Match Me Please! [3.3 UW, 1360 SAT super score, math/econ]

I agree with others that you are putting way too much pressure on yourself. I know it’s really difficult to feel like you’re going to a “lesser” school than other peers. Everyone is comparing outcomes and wanting to feel validated, and nobody once to be the one at whose expense other people get to feel superior. But trust me when I say that all of this drama will blow over. If you actually go to college at Pitt, for example, you will be surrounded by smart and ambitious students who will most assuredly not be walking around feeling “less than” for being there. And a whole world of opportunities will be there for the taking; what you do with them will be up to you. Don’t sour on a potential college because other insecure teenagers have decided to look down on it to bolster their own egos. They don’t matter, and in the long run they’ll know better… and in the meantime, they won’t be in your daily life anyway. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Pitt, or U of Cincinnati (excellent suggestion since you sound like you would value a co-op model), or UDel or Drexel. Of course it’s stressful that you have schools you’d really like to attend but may or may not be able to get in. But honestly, even your “worst case scenarios” here are pretty great.

The interest in teaching is interesting; it sounds as if you have some concrete experience in this area and might be interested in an education career, even if you’re currently thinking of it as a “plan B.” It’s probably a good idea to emphasize colleges that can help you pivot in this direction if you decide to. (Of course, you can pursue that pivot even after undergrad. My sense is that it might be easier with a math degree vs econ/business, though.)

Are all schools on your list affordable? Villanova full-pay COA is almost $93K/year. Would you qualify for any need-based aid there? (Even if you do, they don’t guarantee full-need-met aid.) If you like Villanova and can afford it, have you considered other Catholic U’s? Fordham would be a reach, but not an unrealistic one. Loyola Maryland would be likely, and they have a business school with a finance major, and a fast-track one-year MAT program if you were to pivot toward teaching.

How about Bucknell as a low reach?

You have done some great stuff in high school. You will do great things in college too. You have already experienced how no school can make you successful if your mental health isn’t good. So, your highest priority should be not letting all of the overblown drama around college admissions drag you down emotionally. You’re “so nervous”… you’re “sad and scared”… you’re talking about “Is it over for me?” This is a spiral you really don’t need to be in.

Identify at least one “safety” school that you could be happy with. Take the focus off of how peers will react to where you go; think ahead to actually being at that school, with other students who have chosen to be there too. Look at the available programs and extracurriculars, and get excited about what your life would look like after you got there.

Above all, if you’re discussing college admissions/plans with your peers, STOP. Everyone is stressed and trying to make themselves feel better, and it’s a zero sum game - for some to feel better, others have to feel worse. Don’t take part in this. Focus on leaving this whole scene behind and envisioning the college experience you want to have.

You may not be competitive for ultra-rejective colleges, but you’re in a fine position. You can evidently afford fairly-expensive schools, and there are plenty of excellent programs that you can get into. You have a wealth of options that most young people in this world would envy. Don’t get sucked into this gloom-and-doom mindset. It’s costing your quality of life, and gaining you nothing. You’re going to be fine. Apply to a balanced list of schools, enjoy your senior year, and let the process unfold as it will.

5 Likes