I think the OP is a senior. @Jim BobJim, sounds like maybe you weren’t interested in Ivies, or didn’t apply to Ivies, or thought u couldn’t get into or afford the Ivies. If so, and you now ARE interested, by all means think about taking a year off and applying again next year. From what I can tell, when elite-college admissions directors dream at night, they imagine themselves skipping down a yellow brick road, singing, "Valedictorian, URM, Dakota, oh my!’’ They are up to their ears in aggressive brainiacs from NY, NJ, & California. But they are all looking for you! And once they got you, they would ensure you got plenty of financial aid &/or academic guidance if you needed them.