Do you know these schools? My D attends one and that has not been her experience.
Yes. A lot of my friends go to both. #feederschool
Any suggestions for gap year?
“Take a gap year and re apply next year”
While that is certainly an option, it is risky:
- Dankjewel's parents did not allow him/her to apply to those universities this year. Will they allow it next year?
- Even if Dankjewel does apply, all the universities under consideration are extremely selective. There is no guarantee of admission.
Assuming the parents are ok with it, perhaps Dankjewel can ask UVa for a gap year on personal grounds, thereby securing a spot there for the fall of 2019. That will free her/him to apply to those other colleges and universities in the fall of 2018, and he admitted into a college or university that Dankjewel prefers, go there instead.
But UVa is an excellent university at a great price. Unless her/his folks come from a low income or very high income family I would recommend sticking with the in-state option.
The caveat is after my first year at UVA, I will become OOS b/c my parents are moving out
All the more reason why you should have a serious talk with your parents. Honestly, I do not see how you can justify turning down UVa at in-state tuition (will you continue to pay resident tuition once your parents move out)?
OP, do you have any applications for which a decision is still pending?
I’m surprised you didn’t get into Chicago with your top credentials and legacy status, but UVa and UNC are both great schools and you should definitely go to the admitted student days at both. If you still don’t like either one, don’t go. Take a gap year and re-apply next year, adding Case Western, U of Rochester, and a couple of safeties that you actually like to your list.
Deferred.In other words: rejected.
I remember I cried so much that day. My dad immediately stopped his donations (he used to donate time to time) since that day as well.
Maybe it wasn’t meant to be. Life is a craphole now frankly and my relationship with my parents have deteriorated severely since (they thought I was a shoe in)… My parents made me rewrite my essays in a span of a week for other colleges (they thought it lacked intellectual vitality) and it ended up being not the best essays (frankly, horrible compared to other candidates probably).I’m patiently waiting for my 16 rejection letters (maybe Vandy and JHU might spare me b/c I submitted with my original essays. Princeton’s seat in the district is already taken, and Harvard doesn’t seem to be looking from my district this year).
Chicago was my dream since I even thought of college. Now I am lost and confused. I’m only hoping for carnegie mellon (I botched up the first sentence by omitting a word, not to mention it is a mediocre essay… eeeek. Might cost me the whole thing) as my dad is a heavy donor there (aka. Mellon Society member and very connected)
@BasicOhioParent I think the biggest mistake I made was not showing everything I had from strengths to weaknesses.
I was actually born with dyslexia and struggled in school until 6th grade, where I took a crap ton of effort to play catchup and become to straight-A valedictorian that I am today. I also struggled due to having GAD (no one really knows about this except for my mom and therapist. Not even my father). Despite all of this, I still maintained by grades and kept an impeccable school record for the most. However, it also led to the side effect of most of my ECs being out of school (not a social butterfly) and/or long distance (as with working for a Carnegie Mellon project and Electronic Arts).
I didn’t disclose any of these things out of the fear of being judged. My effort and my deteriorating mental health was the only thing that came out of my efforts to be the best and go to a good college. I’m seriously considering going to therapy if I take a gap year so my mind can un f itself
It seems premature to assume that UVa and UNC will be your only choices, but they’re still among the better public universities in the country, behind Michigan and Berkeley, but few if any others. Here’s hoping you’re accepted at CMU; it sounds perfect for you.
I’m praying for vandy
UVa is such a good school that it is about the same tier of schools that you intend to transfer. I think you (and maybe your parents) are suffering the “Like a Prophet – Respected Everywhere Except Your Home Land” syndrome. A state flagship school that probably quite a few of you classmates are going and also that being a valedictorian that you may think that you deserve something better, but UVa is considered a very top school by us DMV area students and parents. I totally agree from one of the post above that you aren’t transferring to much higher ranked schools, but a peer school.
In terms of school size and class sizes, UVa has roughly the same number of undergrads as Ivy Cornell (or both of Oxbridge) and nobody thinks that Cornell (or Oxbridge) are terrible just because they are mid-sized unis.
In terms of per capita alumni achievements, while NU and UChicago are Ivy-equivalents, UVa (and ND) are just below them and I consider them near-Ivies (Vandy is actually below them).
You don’t realize how lucky you are to be able to attend a school the caliber of UVa at in-state rates. The vast majority of kids in this country do not have that option.
Not true. OOS after first year
Ah, OK. Still, you benefitted from the higher UVa acceptance rate for in-state.
Dankjewel, you are willing to spend $100k more on Vanderbilt to avoid attending UVa? That does not make much sense. UVa is as good as Vanderbilt. Save that money for graduate school, or on a downpayment on a very nice first home.
Can you explain what you mean by " public culture?" My D is an OOS student at one of the schools you don’t like, and she is extremely happy. I am always interested in hearing the perspective of others. You are very fortunate to have a school like UVA in your state and will benefit from the lower cost for at least a year.
You have at least 2 great choices.
IMO it makes sense to choose between them based primarily on total 4y net cost with the assumption that you will not transfer. Transfer admission rates at many top private schools are even lower than first year rates. Not too many new seats open up. But if you do apply to transfer, I think the choice between UVA and UNC will make little or no difference to your chances.
UChicago is a wonderful university but get a grip, it’s not “100% better than UVA”.
I had classmates there who resented that they didn’t get into other schools. Going in with that attitude, anywhere, is apt to poison your 1st year experience. UVA offers excellent academics, public school tuition rates, and a college town that most people would consider far more attractive than Hyde Park.
It is not unusual for students to be idealistic and to have images in their mind of what they think a school will “ give” them or what their college experience will be like. Unless you are at a school where classes have 15 kids and they all sit around a table having discussions ( yes those schools exist) or attend a school with under 2000 students… having close relationships with professors, getting involved in research etc… will really depend on you. It happens for those who want it to happen.
I don’t see a huge difference between Vandy and UVA… or at least one that is big enough to justify the cost difference. If cost is of no concern… wait for all acceptances and choose Vandy if you get in.
OP, you’re a little mixed up and it would help to catch your breath. Sometimes, accepting what IS, then doing your best to engage, tops the swirling in our heads. Not so focusing on where you “think” the grass is greener. Not blaming yourself for some good wins.
“the problem is the only colleges I got into are these two.” For now, these two great schools are your choices. You can go, make the best of it, succeed (versus seeing these as not good enough. Many would be thrilled with these choices.)
“I ended up taking the spot in my school from a kid who really wanted to go.” No you didn’t. Your app was accepted. His wasn’t.
“Deferred.In other words: rejected.” Not. They did not reject you, you’re in play for RD. See how you misunderstand key points?
And Dyslexia or other issues are not a tip. They’re challenges and it seems you overcame much.
Why are you beating yourself up?
And transferring is more than which first college looks better. You’ll have much more proving to do than just grades.