Where did you NOT get in that you thought you SHOULD have?

Applying to College
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<p>shubhsinghi6700, welcome to affirmative action. Don't you know why the Texas legislature enacted the top 10% rule? It was a way to bring in a lot of under represented minorities without having to worry about the major legal pitfalls of affirmative action. This way, many under represented minorities, who normally don't do well on SATs, can get a boost over those attending top schools and achieve top SATs. </p>

<p>Personally, I agree with you that it is plainly idiotic;however, politically, affirmative action is alive and well especially in Texas with its high hispanic population.</p>

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<p>Waitlisted at Skidmore - it was one of my safeties and I wonder if they could tell. My stats are way above what most people need to get in there.</p>

<p>Also WL at BC but around 25 people in my class applied there (I'm at a Catholic school) so I'm not too surprised.</p>

143

<p>UCI. Rejected. .. =/</p>

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<p>librahoney08: I am glad I could cheer you up. Admissions is a crap shoot most of the time. Many, many factors go into their "decision". Its never a good idea to get too obsessed with any school, anyway...even if YOU DO GET IN. Why? Because if you get there, and after the honeymoon wears off as it always does by Thanksgiving....you may ask yourself, "is this really me? Am I really happy here?" </p>

<p>Also, dont project your frustrations at the admissions office upon the entire school. Often times the professors are as stumped as anyone on who got in and who got rejected. </p>

<p>Its really hard to come to grips with the fact that your life is in the hands of others...but that is how it goes with admissions. Until you get to where you finally end up. </p>

<p>There is a special place and special reason out there for you. Trust in God. Trust in yourself and your wonderful skillset and personal qualities. </p>

<p>And also take solice in the fact that Psychology 101 is almost the same at most colleges anyway...you know what I mean? Some superb professors exist at some no name colleges....</p>

<p>I went to a relatively no name undergraduate school and had some INCREDIBLE professors.....Russian Literature, Russian History, Existentialist Thought, 20th Century Political Philosophy, on and on.....amazing stuff.</p>

<p>You can see some pretty bawdy personalities on this website and some pretty narcissistic stuff out there....so just consider that as well....and hold onto your core character qualities, your work ethic, and be PROUD of who you are and where you got in.</p>

<p>The other day, I was at a grocery and bumped into a kid I knew from my D's high school. He was looking glum and he was sort of badmouthing where he is likely going to school (a state school...that is second tier to the ELITE state school he desired.) I politely and gently chastised him....."No No No! Embrace YOUR school....you are going there for a reason. You will see this in about 6months.....but for now....embrace them and get into it." He is a very talented theatre kid....just amazing. Dont live your life on notions of "I didnt get into XYZ prestigious school." That is silly. </p>

<p>There is graduate school (where it actually matters more ..because that is where the jobs come from)....so if UCLA is where you want to be...then keep that for graduate school...and in the meantime, embrace your undergrad school.....work hard, have FUN......and keep your head high.</p>

<p>"Aint no flies on me" is the motto I always kept in my head....and I am very proud of my undergrad school (which has risen rapidly in the ranks...and gave me a GREAT education). </p>

<p>Employers will hire you for who you are as a person....and how well you did...irrespective of where you went.</p>

145

<p>I got waitlisted at Colorado College (2000ish kids) but got into Northeastern and got a ton of money, and the honors program.</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure it's a crapshoot.</p>

146

<p>and i think seafoodlover should be allowed to change the college system...this whole "it's about names" thing is a joke. Right now, i'd rather go to northeastern than the still-no-decision Tufts (assuming i'd get in at all).</p>

<p>just find somewhere that can make you happy, independent of stupid traditions or name.</p>

147

<p>waitlisted at amherst.. rejected by macalester</p>

148

<p>

the point system is so stupid. where did you check? they also had my OLD scores (SAT sending takes 2-4 weeks by snail mail to UCSD, whereas everywhere else it's online in 1-2 weeks). Boo...</p>

149

<p>rejected at Claremont McKenna, my first choice, but got into Berkeley - two schools that couldn't be much different.</p>

150

<p>Berkeley! Gah!</p>

151

<p>waitlisted at hamilton and WUStL</p>

152

<p>S is waitlisted at NYU. It is his save school, the lowest rank and the largest acceptance rate among all his school lists. Well, we will not go anyways. who cares.</p>

153

<p>Rejected by Rice (music) and Northwestern (music). In at UT (music). One of UT's local representatives said that this year 91% of initial admits were top 10%. Not namy spaces left after fine arts and athletics.</p>

154

<p>WAITLISTED AT AMHERST!</p>

<p>I attended DivOH, so I had a seventy-five percent chance of getting in, and I was in that quarter! I've been reading of all of these kids with numbers far below mine; it's not the end of the world, though. I have other options.</p>

<p>I was just kind of mad!</p>

<p>Best of luck to all!</p>

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<p>Wow! Seafoodlover thanks again!! You have really deep things to say. I'm gonna show your posts to my friends who did not get into their first choice either.</p>

<p>God Bless!!</p>

156

<p>waitlisted at tcnj but got into lehigh...
i was a little surprised but i'm over it.</p>

157

<p>UCI and UCSB</p>

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<p>jaycee 32 wrote: "UCLA and Northwestern. But moreso for UCLA, as a lot of people/college counselor thought I was pretty much a shoo-in, whereas people who took significantly easier courses got in. It was a first choice of mine, so that was kind of a heartbreaker."</p>

<p>jaycee, that is a very interesting comment. I am reading this thread as the father of a 9th grader. We had AP night at school for the admins and teachers to explain the whole honors & AP selection criteria. I left wondering, as respect UC only, whether the risk of AP is worth it in anticipation of applying to colleges using GPA + SAT formulas as many UCs do. To the UC, an A in a normal biology course is 4 pts. A B in an honors Bio course is 3 points. Of course an A in AP Bio is 5 points. Somewhere in there is an acceptable risk/reward for a student who is smart but not <em>really</em> smart.... If I knew a student would get an A in regular Bio, a B in Honors Bio and a C in AP Bio (which is more or less the equivilency), I would recommend regular BIO for a student targeting a formula oriented school like a UC. Then the whole issue of taking a challenging regular course for enrichment (let's say Physics for a non science major) where a B or C is a probability, vs. an easier course (say yet another year of a language the student is strong in) for a sure A.</p>

<p>Don't know why but your comment about students taking easier courses that yield higher gpa struck a cord with me....</p>

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<p>How do I respond to this post? OMG!!!
I have been waitlisted and rejected so far. I have few more to come today.
Not sure what is happening this year.
with Siemens Award, other sceince Olympiads, top 10% ranking, Varsity, hardest course load, nothing matters this year. I am just very scared.Looks like the colleges are targeting the top 2-3 % of the class. The wholistic view of a student that the adcom officers talk about is just a "PR" talk. I am not seeing that. Either you have to a top top scholar or URM. Otherwise there is no place for a student like me. Good luck to everyone!</p>

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<p>I got into UCSB but not UCI. I was positive that I would get into UCI since they're about the same in terms of admission. But I don't care anyway. I submitted my SIR to UCSB even before my UCI decision came out lol</p>