While listening to the interview, I have understood/confirmed the following things:
- It is awfully difficult to distinguish outstanding students just from reading standardized applications.
- Being over-qualified does not guarantee acceptance; sometimes it's based on luck.
- Just because you're denied from a college/university does not mean you are worthless or dumb.
- One year, playing instruments can be the "qualifying bar" while another year, it can be sports.
- It is the admission officers, not us students. :P
- Admission officers can laugh at your accomplishments...
- Having a job as an admission officer must be so tedious and tiring... Imagine going through over 60,000 applications of almost the same thing over and over again.
- And last but not least, admission officers have feelings too. They can cry when they reject us.. :)
At first, I was confused about the fact that having almost perfect SAT's and GPA won't necessarily guarantee your acceptance at schools you applied at. Not even having a longer or more detailed list of extracurricular activities than a little kid's Christmas wish list will pave your path to your dream school.
I must say though, the year of 2011 is really competitive. Actually, I'm pretty sure the competition level is gradually increasing every year. Seeing some of my friends getting rejected from schools baffles me because I was 110% sure my friends would have been accepted. Even in my situation, I've been wait listed from 2 backup schools that I was confident I would have gotten into. At first, it really killed a part of me. I couldn't help but to think that I was not qualified and extremely disappointed in myself.
But I know, it could have been worse which makes me grateful for my current opportunities. After hearing this interview today, I am glad I am able to participate in such intense competition. It also makes me really happy hearing my friends and others getting into their dream schools. (Congratulations to everyone! <3)
“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” - Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor, best known for his Meditations on Stoic philosophy, AD 121-180)
Boa K.
Boa,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! I like how you bolded the part about if you get rejected from a school it doesn't mean you are worthless or dumb because it is very true. In today's society, people get too caught up in if they don't get in to a UCLA or USC that their life is pointless. However, that is not the case at all because there is so much more to a person than what college you are going or not going to. Keep up the good work on the posts.
Joel B. (Dragonfist Bandits)
All of these things are so true! (Luckily, I did get into my dream school.) But what I found shocking was that sometimes admissions committees do choose at complete random. You were qualified and everything, but they just didn't pick you. That was probably the most upseting thing for me to hear. I have lots of friends who haven't got into their dream colleges and it just sucks that it could've been because they weren't randomly picked out of a pile. Again, I loved your post and totally understand where you're coming from! :)
ReplyDelete-Shelby F.
In my opinion, a lot of the applications to the top universities must look almost identical. Very good grades and very high test scores seem to be the key in today's world which is very unfair. You can not tell anything from a person by seeing that they are intelligent on paper. In a perfect world every single applicant would get to spend a day with a member of the acceptance committee but obviously that just is not possible. There are a lot of great people that might lack a 4.3 and a 2000 SAT score but should still be admitted into a great school. - Richard H
ReplyDeleteYea I agree and I would hate to have their job. I can't imagine myself reading application from application to decide who to admit. So whether you get a rejection or acceptance, even though an acceptance is amazing, you shouldn't let it define you until you accept that college and sign the SIR because in the end, you're choosing the college you want to go to. That's how I see it haha.
ReplyDeletePavneet K.
I really enjoyed listening to the application process because it shone light on a lot of things that prior to that day in English, seemed confusing to me. I can now say that I understand just how tedious and emotionally draining it must be to have to select the lucky few who will be admitted to a university. It seems that we have entered the age where perfect SAT scores and a shining GPA just won't make the cut alone, but instead require achievments in areas of life both personal and extra curricular based.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I really liked how you broke down what you learned in a way that seemed to take the most important facts into consideration. And I'm glad somebody posted on this subject becaude I know I found that specific day in class especially interesting.
- Shelby H.
Boa, I agree with this article a lot. I think everyone can relate. It sucks going through the admissions process. That recording made everyone seem so haphazard and random! Before I thought it was a through computerized process but know I know it's just a group of tired people in a room.
