<p>Terra-cotta - my point was not that you couldn't make it in, and I'm sorry if I came off that way. More of a you always need a safety with those kind of schools style thing.</p>
<p>And I think you can still get into very good schools.</p>
<p>Looking a little more deeply, according to the Pitt web site, if you can still get in, with an ACT of 31, you are automatically eligible for University Honors College. Since your SAT CR is right at their 75% mark and your SAT Math is a only 30 points above the 75th percentile, if you do University Honors, I don't think its way beneath you. You can also cross-register a few classes with Carnegie-Mellon next door.</p>
<p>You can go there as a Freshman and not lose any ground at all. I would think that would be your overall best option, but that door has to be closing fast.</p>
<p>This happened to you for a reason and you should look at it as a positive. The suggestions above are all good--do a gap year or enroll as a non-degree student somewhere (Harvard, BC, whatever). Get really good grades, make sure the profs know and like you, and try for spring or the following fall. This will work out well for you as long as you plan realistically. Good luck!</p>
<p>Grazie tutti. </p>
<p>Thank you all! </p>
<p>Pitt University... I'll check that out. </p>
<p>Harvard extension is interesting, to say the least!</p>
<p>If you decide to apply for admission in 2008, as you make your list, keep in mind that due to the cohort size, admission next year is expected to be even harder than it was this year. Also, from what I've seen on CC, colleges that rejected you once are not likely to accept you if you take a year off and reapply even if you strengthen your application and ECs. It's possible, however, that colleges that are similarly competitive may accept you if do an even stronger application than you did last year.</p>
<p>Check CC's archives for info about "Andison," who was rejected every place he applied in, I think, 2005, then took a productive gap year and got into some top colleges and got merit aid from some lower ranked ones. He didn't get into any of the top colleges, however, that he reapplied to after being rejected by them.</p>
<p>A final thought...I'd suggest that you contact WUSTL and find out if you have any chance of getting in there. People on various CC boards have made the case that being proactive can help move you off the waitlist. You never know. At the very least, you'll get some closure and then be free to start making alternative plans. Whatever you do, have a great year!</p>
<p>Terra-cotta Fren, just so we're clear - and no disrespect intended - its University of Pittsburgh (not Pitt University).</p>
<p>UPitt is a very good school.. even athletically :D</p>
<p>Oh- I'm not knowledgable about every University out there :-D </p>
<p>University of Pittsburgh- fantastic. </p>
<p>So should I call WUSTl to see If I am even still in consideration? I sent bout 4 emails spaced over 5 weeks and 1 - 2 page letter... </p>
<p>But never did call (I even have time to go visit them if it shows that I care deeply about going to WUSTL- even if as a non-degree seeking student or a major different than the school (Olin- business:/) I applied to- I am VERY strong in history)</p>
<p>Thank you again for all your help! Oh- and I hope I don't show myself as so pompous to not recognize mistakes :-D
I have had to have an awakening the past year...a real slap in the face. </p>
<p>Lectures everyday, a figurative cattle prod of lectures every single time I am in the vicinity of my mother. Thanks for all of your advice- very helpful!</p>
<p>Oh- and also- 200 hours + a month studying universities and programs is amazing for work ethic- I reccomend anyone try it if they want to learn a pay-load of information on the world (I love the news-links in colleges- some fairly random intrigues).</p>
<p>I'm sure you can find some good schools with rolling admissions. don't give up :)</p>
<p>Thanks! I have never given up on anything in my life. "There is no point in not trying" - es muy importante!</p>
<p>Terra-cotta Fren,</p>
<p>You are not a reject. You were rejected. I know many qualified students who did not get into their reach schools. Fortunately for them, they also applied to match/safety schools, too. You've been given a lot of good advice here on CC. I think it would be best to check first with WUSTL. If they say no, then you can go on knowing that you exhausted every avenue in trying to be accepted. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>As a music-lover you're in luck. Contact Stetson University in Florida (about70 miles north of Orlando). The will consider post-deadline applications for a reasonable fee. See if their music department floats your boat. And just because you've never heard of Stetson, don't reject it out of hand.</p>
<p>I believe it is the oldest private college in Florida [maybe it's the oldest, private or public]. They modernized or built new academic facilities and dormitories.</p>
<p>Hey Terra, What would be FUN??? Man, it sounds like life has been beating on you lately. I know the University of Idaho will take late, great kids. Beautiful campus, good things happening -- could be a terrific breath of fresh air. </p>
<p>I'm not sure where you are located but, trust me, you are exotic and interesting to a small campus across the nation from where you are. The good thing about modern technology is that you can look at a state across the nation from where you are and find the schools in that state and quickly get the admissions department email addresses. We're in the Pacific Northwest and if a kid was interested in a year or so our here, I'd suggest Evergreen State College or St. Martin's college here in Olympia. Both are very well regarded -- There's also Seattle University and University of Puget Sound that would be worth a query.
