To (All) the Colleges That Rejected Me

Parents Forum
1001

<p>The in-school music opportunities are much less here than they were where I grew up. Only a couple of schools in the region have string programs at all. Band instruments can be started in 5th or 6th grade. There is no school orchestra, because there are so few string players. Which means that kids who play stringed instruments must go outside the school to have lessons or play in an orchestra, so it becomes a time-consuming EC. (Not to mention the expense.)</p>

<p>This can definitely have an effect on HS standing. Kids who started band instruments early can fulfill the HS arts requirement very easily: string players and everyone else either have to start a completely new instrument, or take art classes, which are very time-consuming at our HS. (The requirement is 3 arts electives, at least 2 of which must be in the same discipline.) Since grades here are entirely unweighted, the easy A a reasonably competent band player gets will have a positive effect on his or her GPA with comparatively little effort. </p>

<p>It is the reverse of the common situation where a musical kid takes a hit to his or her GPA by playing in a school ensemble.</p>

1002

<p>Kudos to the young lady for getting her piece published in WSJ. That’s about all I think about her and her 15 minutes of fame. As for essays with diversity themes, I wish they’d phrase the prompt differently… how about, “In 500 words or less, explain how you are unique.” Because ultimately, we are all unique and it may or may not have anything to do with where we were born or to whom we were born. From what I understand, answering a diversity essay question by saying “I’m whole/half/quarter <em>substitute nationality here</em> and that’s how I will add diversity to your college/company” would be a mistake anyway. That kind of response, in and of itself, displays a lack of creativity or self-awareness. Boorrr-ing. I think the diversity prompt is a good opportunity for someone to express what kind of person they are, how they see themselves, how well they know themselves, how they feel about themselves and their place in the world. If a college or organization doesn’t like what they see, isn’t it best not to be a part of them anyway?</p>

<p>BTW, I like the “Why us?” prompt. If someone can’t express why they want to study a certain topic, attend a certain school, do a certain type of work, or work for a company, they probably don’t belong there. </p>

<p>My kids graduated from a flagship public university, went on to grad school and med school at a public university, and are doing just fine. One with a great job and one in med school. They didn’t suffer for not going to a prestigious, private college. When they applied for grad school/med school, they talked about their passion for the field of study, and the things they did for hobbies and leisure. When asked why they wanted to go to XYZ, they knew how to answer the question because they sincerely wanted to go there for a reason. If the adcoms didn’t like their reason, so be it… they probably didn’t belong there. They won some and lost some, just like real life. They didn’t have any thrilling stories to tell about overseas adventures, they aren’t URMs, they don’t have any of the hooks that people talk about so much.</p>

<p>As for Suzy’s assertions, there are students who believe, right or wrong, that they need to cultivate unique stories and adventures in order to sell themselves to selective schools. There are students who do stuff in high school just to check a box and not necessarily because they want to. Personally, I think it’s a waste of valuable time that could be spent doing things that really do interest them. (Not talking about watching TV, etc…) </p>

<p>I’m not really a first time poster to CC but haven’t been active in a long time and can’t remember my old information…</p>

1003

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<p>I am a bit surprised that you would admit to the above statements. You are usually among the first to slam anyone with such an “elitist” attitude.</p>

1004

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<p>I always assumed that this was exactly what the colleges were looking for when asking the question. (Especially the public u’s that cannot use race as a factor in admissions.) It is a way for them to discover an applicant’s race and use it to achieve campus racial (and income) diversity under the guise of admitting an applicant due to his <em>outstanding essay!</em></p>

1005

<p>Fidget, good thoughts.<br>
The new CA essay prompts are out and worth a look.</p>

1006

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<p>Not true in the least. PG consistently complains about people who think that an adequate concentration of talented students can only be found at the “Ivy+a few more” schools. She would point out that they can also be found in abundance at elite LACs, other top Us, and the like, and that an Ivy-or-bust obsession is misguided.</p>

1007

<p>Second that. Afaiac, PG has been clear. </p>

<p>Bay, keywords "creativity " and “self awareness.”</p>

1008

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<p>My impression is that the application essay is scrutinized more closely by private colleges…especially LACs to determine now only good writing skills, but also whether said candidate is genuinely interested and has done the requisite research into the unique campus culture of each college.</p>

<p>This is especially important for smaller LACs and LAC-like universities where admitting just a few students who don’t fit the campus culture can really disrupt and possibly even destroy the fabric of said culture.</p>

1009

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<p>What does this mean? </p>

<p>The top colleges use race as a factor in admissions, and expressly say so. If that factor will work in your favor, you would be stupid not to let the colleges know about your race. They <em>want</em> to know, because they are trying to build a class that includes about 40% URMs. If you don’t specify, they assume you are White. You can just check the box, sure, and leave it at that, but some colleges expressly state that those checked boxes will not affect your admissions chances. Your race will affect your admissions chances, there is no doubt about it, and it is no secret.</p>

<p>Which is why Suzy’s lines about headdresses and Native Americans is on point.</p>

1010

<p>Bay,</p>

<p>If colleges want to be 40% URM, why is Harvard, a school that certainly has it’s pick of applicants, and pays attention to race, 14% URM?</p>

<p>Afterall, Harvard could easily fill it’s seats with 100% of almost any group?</p>

1011

<p>Curious,</p>

<p>Actually, its 23% for freshman class.[Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Statistics](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/statistics.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/statistics.html)</p>

<p>Sorry, I was in hurry as I am now. The percentage was not the point; the point was that Harvard et al, are expressly looking for racial diversity.</p>

1012

<p>Bay, where do you get your facts and figures? Here you’re saying that colleges want to be 40% minority, despite actual evidence to the contrary, and on the other thread you’re talking about CA being the most poverty-bound and least educated, and again there is actual evidence presented through the census a few posts later pointing out the untruth of your remarks.</p>

<p>Do you just make stuff up to support your viewpoints or what?</p>

1013

<p>Bay, it’s not that simple. Where do you get notions like, they assume you are white? Or that simply telling them you are URM is all it takes? That all you have to do, in an essay, is confirm URM and you’re in?</p>

<p>Btw, have you looked at a common app?</p>

1014

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Which colleges say that?</p>

1015

<p>“That all you have to do, in an essay, is confirm URM and you’re in?”</p>

<p>She wouldn’t be the first person to assume this. There are also those who believe some colleges “throw” money at you if you are an URM. Please, I want proof of that so I can steer my URM daughter there!</p>

<p>As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, my H heard the same kind of nonsense well before the Common App and at a state U 30 years ago. This kind of thinking is nothing new. All the poor pitiful me stuff just has a wider audience with the advent of the internet and social networking sites.</p>

1016

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<p>I doubt she believes that, but rather that being a URM provides a boost, just as being a legacy or a recruited athlete does. The boost may not be sufficient to get someone admitted, but it exists at many selective schools.</p>

1017

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<p>What does CA stand for?</p>

1018

<p>Thank you, consolation and lookingforward.</p>

1019

<p>CA=California.</p>

1020

<p>Because I am behind on this thread, and also because I am feeling even more contrarian than usual due to working on income taxes all weekend, in response to posts #986 by lookingforward, #987 by TheGFG, and #1000 by Pizzagirl:</p>

<p>Current status of the QMSE (QuantMech Stock Exchange):</p>

<p>Empathy, up 2 1/8
Patience, down 1 3/4
Kindliness, up 1/8
Creativity, no change
Generosity, no change
Charity, up 1/4
Bravery, no change (but mighty small to begin with)
Diligence, down 2 (bleah!)
Thoughtfulness, no change</p>