<p>Mike,</p>
<p>Do you love me as much as I love you? (possible trick question)</p>
<p>Mike, why did the chicken chicken out from crossing the road?</p>
<p>Mike, can you be anything more than a senior member just by posting on CC?</p>
<p>Mike, am I a nice person?</p>
<p>Mike, have you ever been in contact with gorillas?</p>
<p>Hello again Mike.
Another serious question:
I have finals next week but I’m too burned out from studying for SAT IIs to study for them. What can I do to motivate myself?</p>
<p>Hi Mike… sunshine here said you give really good advice, so here’s my problem and I’d appreciate your thoughts (sorry it’s so long).</p>
<p>I’m currently a grade 11 student at a public high school in suburban Vancouver, Canada. Sometime last year I had the impulse of wanting to go to a prestigious American school (the Ivies, MIT, Stanford, etc.). I have really good grades (99% average - #1 out of a class of 380), pretty good extracurriculars (Student Council, Debate Team, coah the junior math team…), etc. so I thought “why not give it a try… open more doors.” So I studied for the SAT and got a 2390 in Oct. I was so excited and I thought that is way too good to throw away. And then in January I got an 800 on my Bio M SAT. I took my Chemistry SAT yesterday and I’m feeling pretty good about it. But now the entire thought of applying to US universities is really daunting and stressing me out and I don’t know if it’s really worth it and if I even stand a chance. I’ll have NO problem whatsoever getting into a top Canadian university… I really don’t know if I’m just wasting my time and money vying for such a slime chance of getting into a good US school… And there really is no point going to the States if I don’t get into one of the top universities. And my parents aren’t really supporting this whole idea of going to the US and they tell me that even if I get accepted I won’t be able to go since they can’t afford it. I’m just kind of lost right now, not sure where I’m going in life… So I’d really appreciate it if you could please give me some perspective and direction and tell me what you think of my situation.</p>
<p>Dear Mikey,</p>
<p>Baa Baa black sheep- have you any wool?</p>
<p>Love, </p>
<p>Flamey</p>
<p>I<3Pi -------why in the world do u think u have a ‘slime chance’? I am really confused abt ur worries! anyway, mike will hopefully thoroughly answer ur ‘worries’!</p>
<p>Dear Mike,</p>
<p>I decided to ask you an incredibly awesome question, but then I read 13lueflame’s question… and realized that any question that I asked would seem stupid and lame next to his. My self-esteem is at an all-time low, and I am experiencing a major existential crisis. Advice?</p>
<p>Dear Mikey, </p>
<p>I thought that 13lueflame was a girl. Is this true or have I been living a lie?</p>
<p>Love,</p>
<p>Flamey</p>
<p>venkat - No. Not really, unless you really don’t love me at all. Overall the total love in our relationship is minimal at best. </p>
<p>otAmbi - Chickens cannot think that the grass is greener on the other side, because chickens cannot think. Therefore, instinctively, there is no reason to cross the road. The road has never crossed the chicken. </p>
<p>Mintie - I can be a well respected senior member by posting on CC. </p>
<p>TheOne - I think you tend to act in your self interest to obtain your greatness. I don’t think anyone can truly be nice without some pretense or else they’ll just get used. Some of them want to get used by you. Some of them want to abuse you, some of them want to be abused. </p>
<p>dex - Only when one of use is behind bars and or plexiglass. </p>
<p>Sunshine - your grades count. They do. Just as much as your SATIIs. Perhaps even more. Just think, study for them now, and you won’t have any more pressure to study for any of this stuff for months, maybe even in your entire life. Don’t leave points on the table, when they can be obtained with effort. </p>
<p><3Pi - Your statistics are impressive, they meet much of the qualifying standards that top US schools are looking for. Applying to US universities isn’t as much work as your notions to it are, but it is more difficult than applying to Canadian Unis, and I looked into that if the US was to reinstate the Draft, which presently doesn’t look likely. The US schools care much less about Grades than Canadian schools, and look much more at the “soft” parts of your application. You test scores will not keep you out of any university, but they alone will not get you into the schools you are shooting for. You might want to look at different schools other than Ivys and MIT/Stanford because none of those schools offer aid for merit; they only give money for need, and it is more difficult to obtain that money if you are an out of state student. A US Private University will give you a much different experience than a University of Toronto, which is a huge school that must accommodate a variety of people. </p>
