So recently, in the midst all the college decisions coming out, I have found myself to be extremely lucky. Losing hope after being rejected at UC Davis, and waitlisted at UC Irvine and San Diego, I found myself accepted into both UCLA and UC Berkeley, yet for some weird reason, I do not feel content that I got in. I have a very average GPA, very average EC’s and slightly above average test scores (I’m really good at standardized tests). The only thing that was really going for me was the rigor of my courseload and my standardized test scores.
I say I feel guilty, because my stats, when compared to the average applicant is quite low (No, I did not cheat my way in, or else this wouldn’t be perplexing me), and to make matters worse, many of my classmates, including a few very close friends, have been rejected by virtually all of their top choice schools, including UCLA and UC Berkeley, when in fact, I know that they are more qualified candidates. One close friend in particular has worked very hard throughout high school and was rejected from virtually every school she applied to (She applied to pretty much every top 20 institution and all the UC’s, but as of late, the best school she was accepted into was UC Irvine. While Irvine is by no means a bad school, one look at her resume would indicate that her abilities should net her better colleges).
I’m normally a person who doesn’t have much consciousness about others and their luck but I just find it hard to be happy when I know I’m getting more than I deserve because of luck. I would be happy to give up my spot at any one of these schools for a friend who is more qualified than I am. Should I be feeling this way? I really need some people to talk me through this to make me feel better because I’m kinda feeling like crap when I know it’s a little ridiculous to be feeling this way.
It is a little ridiculous to be feeling that way. You clearly had something that those colleges were looking for and therefore, you got in! You should be proud of yourself and your accomplishments - UCLA and UC Berkeley are great schools.
I am in a similar situation to your friends it seems. If you were my friend, however, I would definitely tell you not to feel guilty. While what happened to your friends is unfortunate, it is not your fault.
@insideandout : But the thing is I got rejected from lower tier uc’s, and I didn’t mention my stats for a reason: they are seriously way below the stats of those who usually get accepted. I know I shouldn’t be feeling guilty but I still feel kinda crappy. I don’t know if i’m mad at myself or at the system.
Would you feel better if you get a rejection from those schools?
I think definitely no. Doesn’t matter what you think. You are maybe a luck person or maybe you don’t. You should be grateful for what you have. Those schools saw something that they really like about you and probably on your friend don’t. Life is short to be regretting for something you will never know. Best of luck in your success on school.
@rebmob again, if people knew my stats, even those who got in would be feeling a little salty. And no, it’s not harvard or yale but not everyone is ivy league material despite what the cc population is like.
@Jr12317 : I wouldn’t feel to different if I knew my friends were getting into where they deserved, I’d be very happy at a school that lacks that kind of prestige such as UCSB.
But those are really good schools and even some people with perfect stats get rejected from this schools so you can’t really say that.
You can’t change something that is done. They made their decision and you clearly fit there. Don’t live other people lifes. Grades and scores aren’t everthing in those schools so don’t blame yourself. Also UCSB is a good school as well.
Well, UCLA it isn’t so far for being on the top 20. http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-ranked-no-2-public-university-no-8-overall-in-first-u-s-news-and-world-report-best-global-universities
UCBerkeley is on the top 20. Do you think IVY’s are everything?
What’s wrong with public schools?
@rebmob That is the most illogical thing I’ve heard today.
They are both excellent highly competitive schools and should not be taken lightly. Plus they have a lot better weather than Harvard.
“I’d be very happy at a school that lacks that kind of prestige such as UCSB” Sounds like you are scared because you are afraid you are going to be with all these super hard workers/smart kids. Relax, the admissions people thought you would do well. You sounds quite bright, now you have to focus on working a little harder
What are your stats? You are anonymous on here, so it’s okay to share. These schools have holistic admissions, obviously they wanted you because the pros balanced out the cons.
Don’t have that survivor’s guilt. I felt a similar way when I got my acceptance letter/tube from MIT, despite low test scores and probably average essays. They accepted you for a reason, embrace it!
@ZBlue17 I won’t share exact stats, but my standardized test scores are pretty good (8 AP tests by end of junior year passed, 3 SAT II’s of which 2 are 800s and 1 780, national merit finalist if that says anything about my sat score) but my gpa was about 0.25 under the average accepted for weighted and about 0.35 under the average accepted for unweighted. EC’s were mainly just community service and concert master of school orchestra, essays focused on family/community and music.
@alicksmeow Congratulations on your acceptances. There’s no need to feel guilty. Enjoy it and move on with your college career.
Why nitpick. The point of the post is that there are thousands of students in CA and elsewhere who were WL or rejected from this school and would happily take her spot. Let her enjoy and relax.
Since you claim not to be a hardworker I assume you did not study as hard as your friends for standardized tests? So you are naturally bright, now harnass it, you will be fine
Agree ^^. Your scores aren’t bad. I saw a post from one of the students here that got in Cal Tech but Waitlisted in one of the UC’s.
The new global rankings follow the publication’s release last month of its annual rankings of the nation’s top colleges and universities. In that report, UCLA ranked No. 2 among the nation’s best public universities and No. 23 overall. Did you read that part? @rebmob
Did you read my post about UCLA? I said it isn’t so far for being on the top 20. but at least for me UCLA is a great school. Thousands of students would like to be there.
@rebmob, you’re probably in HS, but being a slave to USN’s rankings (which, BTW, don’t always reflect real-world perceptions) betrays a lack of critical thinking skills. Evidently, the idea that 2 different ranking systems may use different weightings of criteria escapes you.
Also, while big publics tend to have more large lecture classes,
- You won’t be able to escape them even at Harvard or Stanford (Stanford’s largest class has 650 students).
- Depending on your major, your upper-level classes can be all small sizes. In fact, most majors would be that way (obviously the less popular ones).
- You clearly have no idea what makes a university class good or not. I went to an Ivy-equivalent, and the best class I had in my major had 100+ students. The worst class I took in my major had fewer than 10 students in it. The quality of the teaching of the professor makes a huge and much bigger difference than class size. I’ve been reading reviews of a major in another school, and the classes the students thought were the best were the core classes (all huge) while the worst were all elective classes (some small).
Anyway, to the OP, selectivity to the UCs can depend on your major. Plus, Cal (and UCLA) can be quite holistic. So maybe they weighed your essay more heavily than the other UC’s did.
Something many kids don’t get is that, fair or not, stats are everything.
See my grades I have been waitlisted at both-
English-ICSE NH 96
Mathematics-ICSE NH 100
Social Science-ICSE NH 94
Science-ICSE NH 98
Hindi-ICSE NH 95
Computer Applications-ICSE NH 100
Grade 10-
Social Science ICSE NH 94
English ICSE NH 92
Mathematics ICSE NH 98
Science ICSE NH 94
Computer Applications ICSE NH 98
Hindi NH 92
Grade 11-
Mathematics- ISC NH 98
English- ISC NH 96
Physics-ISC NH 98
Chemistry-ISC NH 95
Computer Science-ISC NH 100
Grade 12 (predicted by school)
English 90
Physics 97
Chemistry 95
Mathematics 98
Computer Science 100
So, I am pretty sure that they are difficult to get in.
But, I realize that the adcom had a perfectly good reason to admit OP, you are great OP do not down yourself. Enjoy the glory of attending your dream school. 
Stats arenot_ everything, I meant.