing, sending test scores etc. I cried for my parents' wallets every time I submitted an application..
The sheer volume of portals, usernames and passwords I have had to keep track of - I feel like I'm drowning. Also some of the procedures just to get access to a portal are baffling: "click here" "use this id" "check your email" "use this special code", "click this link", "activate", "check your email".
I doubt I’m the only one who has had to make a list of login details just to ensure that they can access decisions on the release date. I think the CommonApp should broaden itself to encompass the role of portals - it will make things a lot less scattered.
Finally - the WAIT! I wish more schools would adopt the rolling admissions policy (although I understand that with the competitive nature of many schools and volume of applicants, this is unrealistic). I can't help it! I just want to know!!!!
haha, I understand completely Although I didn’t apply to that many schools, so I didn’t have to pay “a years worth of tuition”, but some of my friends who applied to 20+ schools probably understand what you mean!
The third one especially - I actually had to keep a list of passwords and login info. And the fourth one! It’s March now so hopefully the rest of the decisions will be coming out around March 20th or later.
For #2, I mostly applied to colleges that either didn’t have fees or waived it. Unfortunately though, my parents had to pay for my SAT, SAT Subject Tests, and ACT tests.
I can relate to #3. I had to create a list on WordPad and sort it for all of the portals. Unfortunately, save for a small few, I didn’t memorize any of the login information. So whenever I log into my portals, I have my document right there on the pinned list for me to click at a moment’s notice.
I’ll add another one.
The mail you get from schools after you apply. Yes, you read that right. After. It was already enough to be pestered with the mail before from schools you weren't even interested in. Now, you're getting an email and a letter practically every day, about something unrelated to your application. "Join an Accepted Student Chat!" One email is enough. I get it. It's on the 8th. The next day, "Join an Accepted Student Chat!" And you get something every day until the chat is over. Then it's just a new chat or workshop or day around the corner that you'll be learning about every day.
I agree completely with #1…the websites were much harder to navigate than they should have been and the whole time I felt like they were trying to BS me into buying a product. Just imagine trying to use some of their rhetoric in your essays about why you want to go to their college.
@MITer94 yup! I have one, I think you missed when I said “I doubt I’m the only one who has had to make a list of login details just to ensure that they can access decisions on the release date”
Although I didn’t apply to that many schools, so I didn’t have to pay “a years worth of tuition”, but some of my friends who applied to 20+ schools probably understand what you mean!