I applied to too many schools to admit and got rejected from every single one. Granted, I know what my mistakes were: I spread myself thin by applying to so many and I applied to 0 safety schools. I only applied to schools that offered full tuition since my family is poor. The only safety school I was planning to apply to (UT) I actually missed the deadline.
So here I am. Sad, confused and feeling horrible for thinking any of those schools would even have accepted me. I’m so embarrassed only my immediate family knows, I can’t bring myself to tell anyone. I think my mom is embarrassed too?
My dream is to travel and go to school for marine science while living in dorms on-campus (I lived in dorms in summers for GT programs when younger and it’s been a desire since). So one option was taking a gap semester; yet again I’m poor.
So now a plan is I’m thinking of applying to UT as a transfer to attend Spring of 2021. Here’s my problem that I’m REALLY hoping I can get some sound advice on:
My high schools grades & recommendations were good. Higher than average for UT. GPA:4.3 & SAT: 1380. Not stellar numbers but higher than average for UT. Acceptance rates are also around 40-50% or so for incoming freshmen.
YET, if I take local college courses at the community college (online I assume), I will automatically be a “transfer “ student applying and ALL my high school hard work will be useless in my application (they don’t use it). I’ll have to get new college recommendations which seems hard since classes will likely be online and not sure how I’ll get to know any professors. And worst of all, acceptance rates for UT transfers is significantly lower…around 20% I think (don’t quote me. I just know it’s lower).
What should I do? I hate that my high school work will be in vain if I take college courses before applying, yet I may be decreasing my chances of getting accepted if they have just a semester or two (summer & fall 2020) of college classes vs. good SAT and high school gpa. Then again, what else can I do until Spring 2021?
Btw, UT offers free tuition which is why I chose that school. I have no financial help.
What should I do??? What’s best to increase chances of getting in? I hate that I didn’t apply earlier ?
Well…it is what it is. UT is hard to get into…and getting into an employable major is 10 times worse. I’m afraid it’s NOT transfer friendly. Even if you got in, there’s a high probability you’d be stuck as a liberal arts major. The good degrees are populated by kids chosen in advance as freshmen. They do that to game the system so they can keep graduation rates high.
Right now, I don’t think there’s much other option than to start at community college. It’s a perfect option for low income. You can finish your first two years debt free and then transfer anywhere in Texas…assuming that’s where you live.
I see what your saying. Yet, why do you suggest I do 2 yrs. at community college then transfer to any school in Texas if you mention UT is hard to get into as a transfer?
Why wait 2 yrs.?
Next year is going to be a mess just about everywhere. Most colleges and universities don’t even know yet if they will have a fall semester, if it will be live, if it will be online, etc. So this is a perfectly good time to take a gap year and apply for fall 2021 with a smarter application list. Think about that too.
Do any of your community colleges have guaranteed transfer options into state colleges? Ours have all sorts of programs, even one (fi you have a very high GPA and take specific classes in your 2-year school) guaranteed to get you into the state flagship’s engineering program (a highly impacted major at that school). Often these programs aren’t well advertised or made obvious. Pick up the phone and call your local CC and ask them about such opportunities.
I just wanted to comment on the note that you and your mom are embarrassed about your situation. As noted, this is a highly unusual year due to COVID, so I just wanted to point out that you can tell anyone that you’d like that you have decided to start at CC because of the cost savings, especially in light of the virus situation. Even if that was not your original thought, and even if you had been admitted to many schools, it may well have been the smarter decision. I assume it’s unlikely that you would have gotten a full ride, and with the economic uncertainty for so many, CC could prove to be a very smart move. I’m a big fan of CC and I know top students who have chosen it for 2 years, then followed with a great school to get their degree from.
If I were in your situation, I would consider pursuing a Bachelor of Liberal Arts at Harvard University’s Extension School.
https://www.extension.harvard.edu/academics/bachelor-liberal-arts-degree
To begin the admissions process, you simply register for classes. No application required. If you get a B or higher in your first 3 classes there, you are auto-admitted into the degree program.
