Would love some help- I am a reject.

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I made the great mistake of applying to highly selective schools. </p>

<p>Got rejected from all- so any ideas on what I can do so late in the season?</p>

<p>Only applied to 6 schools and am fairly certain about the reasons I got rejected...though I did get wait-listed at WUSTL. </p>

<p>Messed up on the safety/reach/dream idea :-D</p>

<p>Any ideas? </p>

<p>Schools I applied to (and the stupid ways I did it)</p>

<p>Yale (Essay was too sappy)
WUSTL (Common-app. same as Yale- also convoluted and personal)
Stanford (5 hours before deadline- was still doing my essay (dumb, dumb, dumb!)
U-Chicago (another last-minute...another bad app. Best essay though)
Georgetown (Bad essay:/)
NYU (business- even dumber still :-D)</p>

<p>Ignorance is the destructive motion: hubris, bad essays, and late-in-the season applications the game.</p>

<p>Any ideas? (Rolling Admissions Schools, Travel, internships, job?) </p>

<p>User Name: Terra-cotta Fren
Gender: M
College Class Year: 2012
High School: Public
High School Type: sends some grads to top schools
Will apply for financial aid: Yes</p>

<p>Academics:</p>

<p>GPA - Unweighted: 3.80
GPA - Weighted: 3.80
Class Rank: top 10%
Class Size: 500</p>

<p>Scores:</p>

<p>AP World- 5
AP US History- 5
AP Lang.- 4
AP Euro- read a 1500 page textbook in 3 months on my own :-D Hope I did well.
AP American Gov't- Prospective 4/5
AP Lit.- prospective 3/4/5
AP Calculus AB- Prospective 2/3/4
AP Physics- 2 (c'est la vie)</p>

<p>SAT I Math: 690
SAT I Critical Reading: 660
SAT I Writing: 670
ACT: 31
SAT II Literature: 660
SAT II U.S. History: 660
SAT II Math Level 2 (IIC): 690</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Significant Extracurriculars: 4 years of choir (3 years advanced)
3 years of musical theatre (1 year featured ensemble role)
2 years forensics
2 year swimming
Various clubs (3 year school service club etc.)
Leadership positions: Bass section Leader
Temporary Secretary Art Club (crafted Constitution)
Honors and Awards: Academic Letter
Choir Letter
Debate Letter
Drama Letter
Spanish I Award
National Forensic League All-American qualification
College Summer programs: VBI@UCLA- debate training.</p>

<p>AP Scholar</p>

<p>...</p>

<p>oh, and did I mention I'm a twin
and my parents separated in 2003/2004- though not legally- oh no. They would never do that (not until now is the divorce to be finalized)
I have also been to more than 10 countries, and lived extensively in two. My parents switch off- transient mode here - in taking care of my brother and I (6 months back-and forth etc, with the odd 3-4 month blip) </p>

<p>I haven't had a weekend where I wasn't at school ('cept holidays) for 4 years. Also, last two years school became my second home- was there more than at home due to 3 hours+ work for debate 1st semester and 3 hours+ work for musical 2nd. Weekends= work parties for musical or debate tournies. </p>

<p>Worked 40+ hours community service to pay for choir trip. (for others as well as myself- part of funds went to general fund)</p>

<p>Made the vital mistakes of a sad/very hard to understand essay and also a lack of transparency. </p>

<p>Help Anyone? WUSTL still has till June 30th to contact me, But I don't think they will let me in. And community college isn't an option...perhaps State University winter quarter? Or International is an option...</p>

<p>Thanks! Also- can anyone give me advice on selling myself better? I think that wasa the biggest problem. </p>

<p>(Also- I got my work permit at 14 so I could work :-D School has 1st job on file lol- washing dogs- quit due to swimming, under-payment, and rashes)</p>

2

<p>Does your school have a guidance department, did you ever meet with them during the searcg/application process and can you meet with them now to plan this out? Truthfully, your guidance department may be your best bet in your current situation.</p>

3

<p>I believe Arizona State University is still accepting applications</p>

4

<p>There's a list here of schools that have rolling admissions, sorted by final deadline: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/webex/Getting_a_late_start_free.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/webex/Getting_a_late_start_free.php&lt;/a>
And NACAC has information about schools whose formal deadlines have passed, but that still have space available: <a href="http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/forstudents/2007SpaceAvailabilityResults.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/forstudents/2007SpaceAvailabilityResults.com&lt;/a>
Good luck!</p>

5

<p>Although there are probably some colleges which are still accepting applications (see above), you might want to take a gap year - and make it count.</p>

<p>I don't think the problems with your applications stem from the essay. Your class rank and your lack of leadership roles may have been the tipping points for these extremely selective colleges.</p>

<p>Since it appears that your main extracurricular interest is music (is it?), you might want to follow that passion in a unique way. Show initiative. Show leadership. Get an internship or a challenging job. And then apply again this fall.</p>

6

<p>The reason you didn't get in was your low qualifications, not the reasons you provided.</p>

7

<p>I agree ^. Your stats (particularly class rank and test scores) were probably detrimental for those schools.</p>

