ACT: 31
UW GPA: 3.6
International Student Class Rank Decile 10%
I applied to these colleges
Stanford
Emory University
Brown University
UChicago
University of the Pacific (Safety)
WashU at St. Louis
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Michigan (Deferred)
Boston College
Georgia Tech
I don’t know why but I applied to so many reach schools. I think I was just being overconfident of myself. My friends got into some of the best art schools in the world, but as for me I have not been accepted anywhere yet. I feel lost. I really don’t want to go to my safety school. I guess I could transfer later but I don’t really want to do that. College admissions really sucks.
If you really think that’s true, then today you need to find some schools that are matches that are still accepting applications. Don’t wait on this; find some schools where you could be happy that you’re also likely to get into.
Depending on if you also have rigorous courses and solid extra ciriculars, you might have a shot at Boston College. You should be able to get into University of the Pacific though. Also apply to other schools ASAP, if you are wary of your results.
On common app do college search and enter today’s date, see which colleges are still accepting applications. Then, apply.
(I know that Hendrix, which is a very good college, is still accepting applications. If you’re wondering how can they still be accepting applications if they’re such a good college, the reason is that they’re located in a small town outside Little Rock. Their location doesn’t make the academic offerings any less good.)
In addition, if you’re in a us High school, apply to all the public colleges still accepting applications in your state.
Many international students take the path of a CC to transfer to a good university. You can do that with your safety too. If you don’t want to go to U of Pacific, then it is not a safety for you.
Check out St. John’s College (Annapolis or Santa Fe) as a potential back-up/safety school to add. It has a similar vibe to some of the schools you’re looking at and they’re still accepting apps for next fall – you would prob be admitted with your stats too.
I hope things work out for you but it looks to me like they are all reaches with the exception of University of the Pacific. You were told by a couple of posters on CC back in December that many of these schools were big reaches with your academic stats. Honestly it is unfair to say “college admissions sucks” when you did not come up with a realistic list of reach, match, and safety schools that you would be happy to attend – you need to take some of the blame. I’m saying this not to be mean, but to impress on you that if you don’t get into a school you want to attend and decide to take a gap year and reapply that you honestly assess your academics, take time to find safety schools you love and adjust your application list.
^^^^ Sorry to repeat what @fancytheatrekid posted above about a similar offering, but mining old posts and telling the OP what he did wrong is not helpful in any way, especially since they admit the error in the post. Let’s try and help.
I disagree - @happy1 's criticism is totally fair and right on, and they also give some helpful, practice advice that had yet to be offered: "if you don’t get into a school you want to attend and decide to take a gap year and reapply … honestly assess your academics, take time to find safety schools you love and adjust your application list. "
If there is a less helpful phrase than “We told you so”, I have yet to hear it.
The fact that the “criticism is totally fair and right on” is irrelevant, as the criticism is redundant as the OP admits it in his first post. The last two sentences might have some use, but overall the post is throwing rocks at a duck.
If you want to know why I care about this, it is because many of these types of posts drive kids away from this site, and that is a shame because there is so much to be learned here.
if you act today there’s still lots of college with march 15th deadlines that aren’t too bad. unles you have very good essays or ECs you are probably right about not being accepted to any of them (unless you are living in NC)
@Postmodern As I noted the advice was meant to be helpful in the event the OP chooses to take a gap year and reapply. I hope it is taken in that spirit by the OP.
To be honest, given this list plus your GPA and ACT, I think that you have a pretty good chance of getting into the University of the Pacific. Otherwise I am not too optimistic, although you never know. Are you okay being full pay at any of these schools?
On another thread you state: “I’m not that strong academic wise, but I still want to go to a good school.”
One thing that you really need to keep right at the top of your mind: The top ranked schools are not “better” than other schools. What they are is academically tougher. There is more homework. The homework is tougher. The tests are tougher and are graded tougher. The classes cover more material and go faster.
Given your GPA and SAT, you should be very glad that you are very unlikely to get into for example Stanford or Michigan or U.Chicago. One of the very smartest friends of my daughter is very hard working and I think never got anything lower than an A in his life before going to university with a lot 5’s on a lot of APs. He had over 1500 SAT. He went to U.Chicago and every time we see him during breaks he complains about how much work it is. He has said “U.Chicago is where fun goes to die”. I think that he actually likes it there but it is hard even for him.
I think that after a year or two you might find that U of the Pacific is just right for you.
Yes, google colleges with late admissions deadlines. There are still good schools accepting applications. Siena and University of Kentucky (3/15); Rowan and Texas Tech (4/1); University of Nevada at Reno (4/7); Gettysburg and LSU (4/15); Clemson, Akron, Arizona (5/1). And many others. (You’d have to research to confirm the dates; I just found them with a quick search, can’t vouch for them. And I’m not sure if applying late has any impact on availability of programs, etc.) Time is of the essence. Some have 3/15 deadlines and others 4/1; some are later.