<p>However, you should look at the common application which will enable you to use essentially the same application for a variety of schools, including most ivys, (Columbia and Brown are exceptions). You need to look at schools such as Duke, UChicago, USC, and Rice University among others, that give merit aid to outstanding students. In reality, it will cost about 60-90 dollars for each application you send out, so I would discourage you from applying to an exorbitant amount of schools. </p>
<p>Applying to US schools is an ambitious task, and you yourself, may feel a bit unfulfilled if you don’t give it your fare shot. If a school accepts you, you will be able to see their financial aid package (as long as you don’t apply early decision) before you decide if it is a better value to go over the top Canadian Universities that you can see as patently as I that will admit you. </p>
<p>To answer your questions, you do stand a chance, you should explore this topic further over the summer to see if this situation is the right one for you. There are a lot of schools that are affordable, that still give an excellent education.</p>
<p>13lue - yes sir yes sir 3 bags full. </p>
<p>asif - he is worrying about his international status, or the fact that Americans tend to be a bit slimier than Canadians. </p>
<p>LesoS - The first thing you can do is ask me the incredibly awesome question, and I’ll answer it. When things in life are bad, for me, I tend to sleep more. If that doesn’t work for you, try to be overly productive, clean your house, read some John Stuart Mill, not Camus. Talk to people who know you or want to know you, and then you can feel better. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Thank you, Mike. (Btw, you forgot flamey.)
I will go into that final tomorrow and ace it and when I feel down over the next week b/c of studying, I will get on CC and look at your advice. Or better yet, just print it out and staple it on my forehead. No pain, no gain.</p>
<p>Question (of course): Is there anything I, mere humble servant, can do for you? Maybe spread word of your advice throughout the CC site (as I have been doing–see I<3Pi’s post)?</p>
<p>Thanks Mike.</p>
<p>Another question: What is more important in life than a sense of humour?</p>
<p>Mike, what is the best thing that ever happened over the course of human history?</p>
<p>Mike, what are the best prep books for SAT when i want to focus on everything else except math?
and… what book/movie do you recommend for the summer?</p>
<p>Mike, my mom wants me to become a crack addict when I grow up, but I’ve always wanted to become a writer. What should I do?</p>
<p>13lue - Blue flame is a girl, a sexy one at that.</p>
<p>sunshine - Flamey posted after I had started my set of questions, so I didn’t get a chance to see her post until it was too late. I would like you succeed in life, and/or sexual favors. Thank you for spreading the word. </p>
<p>TheOne - a heartbeat</p>
<p>Not - This is an easy one, SLICED BREAD</p>
<p>Wolf - If you were like me, and have the math section down of the sat, but needed help on the verbal, you need a heavy dose of British literature over the summer. I’m talking Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice. You also should read The World is Flat for your own sake, and the fact that it will help you with the social science passages on the SAT. I recommend Blue Book, Kaplan’s SAT 2400 and Barrons SAT 2400. </p>
<p>pwn. - you can easily do both. It would probably make a Lewis carol like story. I think a crack addict doesn’t bring home any benjamins unless you are movin it, so I’d say go into writing.</p>
<p>Dear Mike,
I’ll try my hardest on the first part but I’m not too crazy about the second part–I don’t love you that much.
And I’ve noticed that your writing style on this post has changed from that of your other posts. Are you feeling alright?
And also, if you were a female and not male, what types of shoes would you wear most often?
Thanks,
sunshineyday
P.S. I can also mail you sunbeam if you would like one and/or visit you when you’re @ Columbia and give you a sunbeam in person.</p>
<p>Say Mike,
Where is your advice coming from?</p>