A month later, and I'm second-guessing

Colleges & Universities Princeton University
1

<p>After I’d mailed my applications, I felt calm for the first time in forever. Now it’s a month (almost to the minute) since I raced in through the post office doors literally ten seconds before it closed, and I’m far enough away from the trying-to-finish-everything-at-the-last-minute craziness to look at it in perspective. And this time, I’m doubting myself.</p>

<p>I was happy with my long essay and the first half of the shorter one, but I rushed the conclusion and didn’t spend long enough editing, and I think that’ll hurt because the last paragraph is really atrocious. </p>

<p>I didn’t mention any of my hobbies on my application because they’re not organized activities, and now I’m wondering if I made a mistake. These are things like painting, drawing, graphic design (Photoshop), webdesign, creative writing, and other artsy/crafty things (and knitting, and making collages, and clearly I can’t keep my hands still even for a moment) – not resume-building by any means, but they’re such a huge part of me that I feel uneasy leaving them out. I wrote my “favorite activity” short answer about working on the school newspaper, and in retrospect, that just seems so generic.

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<p>I want to drive up to Princeton (regardless of the fact that I don’t have my driver’s license, or a car) and tell them about my family’s crazy roadtrips, like the time we spent three weeks on the road visiting 18 states and hiking the Grand Canyon with 50-pound backpacks, or about the kids I taught at riding camp last summer, or all “my” patients at the hospital, or that I’m an amazing cook, or how I wasn’t even going to apply at all until I visited and fell in love with their stupid school … and I look at my applications and feel so disingenuous, because even though all of it’s true, it’s not ALL of the truth.</p>

<p>And mostly, right now, I just feel so scared, because I wasn’t going to let myself pick favorites like this.</p>

<p>I hope you don’t mind that I’m posting this, considering it’s pretty much a personal rant, but I guess some of you might relate. This whole sitting here and not being able to change anything business is driving me neurotic.</p>

2

<p>I can relate. At first, there’s the feeling of peace and staisfaction after all the applications are turned in. Then, a month later, you keep thinking about all the things you did/didn’t talk about and want to bang your head against the wall. Right now, I’m mostly feeling depressed and really wish I hadn’t applied to some of the schools I applied to (I could have saved a couple hundred dollars, at least). Oh, well. </p>

<p>If you haven’t had your interview yet, you might want to talk about the crazy things/hobbies/whatever got left out there.</p>

3

<p>Why don’t you write to the admissions office and include one or two paragraphis that highlights this other side of you that you did not include Perhaps begin by introducing yourself and say that you are looking forward to hearing from Princeton in the spring, and that their are some updates you want to include (mention one or two) and then discuss these other things that
you just mentioned.</p>

4

<p>cameliasinensis and safety_dance, </p>

<p>I can definitely relate to you two. I feel like so much of my personality was left out of my application. At first, I liked my essays as well, and then once I put them into the common app and supplements, they were just like big blocks of text…nothing that says anything about my personality at all. If I had it my way, I would have used gel pens and all sorts of spunky things. I know that everyone’s applications look the same with all the text, and this is what worries me. I’m nothing but text, and even when you read the text, there is nothing super exciting or telling of me.</p>

<p>Aghhh…and I wish I hadn’t applied to some schools either. I know some I wouldn’t even go to if I got in, and I really wasted a lot of money. Before, I thought “I’m only doing this one time, and I don’t want to regret not applying” but now, it’s like the total opposite.</p>

<p>I definitely cannot sleep properly anymore either. I had a dream last night that I got into one of my top choices (I promised myself I wouldn’t pick favourites either…) and I really thought it was real…until I woke up. This is such a crazy process, and it’s driving me nuts!!! At the same time, I am absolutely dreading March 29/30th…</p>

<p>Good luck to all you guys!!</p>

5

<p>chillax evrything is done now, just wait</p>

6

<p>This is why one shouldn’t re-read his or her applications until after hearing back from the schools, because it just causes anxiousness. I read mine though and have the same feeling many times, but then I give my self confidence by remembering that admissions is neither a judgment, nor affirmation of one’s intelligence or personality, so try to relax, though I know its hard.</p>

7

<p>Yeah. I have purposely avoided even glancing at anything I sent in anywhere… I’m afraid I’m gonna see a spelling error or something and then I will be miserable for months…</p>

8

<p>Oh, I feel the same way, particularly about my Princeton essays – I loved the Common App essay I came up with, but I am indifferent towards my engineering essay, and positively loathe the Princeton-specific topic one. (Which isn’t encouraging.) </p>

<p>And I have the same problem re. non-organised activities: I do a crazy amount of graphic design, but the only application on which I managed to show this was Caltech’s (love the box!).</p>

9

<p>Well, I just had my interview, and I think I managed to convey the artsy/creative side of me pretty well… we talked for almost an hour and a half, and she said I was very different from the typical DC/NoVA kid, so I think it went well. :)</p>

<p>Actually I can’t believe I’m sounding so composed right now because really I feel like Jell-O. :D</p>