Hey, Admissions forum, my school life officially ended yesterday and I have nothing to do till I get accepted into a decent university, if I ever do that is, accepted only to a safety and waitlisted at 3 places, SERIOUSLY 3 WAITLISTS.
So, I thought might as well ask a few questions that I have-
Do most colleges consider applicants as seriously for their second major as they do for their primary major, say for example I applied to M&T as my primary, but with all these waitlists running around me I think it is becoming increasingly out of reach, my second choice was CS in SEAS, I would enroll in a heartbeat were I to be accepted. But, do they really take you as seriously if you applied for it as a second choice? I heard that UCLA does not really consider you for the second choice you give, is it the same with some other colleges?
I have been terribly unlucky with my decisions until now, do you guys think waitlists from 2 of my matches will bring me down to attend my safety or put off college for another year. The worst thing is I know why I got waitlisted at UIUC and GTech, at UIUC because I applied to a single major that had a 6% acceptance rate this year and showed zero interest in UIUC, also was only able to send my 10th grade marks here and GTech, because I did not apply early, they filled out all intl spots in the early round is what I heard and they consider only the 3 sections from the ACT that I did worst in(excluding math), Are reaches really out of the options here, because I really hit my interviews out of the park and made none of the mistakes stated above in my apps to my reaches except maybe not applying ED.
My supplemenst for reaches was my best work, do you guys think Great essays, great interview, about or above average stats and EC’s focused on my major would be enough to compel the admissions officers at reach unis?
I’m really sorry you’re so demoralized right now, but I will tell you that a close friend of ours got off the waitlist for her top choice by doing the following: she kept up her grades and continued to send her academic achievements to the admissions office; she went to campus and sat in on classes that interested her most, engaging with professors and letting the admissions office know this; she reiterated to them how much she wanted to attend and that she absolutely would if given the chance. Stay positive.
Why did you even apply to your “safety school” if you didn’t want to go there? I think most colleges don’t really consider your major (except in that it may affect which college you are trying to get into within a university).
Also it seems as though you are an international student so that may limit the acceptances.
What is your goal? To study in the US? What is your safety?
@ErinsDad my GC wanted me to apply to a safety and as far as the CS problem at UIUC goes it was admission by major and the accepted cohort even got an email from the dean saying that they were among the 200 chosen from more than 3000 applicants to CS.
Wait. I hope you realize that UW Seattle is a GREAT public school. I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to come to the US to study there. We are talking about the same school, right?
Yeah @minohi , I realize UW is great, but it is just not what I was expecting and I will have to ask my parents if they will pay, they never turn down anything I say. I on the other hand would not like to squander money, if I cannot get benefits from it later.
Forgive me, but what’s wrong with UW Seattle? I know absolutely nothing about it. But if you bothered to apply there, and they’ve accepted you, then why not go there?
If it was that bad a school, I can’t imagine why you applied in the first place.
Exactly that @ucbalumnus I was not offered DA, I realize almost no one is offered DA but, I have a very clear vision of what I want to do and to put off declaring my major until junior year is something I would really not like. @bjkmom
Yes @arra1997 I applied and have been waitlisted.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh another waitlist this time from CMU, my head is about to EXPLODE, but I do have some hope because only the waitlist was released and it said I was waitlisted for my 1st and 2nd choice, nothing about my 3rd choice, hmmm maybe I have been accepted to my 3rd choice, if I have I will know in 2 days.
What is wrong with applying to safeties that you are not thrilled about if you at a certain level you will not be excited about safeties. If the OP is getting WL at CMU he is a strong candidate. For people who are looking at the top, a safety means going to a school where your numbers are way above the 50th percentile and probably the 75th. Why would someone who has worked very hard for 4 years be excited about that unless they are getting a full or partial ride or have a specific major in mind. At that level most people apply to safeties assuming they will get merit money. Good luck with CMU, if you are WL at your second choice sounds like 3 is still possible
Yeah I was waitlisted SCS and CIT ECE, two of the toughest majors at CMU along with waitlist at GTech, and UCLA, it looks like I am getting waitlisted no matter what the selectivity of the program is @SaphireNY
Hey, don’t feel bad. I’m in the same boat, and never thought that this year would be so difficult. 2160 SAT, 35 ACT, 3.7/4.7GPA (unweighted, weighted respectively), with EC’s including Model United Nations, Medical Forums, LA Food Bank, along with pretty strong essays, for I know I’m a capable writer.
Accepted to:
Oxy (Occidental)
Denied from:
Pomona
Claremont McKenna
Pitzer
UCLA
Washington University in St. Louis
Wait listed to:
UCSD
Waiting for:
USC
Berkeley
Rice
Stanford
Still keep my head held high because I know it’s just a numbers game. Don’t beat yourself up about this.
Actually, it’s because you varied your effort by school and didn’t follow a good application strategy.
If you had applied yourself to the UIUC application and listed a CS+X major as a 2nd major as well as sent off an app to U-Madison, you’d at least have a backup plan.
@Purpletitan I already have UW Seattle, a better backup plan than U madison. I was waitlisted today at CMU for my first 2 majors, do not know about third, maybe got in, maybe not. Will definitely go there if got in.
Actually, no, UW-Seattle isn’t a better backup plan if you want to be a CS major because you are not guaranteed CS now and only something like 1/3rd of sophomore applicants at UDub get admitted in to CS.
Granted, UDub does have some related majors like Informatics, HCI, ACMS, and EE. Not CS and some are competitive to get in to as well, but I suppose you could consider them your backups.