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On March 28 2009 08:00 TommyG wrote:
I'm in the same boat as you man. I got into - what was once my - backup school, Loyola Marymount University, but shrugged it off because i am sure i would get into the more prestigious schools i have applied to, such as UCLA and Cal. I have gotten nothing but rejections since then, and now I am basically waiting on Occidental which didn't rank high for me in the first place.
This same situation has happened to many of my peers as well. I guess it's somewhat of a reality check. Either that or there are just so many qualified students out there and just not enough spaces for them.
The feelings you experienced are completely normal in my eyes. I can totally relate to your whole story, and i am sure there are many others who can too. The way i see things now is that I will be a big fish in a little pond, and hopefully things will work out in the coming years.
One heck of a reality check haha
Good luck to you and your undergrad/grad education!
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I guess this was a good experience for you. Changed the way you think for the better.
Not getting into a top-ranked college is a let down if you've always done well in school. It's not the student's fault that they've always held the belief that they should go to a good university; it seems like it's been drilled into them, pressured into it. Perspective is important. What you make of your education is a lot more important that where you are going for your education.
I'm actually very similar to you - I go to a mediocre public school, but I've always done well, gotten top grades, etc. And I've always told myself that I would go to a great school; it was like my entire goal of doing everything I've done in high school was to get accepted by a good college. And it's been like this always because my parents had always told me I would. And if I did get into a great college, they would be so happy and so proud, and I wanted to do that for them.
But being happy depends on what your goals are and what you define success as.
edit - i just realized that this post was sorta convoluted and i didn't get my point across as well as i wanted to lol
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On March 28 2009 01:07 Rayzorblade wrote:
Blog posts like this make me sick. Honestly.
?
I totally understand this guy's situation. Throughout middle and high school, any high-achiever gets the 'fact' that they need to get accepted to a top university drilled into their brains, including me. It's not all his fault.
It IS a fact that you can be successful not going to college, going to a community college, going to a mediocre school, or an ivy league school. Yet most people only realize this once they've graduated and received a job. Getting into a good school = success is emphasized too strongly in American schools systems (and at home).
And part of it is the student's fault for not looking beyond college and being reality checked. Getting into a top school requires awesome grades, test scores, extra curriculars, essays, recommendations. But once you have all those, it's still a crap shot if at an ivy league school, since a majority of their applicants have those grades, scores, etc. It's a super reach school for pretty much everyone. A lot of people tell a bright student that they'll be going to harvard because they get straight As, and that's so wrong if they don't know much more about college admissions, they'll end up only applying to top schools and being rejected by all of them.
Well, i went off on a tangent lol. My point is that, yes, he's had the belief that he's a top student, better than many other students, and that he should be going to a top school, but I don't see that being enough to make someone "sick." He's gotten the reality check, and realized the faults of that belief. I'm sure he doesn't act superior to other students even though he thinks he is. Anyone who does better in school than someone else will think that. Hell, I think I'm better than a lot of kids at my school because I legitimately believe that. That doesn't mean I'm all arrogant about it and act like a total dick to them.
Holy shit that was long.
edit - sorry bout the double post. i forgot i was the last one who posted in this thread when i went to respond to someone else.
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On March 28 2009 11:29 ieatkids5 wrote:edit - i just realized that this post was sorta convoluted and i didn't get my point across as well as i wanted to lol
Actually, I think you hit everything spot on
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I had a similarly sobering experience when I applied to colleges. Not quite the same, but definitely a massive humility check that threw a ton of shit into perspective for me. In hindsight, though, I would have been miserable if everything had gone my way, so consider this something to be grateful for.
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it's definitely a humbling experience
I shrugged off everything because I was sure I'd get into everything I applied for. I was surprised when I didn't get into berkely. Luckily, I'd already decided to go to ucsd over ucla or berkely by the time that rejection came in.
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EPT
