I meant “penchant” as in you have a habitual liking to do something- in this case, taking on A LOT. You posted this at the end of September:
Hey, I am back… with an update!
On September 18 (two days before the add/drop deadline!) I dropped out of AP Statistics because I overly stressed myself out, to keep it simple. Something else happened, but I would not like to describe it.
My schedule now:
AP Lit (btw I am literally failing w a 61)
Introductory Calculus (I have an 80)
Gym/Physics Lab
Physics (I have a 70, but I am getting a tutor)
AP Computer Science A (I have a 73, weighted 77, also getting a tutor)
Economics (I have a 90, easy class)
free period! - I normally go to the library or TA in one of my favorite teachers’ Spanish 3 class, but I still get super bored and miss AP Statistics a lot!
College Spanish 5 (I have a 90, weighted 92.7. The class is literally all presentations…and then some vocab/grammar, but I guess it’s the end of my Spanish career!)
Resource Room (not graded)
To me- this post of yours, after about a month of school, seems to be shouting “too much”. And I get that you don’t want “Grade 13” for college- but you also don’t want college to be miserable because you can’t keep up, you’re constantly dropping classes before the deadline when you discover that you have a 61 or a 73 and need more tutoring to hold your own. Challenging yourself is FANTASTIC. So is understanding your limits.
And in my mind- spending time on the Cornell application when you could be applying to more “sure bets”-- seems like grinding your wheels.
Marist won’t be 13th grade - and if you don’t want their special program don’t apply for it . I’m sure you can reassess later on.
However, regardless of which 4-year you choose, college is not HS. It’s like having 4-5APs each semester with a lot more autonomy … and a lot more hw
You just want that sure thing. 2 colleges where you’re clearly in the top 25% GPA-wise.
If not Marist, apply to SUNY Albany+Honors and SUNY New Paltz or SUNY ESF (…or whatever SUNYs are interesting to you but more reachable than Bing/Buff for Engineering, where the bottom 25% threshold is low 90s uwGPA - you need sure things).
Leave Cornell (RD) to later. Focus on those EA/Nov15 apps for now.
…why’d I read this as if you were being sarcastic? I…hope you mean it? (sorry I literally cannot tell)
I’m assuming you’ve read through this whole thread, but you know I dropped my 3 APs, right? (CSA/Lit/Stats). EDIT like 3 minutes after: I realize you did notice that I have from your perspective of me challenging myself.
I actually was SUPER CLOSE to having a WP (withdraw pass) on my transcript for AP CSA, but my GC and school SW got the W removed on my transcript…some people are jealous of me (because a lot of people dropped out and now have a W on their transcript) and they think the only reason I got the W removed by the Student Review Team (SRT) was because I’m learning disabled and my…great (sarcasm)…social history in the school!
All my apps now aren’t due until January, except I’m sending 4 of them this week.
I keep freaking out that just maybe my list doesn’t have any sure things. It’s hard to find some, and I’ve just been putting whatevers.
I only took on a lot because I wanted to try it. It was overwhelming and I would love to have at least one AP right now (preferably AP Stats) but I just have no room to do anything.
I am being completely transparent with you. I don’t think there’s a single person on this thread who isn’t sitting in your cheering section yelling '“You can do this”. If I knew you in real life I know you’d be one of my favorite young people.
On its face, there is nothing wrong with reaching high and then adjusting when it’s too much for you. Bravo to you for trying. And your positive attitude is infectious!
But there’s a balance to be struck between reaching high and then dropping downwards, vs. knowing your own limits ahead of time and creating the right space for you to be successful. So sure- a reach college or two. But then focus on the rest of the list- hitting the ball out of the park on the applications for colleges where your stats suggest you will be top/middle/lower middle of the pack, and set up for success on day 1 if you end up there.
College classes move VERY quickly. There isn’t a lot of time to adjust to the workload…
…actually? That’s…an extensive compliment…thanks. It really means a lot.
I wish I was like that all the time; obviously since you don’t know me in real life you don’t know the anxiety and depression I’ve been through (along with my LD, heh) and I’m definitely still living in it (especially at this time in my life!) People in my life before my crisis would say that I’m always happy (I hope to break the stigma that there’s no such thing as an ALWAYS HAPPY person!)…well…it’s not true and I obviously don’t try to be happy even when I know I’m far from it.