ReplyDelete- marian
I totally agree! I was so shocked when we were listening to the radio cast. I had no idea that so many other factors could influence the difference between an acceptance and a rejection. College admittance must be at its height for competition if an administrator must pick out a poorly written sentence to determine between which applicant will be chosen. And to agree with Marian, I also see the side of weening out applicants as an "eenie-meenie-miney-moe" procces now.
ReplyDelete_meredith
This is so true! I was really upset when I got waitlisted at my number 2 and reject frOOM ANOTHER> It sucks! But at the same time, we need to have perspective. I'm not the only female college applicant with a great gpa and sat scores and a decent number of extracurriculars. There are thousands of other applicants out there just like me. The colleges have a very difficult task of choosing who gets in and who doesn't. We can't blame ourselves, especially if we've done the best we can throughout high school. We should also be excited for the schools that have accepted us :)
ReplyDelete-Dayna M.
I loved this! I was so glad when Mrs. Elliott showed this to us all because I think a lot of people need a confidence boost at the moment with college acceptances coming out. Its crazy to hear about how one sentence can turn the admissions officers away from an applicant or how one of them will cry over the people they inevitably must turn away. It's nice to know that its nothing personal. In no way is it an attack or a joke being made of the last 4 years of your life... it's just a decision that has to be made. Everything happens for a reason and I'm sure everyone will be happy no matter where they end up (as long as they have a good attitude about it). Personally, however, I wish we could have heard this before we submitted all of our applications :P
ReplyDelete-Audrey T.
Hahah first of all, I like your little inclusion of Marcus Aurelius' famous quote at the end, mostly because it is something I wish everybody (and some specific people ;/) knew and understood. My parents, though I highly disagree with them most of the time, have said probably one of the simplest but truest statements that has kept me going even though I've been faced with tremendous failure and disappointment: "Son, no one really cares what the h**l school you come from. It's what you've made of yourself while you're in it that matters. You can get into Harvard with a full ride, but if you let that accomplishment alone overshadow you and give you a big head, usually what ends up is that you stop trying. Never ever stop trying, no matter what c**p the universe throws at you."
ReplyDeleteHigh school, especially these past few months, has been unimaginably stressful for all of us, especially since I agree that our year is very competitive. But this just makes me more proud to be part of 2011 because in my idealistic perspective, we're hella smart. Not only that, but I have seen probably the most hardworking people surrounding me everyday. I can say without a doubt that each and every one of us will get very far in life, no matter what school we get into. A bright future awaits, as long as we never lose sight of that and keep working towards it.
If this still doesn't convince you, remember: "Amateurs built the Ark, experts built the Titanic."
-Lian C.
I loved listening to this and I loved reading your post! Even though I did get into my dream school, I was still really bummed when I didn't get into some of my back ups and this reassured me. I love the phrase that you bolded, because it's true. Often college decisions are completely random, and realizing that has definitely helped me feel better, and hopefully it helps everyone else too. :)
ReplyDelete-Elise P.
I really enjoyed reading your response to the audio interview Mrs. Elliott played for us in class. Listening firsthand to some of the admissions officers say how tedious and extremely difficult it is to make a decision about who gets accepted or not really puts into perspective how unpredictable college admissions is. One of the things that struck me the most was how sometimes, the decision whether or not one gets accepted to a certain college literally comes down to luck because of how competitive and similar many applicants are. I can't imagine how stressful and saddening it must be to make such crucial decisions in thousands of people's lives. After all the acceptances and rejections, it's calming knowing that I did my best to present myself in the best light to the admissions officers and that the decision they make doesn't make me any less valuable.
ReplyDeleteThe admissions process sucks, but then again it must also suck for the admitters themselves. Having to read through all of our applications and essays. Like Rich said, most apps have to look stunningly similar, and that some of it isn't fair. But that just might be because that path isn't for us to take.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Flores
I think everyone can relate to this post because all of us have been rejected from a school that we've wanted to go to. Listening to the admission process made me a little irritated however. It almost seems like the admissions process randomly chooses people when they reach the final stack of students to evaluate. I am still glad however that I was able to gain this insight on the admissions process.
ReplyDeleteJehan T.
