I’m a refugee from Venezuela I came here 4 years ago didn’t speak a word of English. I was so behind everyone else not just in language but in math ans sciences too. I busted my behind and did the best I could in school. I knew how competitive things were so I did my best got into many extracurricular community service and sports. I got really good grades and 4 & 5’s in my APs. my SAT score wasn’t the best when I took it for the first time as a sophomore but I manage to increase it 400+ points. I got score decent enought to be wait listed by Harvard but I could’ve done better. I’m deeply committed to being successful so Naturally, I applied to most of the top Schools (Stanford, Rice, UPenn, Harvard etc) I was wait listed by some and rejected by others in the end I was rejected from all the TOP schools I applied. I’m not whining, I got into Brandeis and they gave me pretty much a full ride for CompSci. However, I’m frightened that I’m going to fall behind everyone else that is going to all this TOP schools. If I had arrived to the U.S 2 years before (8th Grade) I would probably have done much better in my SAT and maybe gotten into this top schools. and now I’m just scared that it’s going to happen the same again. I will graduate from Brandeis then seek a work in a company only to realize I’m lagging behind everyone else.
What do I do ? When I said i’m scared I mean it. I got family to take care off back in Venezuela. I need to be in the Top. I did everything I could and now I feel like everything else is lost. My cousin who is 7 years older than me went to MIT so now I feel like I failed not just myself but my family as well. I would really appreciate input as to what happens to those students that don’t make it to the top schools.
What you consider “natural” is ridiculous. If you graduate from Brandeis and are not successful in a career then the problem is with you, not with the college.
Getting almost a full ride to a great school like Brandeis is not exactly indicative of failing in life.
If you go through life worried about failing, you’re not doing yourself any favors. You should instead consider that Brandies rejected far more people than it accepted, and even fewer of those people got offered scholarships. I would say you are already on your way to the top. And you can always aim high for grad school, if that’s in the cards.
@PapaBear4598 - I am so sorry you are feeling scared and concerned about supporting your family. I hope you can step back a little bit and remember how much you have accomplished since arriving to the U.S. You received an amazing offer from Brandeis and they believe in you by offering you money and accepting you in Computer Science. You will have many opportunities for internships and setting yourself up to be “the top”.
Please know that everyone that attends “top” schools do not end up successful - it takes a lot more to truly succeed in life. If you love school and you can make it work, you may decide to attend grad school and always keep that in the back of your mind to make the best of undergrad. Sounds like you won’t be burdened with a lot of student loans - so that is TOP already!
Almost no one talks about where they went to school once they are married/have kids - it will be about who you are as a person. I know it feels like 100% college talk right now and who is going where - but this will start to lessen as you age. I think if you Google the top 100 Fortune 500 executives - you will find that a very small % went to a top 20 school.
Go to Brandeis, get to know career services in your freshman year, take chances, take a class or two just for fun and also appreciate yourself - as your hard work has paid off even though you are not ready to see that yet. Sounds like Brandies is lucky to have you as a student.
I went to MIT. I have classmates that became recognized experts in their fields. Others that did OK and still more that really didn’t take advantage of their education. But you can say the same thing about every other college I know.
I worked with engineers from many, many different colleges. What set them apart was not where they went to college but what they accomplished on the job.