Also, the cost of the degree is relatively inexpensive. Depending on your field of study, your entire degree program could cost as little as $60K total.
And, you can choose to take most of your classes online. You could even get a head start, beginning your undergraduate education in May during the summer term.
This is a relatively low cost bachelor degree program that requires no application, just demonstrated B or better performance. And in the end you get a diploma from Harvard University.
Just something to think about.
You are only a transfer at t.u. if you have 24 or more credits. Make sure that you understand how freshman vs transfer impacts any financial aid.
Have you looked into A&M Galveston? They have a marine biology program and still have open applications until July. UT would be difficult to get into so definitely spread out your net to more schools.
They absolutely do look at high school transcripts during the transfer admission process, especially for incoming sophomore transfers. Four years of high school do not disappear once you finish a single semester in college.
Being a transfer impacts financial aid. And top low income students who start at a CC are statistically less likely to finish a 4-year degree (in part because they get less financial aid) than if they started at a 4-year college.
Take a gap year and if you’re low income apply through Questbridge and/or Posse.
You can still apply to UT during your gap year. Do it the day the app opens! 
Email UT admission: " Dear Madam, Dear Sir {or, better: email your regional rep and use their name, Dear Ms/MrZ…} I’m my school’s valedictorian but due to Covid-19 I’m going to take a gap year. Would I still be eligible for the top 6% admission and full tuition scholarship? Thank you. Sincerely, … … "
Your stats are excellent.
What’s your EFC?
You should take a gap year.
Honestly, the only thing you should be embarrassed about is missing the deadline for UT.
I don’t know how you could let that happen.
There’s zero reason to be embarrassed about anything else.
Were you high enough in class rank to be guaranteed admission to UT?
@happymomof1 what do you suggest I do in that “gap year”?
That’s where I’m stuck. Should I go to CC and erase my high school grades and SAT score that makes me a competitive UT applicant, or just not attend college and apply as incoming Freshman using my HS scores and …work I guess??
I don’t know what I should do?
@NYMom122 one of my dreams is to live the dorm life, make friends and enjoy that campus housing though ?
It’s something I’ve looked forward to since I had a taste of the dorm life as a middle-schooler.
My mom had me young and always has told me she never lived that dorm college life and wants it for me too.
I think you should take a gap year and get help with your application list. Get your post count up, PM me, and I will help you reapply pro bono.
@itsgettingreal21 what do I do in that gap year?
Should I take college classes this summer and fall and apply as a transfer for Spring 2021 and erase all my hard work and competitive scores (for UT) from high school?
“Gap year” after high school typically means no college courses after high school graduation so that you can apply as frosh instead of transfer.
The most common gap year activity is working to earn money to help pay for college, but that option is less available now due to high unemployment (except perhaps if you want to work in a grocery store or delivery or some such). This forum skews high SES, so there is also chatter about high SES gap year activities like travel and other things that cost money that you are probably not interested in and which are also less likely to be available.
Was your class rank high enough for automatic admission?
Basically, your choices are:
- Start at community college and commit to the transfer pathway.
- Apply to less selective colleges that are still accepting applications.
- Take a gap year and do something like work and reapply to a different college list that includes affordable safeties.
@MistySteel27 that school doesn’t offer free tuition like UT does unfortunately.
@CHVRCHES I wish you were right but I already emailed admissions and if applying as a transfer they do not ask or look at any high school transcript, SAT scores or high school recommendations.
So yeah applying as a transfer means all my competitive scores (for UT) are trash.
@PurpleTitan I don’t know if I was “guaranteed “ admittance into UT if applied with my other college applications. But their average SAT scores for incoming freshmen were lower than my 1380 and with my GPA at 4.3 I think I had a good shot. I also had good EC…overall competitive for that university.
That’s why I’m banging my head at the wall at how stupid I was to miss that deadline.