Good luck -- I'm rooting for you!</p>
<p>I found a post that has info about Andison, who was in a similar situation as you, and who took a gap year, and got some nice options. I don't know why the links don't work, however. Still, you probably could PM Andi to get an update. I think that he did a productive gap year and he got merit aid to several tier 2 and tier one colleges, and ended up at MIT. He reapplied to some colleges that rejected him, but he wasn't accepted by any of them.</p>
<p>Quote:
To all my CC friends. Our family is slowly picking itself up from the devastating blow of college admissions. What we thought would be an exciting and joyous time, has unfortunately turned out to be painful and devastating for all of us. I'm reluctant to post this, but I'd truly like your feedback as to what could have gone wrong. I'll try to explain briefly, but still give you a picture of my s's situation. </p>
<p>My son's second grade teacher said that it was unusual to see a boy who was so intellectually talented not only in mathematics but also in language. Today, a high school senior, he quotes Shakespeare as easily as he writes equations in his physics class. His passion for classical music has brought him joy and wonderful performance opportunities. </p>
<p>This year when he applied to colleges, he selected places where he felt he would be challenged intellectually and that would offer him music opportunities such as good music teachers and fellow students whom he could perform with on a comparable level. His teachers and guidance counselor thought his list commensurate with his love of learning, grades, test scores and course load.</p>
<p>He's one of 12 National Merit Scholars from our very competitive suburban HS, and four of the other winners -his peers- have been accepted at Stanford, Harvard, MIT and Brown. (don't yet know about the others) He's won other types of awards but listing his stats here is not my point.</p>
<p>The results were as follows:</p>
<p>Waitlisted at Oberlin, Swarthmore and Wash U
Rejected at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, U Penn and Columbia</p>
<p>Many other kids at our HS were accepted at Oberlin with lower stats, but he filled in truthfully the question of where else he was applying. Did they wait- list him because they thought they were being used as a back -up school?</p>
<p>He had to check off that he was applying for financial aid because we are not a high income family and have another child in college. Does applying for financial aid when you're an over -represented majority from an over represented geographical area have a negative effect even at need blind schools? </p>
<p>So as not to dwell on disappointment he's looking into applying to the University of Edinburgh for science, as it's not yet past their deadline, and is going to pursue his waitlist status at Swarthmore by sending in his latest accomplishments and additional recommendations. </p>
<p>I'd appreciate any of your thoughts.
Thanks so much.
andi </p>
<p>Andi's follow-up post one year later:</p>
<p>Wow! Thank you...very insightful. Actually- I just got an email from of University of Idaho - checking it out :-D I might take a "gap year" or apply to winter quarter at my highly ranked and very-great local University school...hopefully they have spots! Going on Monday to check with their admissions office :-D If I get in...then I'll consider my break an "extended" summer. </p>
<p>Grazie a tutti per l'informazione. (have to really practice for full immersion)
-thank you all for the information!</p>
<p>I'm not sure how to speak when I reply to WUSTL by phone...I'm kind of shy (in that regard- not talking to people face to face)- don't know if it would still be valuable to fly down there...(outside of the intrinsic value of seeing St. Louis, one of the greatest capitalist cities in the U.S.) and ask them face to face- it is probably too late...but there is no point in not trying!</p>
<p>Any advice? (I just graduated, so have a free week next week to do all of this).</p>
<p>SportsMama </p>
<p>"You are not a reject. You were rejected. I know many qualified students who did not get into their reach schools."</p>
<p>This statement is one of the nicest things anyone could ever say to me at this point in my life. (and the fact of the "safety schools"- I was pig-headed like Andison- I want challenging, small classroom sized environments...and my work ethic is very tough (Like staying up for 6 hours+ the last 5 days researching various questions on what I can do) </p>
<p>Has anyone heard of Dynamy (internship program is Worchester, MA. still has slots)
If so, any advice on it?</p>
<p>Terra-cotta Fren,</p>
<p>It sounds like you have had some rough times. Hang in there. Don't give
up--and call WUSTL asap. My daughter is also kind of shy and has trouble talking to people on the phone, so I understand how you are feeling. Write out what you want to say before you call them. (This helps her get through it.) Good luck!</p>
<p>I just called! No one was in- didn't leave a message. The deadline for Fall 2007 has definitely passed- and my status still notes me as wait-listed- so hope is not totally lost! </p>
<p>Anyone know if housing is an issue? Or the like? I really am highly flexible in basically everything (I could live in an apartment...I could live homeless on the streets if it really had to go to that)...</p>
<p>But, anyways- anyone have beneficial or negative things to say about taking a "gap period" (3-12 months?)</p>
<p>"Furthermore, your need for financial aid has no bearing on our admission decision - we evaluate your application without regard to financial need.Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for federal student loans, need and non-need based. The required federal financial aid application materials become available in late November or early December of each year; however, the required federal form, the FAFSA, cannot be submitted before January 1."</p>
<p>THANK GOODNESS- <a href="http://www.olin.wustl.edu/finaid/eligibility.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.olin.wustl.edu/finaid/eligibility.cfm</a></p>
<p>I read somewhere that WUSTL wasn't need-blind...and that between two candidates of similar circumstances the one who looked like they could pay would get in...This is a statement from Olin school of business financial aid section :-D </p>
<p>Pressure taken off of my back!</p>
<p>The plus of taking a gap year is that you can take the time to apply again to college, making sure to have plenty of options -- including match and safety schools -- that you would be happy to attend. If you don't get into WUSTL now, and you go to college this fall, you will have much more limited options than you would with a gap year.</p>
<p>A gap year also would give you the time to dive into some of your interests -- EC or academic, and more time to mature, both of which are big plusses when it comes to being able to take full advantage of college. Indeed, Harvard so believes in productive gap years that it invites all accepted students to take one.</p>
<p>My S took a gap year this year, living at home and serving as an Americorps volunteer working in disaster relief and with at risk children. He has learned so much about himself, his interests, and the work world, and has developed some excellent new skills that will serve him well for life. He's also much more comfortable with adults since he has had to work alongside them and even supervise them and serve on boards with them -- boards in which top leaders of our community were members, and S, 19, was by far the youngest member.</p>
<p>S also is a bit of an introvert, and is shy. Via his gap year, however, he has become much less shy, and actually is ahead of many adults now in his ability to handle things like going to conferences, receptions and business lunches.</p>
<p>Americorps is an absolutely excellent program that provides excellent training and support. I suggest that you check out their web site, and consider applying. You'd be a strong applicant, and I predict would get much out of the experience and also would contribute much to the communities that you'd serve.</p>