8

<p>I know someone who was rejected/waitlisted everywhere; she's applying to schools in the UK that have a deadline of June 28ish.</p>

9

<p>yes to be honest you aimed too high for your qualification rather than your essays....</p>

<p>Take a gap year... do some communitiy service where u have a leadership position... maybe retake your SATs and try again next year...</p>

10

<p>If you check that list out, theres actually a ton of colleges that are still accepting people. So you aren't totally out of luck.</p>

<p>What I would do is apply to one of these schools. They may not be the best, but if you don't want to take a year off then this is your only option. Apply to one of these schools (and judging by your stats you will get accepted). Then just transfer to a college of your choice the following year.</p>

11

<p>Take a gap year, or go to schools like St. Johns.</p>

12

<p>so i just realized your College Class Year says 2012. unless you plan on taking the 5-year route straight from the start, i'm not sure why you applied to schools as a junior.</p>

13

<p>I agree that your problem was applying only to reach schools. Either apply to some of the colleges that are still accepting applications or (and this probably would help you find better options) take a gap year and do something productive like work fulltime or volunteer. In the fall, take the time to thoughtfully apply to a balanced list of colleges that are good fits for your interests, stats and finances.</p>

14

<p>But every school that you applied to was a reach, so don't be that surprised.</p>

15

<p>Impressive stats, its a shame.</p>

<p>I think I remember reading on another thread that University of Edinburgh in Scotland offers something like Freshman year abroad with a June application date.</p>

<p>On that NACAC list, I'd guess that you can probably get a good education at and respectable transfer opportunities at </p>

<p>Liberal Arts:
St John's Maryland
Marlboro (Vermont)
Oglethorpe</p>

<p>Big Public's - maybe you can get into their honors programs eventually
UPittsburgh - Can this be right, Collegeboard.com says 56% admit rate
UArizona
UOregon
Arizona State </p>

<p>There may also be some Canadian Universities with late deadlines </p>

<p>At this point, you should call the schools first to see if its worth sending in an app.</p>

16

<p>I think he knows what the mistake was... we dont need to remind him. </p>

<p>Solution:
1) apply for the spring quarter. should have a chance at most schools. again ur stats are excellent so u can still get into top schools if u carefully fill out apps this time.
2) Take a gap year, start fresh in August 2008. Better than starting in January halfway through year but again, I would die of boredom taking a gap year.</p>

<p>Eitherway, I wouldnt reccommend starting this August cause the majority of the schools are closed now and well the ones that still accept apps are very limited. Also schools will most likely not give u scholarship money as its all been given by this time of the year, and looking at ur stats u do have excellent chances at many schools for lots of money.</p>

17

<p>Another serious option if you're mature enough to live on your own with roommates is go to the Harvard Extension School as a non-degree student for the fall - its first come first serve registration - and take the classes that you need to qualify for admission to a degree program for the spring term, and then apply to transfer to a school that fits your stats and will accept your transfer credits. This way you can always use Harvard as a safety.</p>

<p>Harvard Extension is serious, very good, very inexpensive (except for housing!), and you won't be the only student right out of high school because a lot of young people go there because its so cheap and its Harvard. You can probably duplicate the freshman courses you would have taken at WUSTL. I don't know if I'd advise doing a degree program there because you might find the advanced courses limited. </p>

<p>Heck, if you transferred to another good school in the Boston area like Brandeis, Boston College, Boston University or Tufts, you might not even have to change apartments and roommates.</p>

18

<p>Thank you ClassicRockerDad and all others who have been straight-forward. </p>

<p>My passion is music, extensively. My life went weird in high school- it is still in a blender. </p>

<p>I worked extensively with my counseling department...the simple fact is that I took the Grecian hubris on its normal course- off the Tarpaeian(sic?) (Roman cliff where people were thrown off as a form of execution) rock would I go. </p>

<p>So...</p>

<p>1) Do a gap year and make it COUNT.
2) Apply rolling admissions (though not advised- rather late)
3) Harvard Extension or other similar program as a non-degree seeking student (interesting)</p>

<p>By the way- I have spent an immense amount of hours slaving over debate tournaments, swim meets, musical performances (we did extra to raise money for trip to Ireland) choir concerts, and various club activities (like marketing the school's literary magazine).</p>

<p>People come here or advice- So I thank all of you who advised me and gave me your honest opinion without informing me of my own idioticy at applying to 4 schools realistically. It is plainly rude to tell someone they aren't qualified- the only way to get anywhere in life is to try. </p>

<p>Peace be with you.</p>

19

<p>T-C Fren.</p>

<p>I want to build on CRD's excellent suggestions. If you had your heart set on going to school next year, I'd advise against the gap year. If living in the Boston area is a possibility, you could start with Harvard Extension and get some general liberal arts credits and college experience under your belt. Also, given your interest in music, there are some excellent schools in the area that would be worth looking into. Berkeley College of Music and the New England Conservatory immediately come to mind. I believe that both of these fine schools have part-time students. But don't delay; check out their web pages now. Good luck!</p>

20

<p>Good luck, Terra-Cotta. Please come back and let us know what you decided and how it went. It's always instructive for CC members to see how others have triumphed over adversity.</p>