I thought I had things going for me. Classical music (Chinese) national awards. State level debate victories. Salutatorian and SATs to match. Raising thousands of dollars for charity through classical concerts. Published business article in an international magazine.
Yet, HYP didn't want me. Not even a waitlist, but outright rejection.
As I read the acceptance threads on the HYP forums, I'm losing my mind. Applicants as good as me and better who were rejected from one of these schools were accepted to the others. Or perhaps MIT or Stanford, which are just as good.
I have Penn CAS, Cornell, and Dartmouth acceptances in my hand...but after HYP, they just don't mean much. Although I'm a prospective finance guy, I think I made the smart decision by applying to CAS rather than Wharton.
My mind is spinning in circles. Things could have been different. As good as Penn CAS is, the thought of a Harvard education haunts me. Proudly being the first in my family to go to Harvard. Moving up the social ladder. Networking. My mind spins.
Can SOMEONE please, please, assure me that there were applicants better than me who got rejected from HYP? I don't mean to be sadistic. I want some perspective.
You were accepted to three Ivy league schools, Congratulations! Your rejection from the other schools could be possibly be explained by this video. Once you hit that top tier of grades and SAT scores, the college admissions process starts to seem more like a lottery Inside a Harvard Admissions Decision (On Harvard Time) - YouTube
Last edited by 10nisman94; 04-03-2012 at 04:11 PM.
Reason: length
I'm sorry, you were accepted to three Ivy leagues and you're upset? I'm not seeing the problem....
I joke, of course. You're obviously intelligent. You have three great options. You're going to be fine.
You were a qualified candidate. I think what it comes down to is that maybe these three schools didn't see you as a good fit. This isn't anything negative. You still have acceptances from three GREAT schools who think you're a good fit for them. Someone from my school applied to five Ivies - wait-listed at two, rejected at two, accepted to one, which is a perfect fit for him.
But I don't work in admissions at HYP, so what do I know?
I was rejected at H and P, too (accepted at S, though, without any financial aid). It sucks but you move on. In general, I very much recommend Penn though. Classes are great, atmosphere is lively, and there's quite a lot of school spirit here.
Though, based on your specific goals, I must sadly recommend against my school in your particular situation, and advise you to choose Dartmouth.
Wow, you sound like I did when I got in (and are holding identical acceptances that I did). Long story short: there's always a bigger fishbowl and if you're not happy now with three Ivy League acceptances, getting into HYP won't do that for you. I understand better than most where you're coming from, but you'd do well to just be happy and understand what it means to have the imprimatur of an Ivy League degree: do you have any idea how many people would kill for even one of your acceptances? You did very well for yourself and should be very proud.
A friend of mine who graduated from Harvard a few years back wasn't happy because she didn't graduate summa, then wasn't happy because she didn't get into Yale Law (and instead had to go to either Georgetown or UVA - the horror!). Now, she's upset because she's not on law review where she is now. I can guarantee she'll be unhappy if she doesn't get a job at a top firm, then she'll be upset if she doesn't make partner...ad infinitum. Nothing will improve for her until she changes her perspective and accepts two things: (1) There are smarter, harder working people in the world, (2) there are dumber, lazier people in the world who just happen to get favorable positions by some other virtue - it is a total waste of time to ask for justification.
Also, trust me - a waitlisting at HYP makes you feel worse than an outright rejection, IMO.
For what it's worth, the Huntsman program is filled with students who turned down Harvard (many of them with likely letters) to be there. And, one of their degrees is from Penn CAS. Don't be such a snob! I agree; go to Dartmouth. Most students at Penn are there because they want to be and not as a consolation and they probably won't like you very much. Dartmouth is full of students who are a lot more intense.
UPenn was the only Ivy I was accepted to (out of the 9 schools I applied in America). It was my #1 choice so I didn't even care when HYP and co. rejected me. It seems that you want HYP more for the name brand than the actual education you'll get.
If you want some consolation, a classmate of mine who easily won national biology and chemistry contests, came 2nd in the world at the International Biology Olympiad, and was Vice-President of our school was rejected outright by Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Cornell. He was only accepted to Penn.
Most students at Penn are there because they want to be and not as a consolation and they probably won't like you very much. Dartmouth is full of students who are a lot more intense.
So many inane generalizations in quoted post... making my head spin. :|
My recommendation for Dartmouth is based on OP's interests in finance. Students at Dartmouth are equally happy or unhappy (yes, there are many, many unhappy people at Penn as well... SHOCKER, right?) as those at Penn or any other Ivy (except Brown; they know how to stay happy).
with all due respect, I prefer penn because there seems to be a few important factors in its favor...
1) grade inflation?
2) location and weather >>>>> dartmouth
3) possibility of taking wharton classes/transfer into wharton/dual degree with wharton...but I've heard dartmouth is just as good for finance?
4) much more relaxed (competitive, of course), but the enviorment is not acidic like dmouth's.
really? "Proudly being the first in my family to go to Harvard. Moving up the social ladder. Networking." You can still do all those things, minus the Harvard part... You need to really chill...
Boondocks, I'll have you know that I'm not a troll. I had a Yale waitlist spot and was able to personally talk to one of the deans and adcoms who told me I had a solid chance; yesterday, I was notified of my rejection.
Talking to another poster on the forums, I learned that Yale supposedly had not notified any rejections, so I may still be on the waitlist.
In any case though, no trolling here-Just needed to clarify some stuff.
^ Yale! Lol, quite the troll you are!
In any case, what gave you the impression that Dartmouth's environment is "acidic"? It is a very undergraduate-focused school with a very positive academic environment and great finance recruiting.
While it is perfectly fine that you prefer Penn over Dartmouth, I have to point out that it is mostly for reasons that are fairly inane.
In any case, I would advise you to stop trolling the Penn board as no one will be taking you seriously henceforth.
had a Yale waitlist spot and was able to personally talk to one of the deans and adcoms who told me I had a solid chance; yesterday, I was notified of my rejection
The waitlist just came out. How do you get rejected so quickly when it's not even may 1st?
