<p>When people don’t understand how difficult admissions to top schools are, I just let them know that 50% of Caltech freshman did scientific research as high school students. That seems to be more effective at getting the point across than just saying “but the acceptance rate is only 10%!”</p>
<p>My school is really strange because about 50% of the students do science research. It’s a 7th period class and anyone can sign up for it. They usually conduct easy research and only the truly interested people have good projects. So I always wonder what colleges mean by scientific research, since at my school it’s very DGAF-ish.</p>
<p>As for AA, Abigail Fisher’s case really ****es me off because in her case, she didn’t get rejected because minorities “took her spot”. She was rejected primarily because she wasn’t good enough and the fact the she SUED instead of getting over it makes me angry.
And I’m pretty sure the Supreme Court didn’t ban AA, they just limited it.</p>
<p>edit: did that really just get censored. wow</p>
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<p>Yeah…people tell me my pessimism about college admissions is caused by my low self-esteem. :rolleyes:</p>
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<p>It’s Caltech, though…it’s almost more surprising that 50% of them didn’t.
But it does seem like the only people who ever get into the top five-ish schools are people who already have careers and know everything anyway. :)</p>
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<p>Me: I want to go to (insert selective college here), but it’s pretty unlikely.</p>
<p>Person: Yeah, you’re right.</p>
<p>Me: …</p>
<p>Me: Thanks.</p>
<p>:rolleyes:</p>
<p>UIUC’s opinion on teacher recommendations:</p>
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<p>I wish all colleges were like this.</p>
<p>I had my first day today!! It was pretty girl. I’m the only girl on AP Comp Sci which is kinda awkward. How was everyone else’s day?</p>
<p>First day of school wasn’t bad actually.</p>
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<p>Wow, I wish my school did something like that. Our science classes and labs are absolutely horrible. The last chem lab involved linking paperclips together and taking them apart “to simulate equilibrium.” Seriously. I never even knew there were high school students that did research until I found this site a few months ago. I guess it’s too late now… :/</p>
<p>evanatch, same here… I didn’t even know research in high school was like a thing until a couple months ago.</p>
<p>@heather And UIUC doesn’t want transcripts. We have to self report. Basically all one has to send in is their test scores. It’s so easy to apply there. That’s probably why everyone in my school applies there other than it being the state flagship. </p>
<p>So some people at my school are crazy. They are applying to 17-25 schools. Here I am thinking my 8-9 schools were too much.</p>
<p>By research, they <em>usually</em> mean original stuff that hasn’t been done, or at least you need to do it in a different way. Except for that girl who won Intel last year… I was really not impressed. I thought the 2nd and 3rd place peoples’ projects were MUCH more interesting and original.</p>
<p>If my school had a research class like that, everyone would go rabid and try to sign up for it because people are really into STEM. I’ve met like, 5 people in my school (and I know a ton of people in my 2000 people school) who want to major in the arts. </p>
<p>People at my school mostly fit under the “crazy” category, then. I’m sure there’s a lot of people apply to more than 25, even counting the UCs as one school. They want like the top 20 on their list, and then they need to add more realistic and safety schools. The joys of being in a place where you literally can’t tell if you’re in America or Asia. (Well that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, lol)</p>
<p>Everyone ready to be jealous? I just hit submit on my last application.</p>
<p>Nice. At least someone hasn’t been procrastinating.</p>
<p>Good job @VanillaThunder!</p>
<p>Today was my first day of school and it went great! I like almost all of my teachers, some I’ve had before and I visited some of my old ones today too. I have mostly small classes too which is nice! </p>
<p>As far as schools, I don’t feel awkward telling my close friends, but I don’t like telling adults. I talked to my SAT prep teacher today who’s a teacher at my school because it was a class and she asked and I just said I have a long list, I’ll let you know where I get accepted. It’s mostly because of my major (dance), I feel awkward naming schools where maybe the academics are slightly lower or unknown schools. </p>
<p>Anyway, here’s to a great senior year!</p>
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<p>Yeah, honestly, I don’t think science competitions are always the best judge of good work/creativity. I know people who did really good stuff- additions to fundamental theories but it was controversial and the judges didn’t go for it. </p>
<p>Algae biofuels is just hot and ‘sustainable’, so people like it. The girl who got 8th in STS…I don’t program but a lot of people have told me, it’s basically creating a ‘cloud’ and sorting key words to indicate breast cancer and something pretty common.</p>
<p>Meh. Science competitions don’t really affect your later career, but I think HS research definitely helps in development. </p>
<p>1st day today…had one class. Teacher assigned a unit test for Friday - review of stuff I did 2 years ago and new crap he didn’t even teach properly. Ugh. </p>
<p>I tacked on a philosophy elective, so I have 2 out of 4 blocks free everyday. Next term is going to be similar, though AP physics/AP Euro go to half days, grade 12 social studies is a full course and one grad req. I’m going to try and take gym online, since I don’t want to be in a class with sophomores.</p>
<p>Yeah, that sounds right for the 8th place person. I program some - like, I use it in my research, but I’m not one of those people who’re obsessed with it. </p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any former Intel/Siemens finalists in the news. Maybe we have to wait for them, since a lot of science awards are later in careers, but the competitions have been going for a while. The finalists just… disappear. </p>
<p>Haha, sometimes companies need to write grants to “research cancer” or “build spacecraft” just to get money, even if that’s not what they actually do, especially with sequestering or whatever. </p>
<p>Today was the first day of my 3.5th week (we started on a Thursday so it’s weird). I have a AP Econ test and AP Chemistry test back to back on Monday. Econ is pretty straightforward, although I’m not sure if I’ll do well on the test. Ugh.</p>
<p>Just found out today that I was suppose to send teacher recs via Naviance and not Common App…oops.</p>
<p>How are people applying to 25+ schools? It seems the Common App only lets you apply to 20… I guess some schools use their own apps, but still – ‘counting the UCs as 1.’ Yikes.</p>
<p>25+ is crazy, I don’t know anyone who’s applying to that many. I had my list at 14 then added one and took two off so… lucky number 13? That still seems like too many to me.</p>