I was also really glad that Mrs. Elliott let us listen to this. I couldn't believe that after four years of working hard to keep up our grades, studying for tests, and going for extra curriculars, our acceptance ulimately relied on chance. But these admissions officers really do have to sort through the thousands of qualified students somehow and in the end it becomes understandable why after hours and hours of staring at mounds of applications with just a name and a list of qualifications, they would have to rely on random drawings.
ReplyDelete-Sapir L.
The audio that Mrs. Elliott played for us actually shocked me. It showed me that although you may have an awesome GPA or SAT score does not mean you are guaranteed into your dream college. You never know what they are looking for. You can be an average student but have genuine essays and that may be the exact thing they are looking for.
ReplyDelete-Amanda C
Great post Boa! I always wondered why I got into schools that Simon Lalehzarian didn't, or how some people got into school that I thought I could easily get into but did not. After watching thatvideo, it really did give a new perspective on the college acceptance process. Maybe USC liked that I'm a server at Johnny Rockets, while UCLA saw it was a disadvantage. Maybe my extra curricular activities made up for my test scores at Berkely, but once again UCLA perhaps saw it as a weakness. Though I was surprised to find out that acceptance was largely based on luck, I find it almost a blessing in disguise. For all my life I wanted to go to UCLA, but upon rejection I was able to tour and ultimately fall in love with USC. Not only do they have my exact major, but I simply felt at home on campus. Perhaps those rejection letters are insead a guide to a better fitting school for one.
ReplyDelete~Jacy W
I like your post because it reminds us that rejection from college does not mean you're worhtless and that where you go to college does not define you, but it reminds us that it's the experience and waht we do with the degreee that matters. I'm sure we can all relate to this post, but unlike everyone else, that recording we listened to just made me more irritated. I didn't find much solice in it at all. I think the admissions process needs some modification, and I agree with Jehan that it still did give me some insight into the admissions process.
ReplyDelete-Hillary D.
That recording was really interesting because it shows how truly random the acceptance process can be. I remember they were talking about a guy who has amazing credentials but he was wait listed and I was really shocked upon hearing that. Its crazy to think about how competitive getting into college is becoming, it seems like in 5 years you better have the cure for cancer if you want to get into a prestigious UC or something. It just important to recognize that every school is looking for something different and if you get rejected it means you were probably a better fit somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteBoa, I think this is a great post. Sometimes, life throws you curve balls. I think you're dealing with it in an appropriate way, and that is respectable. Good luck with everything, and I am sure you will have a great time, even if some people rejected you!
ReplyDelete- Melanie N.
Hi Boa!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your post! College decisions are volatile for both the admissions counselors and applicants. At the beginning of the college application season, I felt worthless; I thought I was surely going to be rejected from all of the schools I applied to. And as the decisions started to come, my predictions slowly and painfully started to come true. Nevertheless, I feel that we sometimes undervalue our ability to attend college. Many students, let it be here or in other countries, won’t have the same opportunities as many of us will, so it think it’s crucial to appreciate and value the opportunity. Moreover, I’m a firm believer that it doesn’t matter where you start, but where you end up. If you are awesome person and academic, you will shine wherever you go! :)
Wow Boa, that's definitely some insight. It baffled me about how fickle the college application process was. The idea that colleges could choose who to accept based a lot on their whimsy definitely intimidated me. However, the decision season is definitely a humbling, yet revealing moment in our lives. Rejections show that although we may be good, there is something that we lack. Acceptances show that even through our flaws, our redeeming traits make us interesting enough for the college's tastes. Did I get into my dream college? No, but I feel that those rejections may have led me to choosing a school more suited to me than I had previously thought.
ReplyDeleteHahaha this is applicable to every high school student, because every student has at least been rejected from one school. Whoever said junior year was the hardest year of high school had it completely wrong. It definitely has to be those 5 months of second semester where everyone slacks off, and either cheers or cries for their acceptances/rejections, and a week before graduation, realizes their grades are complete crap and that they won't even go to college if they don't raise them. This was an interesting audio, but I'm not going to lie, I still feel like this admissions officers were almost putting up a front. I mean crying is a little too far. Regardless, where ever you end up, it's not where you go but what you do there.
ReplyDelete~Simon L.