This specifically is going in my “College Application Quote Book”…yes…it actually exists. It’s on my phone, though. Thank you. Immensely.
The song that’s holding me together during the college application process, funnily: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk [Let it Go, yes, the Frozen one.]
I have an unhealthy obsession with this song…not just in English…but I’ve listened to it in 100+ languages.
If you’re curious, my favorites: English, Spanish (all Spanish versions), Saga, Belarusian, Russian, German, Japanese, Korean, and Uyghur. You can find these all on YouTube…!
Some colleges where you can study STEM fields in a supportive environment AND a Nov 15 or Dec1 (or later) deadline AND where your odds are good (50% sure or higher).
Agnès Scott
Beloit
DePauw
**NYIT ** (Dec1)
UScranton
**WPI **(Jan 5)
Use CommonApp. Having a couple sure things will alleviate your stress.
Add a couple SUNYs (with Honors college whenever possible).
Btw I do think you have a shot at a STEM major at St Lawrence (not a sure thing, but Dec1 deadline and solid majors+supportive environment https://www.stlawu.edu/ )
Honestly if you’re really stressed, purely as a stress reliever, you could apply to PSu Abingdon or Altoona and hear back by December. Obviously not a real choice because SUNYs are so much better than PSU branch campuses and have such better ROI (SUNYs are solid choices ) but just to have a sure thing in your back pocket while waiting for the real answers. Perhaps some other state systems have quick replies for some of their campuses, perhaps U Southern Maine???
Once you have sure things, you can move to matches and reaches, even super reaches if you have time, but super reaches should be the last ones you work on.
Yeah, I get it – but if I’m stressed out, why apply to even MORE schools? (curious)
I thank you for all the schools and information but I just cannot put a handle on why I need to apply to them anyway… if I sound dismissive (again) – not trying to, I’m just trying to figure this all out + fast!
Not a single one of these colleges will feel like Grade 13. All are well respected four year institutions with terrific faculty. Good job MYOS-- a robust list of “within reach” colleges!
Typically it’d be easy for you to send the app through CommonApp… and you seemed to alleviate stress by keeping busy&applying to Cornell so I suggested college apps that would be less time consuming or could even be fun (some prompts for SUMMIT or specific programs at DePauw are fun imho😋). Basically redirect your energy towards something productive that won’t stress you out the way the Cornell app is.
Also because SUNYs take a while to send decisions, plus your SUNYs are low reaches… you want “sure things”, especially some that give acceptances quickly.
Having an acceptance really alleviates stress for seniors. You can feel relieved and proud before Christmas and it’ll make a huge difference to your quality of life.
If all you have to do is click Submit and, sometimes, write 1-2 200 word essays, sounds like a good bargain to me
I already have 13 supplements (heh) I don’t know, really, how I feel about adding more in the loop.
Sorry? I can’t tell if I should apologize or not, it sounds like it’s appropriate here but I do not know.
Where did you get this from? I cannot tell what I’ve said that shows this.
No need to apologize for anything. Just trying to help
What colleges are the 13 supplements for?
Note that you can probably tailor your basic “why college X” essay to each college like a stump speech is tailored to its location&audience.
I think people on this thread want to make sure you have a college to go to so at least one sure thing on your list. This is why some posters have suggested that you add a couple more schools that will be easier to get into. If you don’t want to add more work, then perhaps you can substitute two safety schools for one or two reachier (not a word but fits) schools that you are less enthused about and with the application(s) often being more work.
[As the original author, I took this down. The more I think of it, the more depressed I get. And quite frankly, I thought about deleting my CC account.]
Do your parents know how you are feeling? Does your school counselor know? Is there a teacher you are close to (perhaps the Spanish teacher) who you can confide in?
It doesn’t need to be like this. Honestly. Please let someone you trust IRL know how overwhelmed and tightly wound you are right now. You deserve to feel good about life, starting right this second. You are more important than college admissions. You are more important than your “list” or any of your deadlines.
Hugs. please talk to someone who can help you get off this treadmill.
. I’m sure you can reassess later on.
) but just to have a sure thing in your back pocket while waiting for the real answers. Perhaps some other state systems have quick replies for some of their campuses, perhaps U Southern Maine???