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CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-17, 09:40 PM
Well, for all the high school seniors here, myself included, it's finally starting...:eek:

Is anybody else freaking out over this too? Because I'm freaking out, school hasn't started yet, and I'll probably get an ulcer mid-November. :smalltongue:

Blue Ghost
2010-08-17, 09:45 PM
Freaking out? Indeed. Any mention of college applications gives me a headache. Got started on my college essay, and hoping it will turn out well enough eventually.

I'd suggest you leave off deciding between colleges until you find out which ones accepted you.

Vaynor
2010-08-17, 09:47 PM
I just went through this last year, it's really not that bad, I'm sure you'll do great wherever you go. :smallsmile:

What schools are you looking at?

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-17, 09:49 PM
Freaking out? Indeed. Any mention of college applications gives me a headache. Got started on my college essay, and hoping it will turn out well enough eventually.

I'd suggest you leave off deciding between colleges until you find out which ones accepted you.

I haven't started the common app essay yet, although I know what I want to write and I have worked on the other parts.

Doctor Acula
2010-08-17, 09:53 PM
I am entering my freshman year at frostburg and am doing the same thing for school I wanna transfer too because I HATE frostburgs reputation

Forever Curious
2010-08-17, 09:54 PM
Well, I literally only had one college I was set on going to (which didn;t use the Common Ap), so I can't say I shared your anxiety.

In any event, when it comes to essays just write what you know and don;t be afraid to wax poetic about your accomplishments (if/when needed).

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-17, 09:58 PM
Well, I literally only had one college I was set on going to (which didn;t use the Common Ap), so I can't say I shared your anxiety.

In any event, when it comes to essays just write what you know and don;t be afraid to wax poetic about your accomplishments (if/when needed).

Congratulations. I'm not so lucky. The colleges I want to go to...I have a very small chance of getting into. :smalleek:

Syka
2010-08-17, 10:00 PM
Oz is going through this right now. Two of the universities he's applying to open for apps September 1st and he's doing his darndest to get his portfolio finished.

I'm super excited for him, but it'll be a bummer if he doesn't get accepted (he's applying to 3 very good film schools). If he doesn't, we have a back up plan though.


Good luck to all ye college applicants! I envy you not.

Milskidasith
2010-08-17, 10:29 PM
I am very happy all the colleges I am thinking of applying to, besides MIT (which is, due to cost issues, really a better option for grad school; while it is obviously the top engineering program, it is not so significantly better that student loans become a worthwhile prospect), have me pretty much getting in automatically.

I'm honestly not all that worried. I don't have a ton of leadership experience, but I've got a fair list of extracurricular activities, and, again, I automatically get in to the colleges I'm applying to due to grades and test scores, so... yeah. Go A&M's fairly liberal automatic admissions policy, UT's general ease of application, and University of Arkansas and LSU having yet easier automatic entry requirements. Only MIT, if I even apply, is really something I have doubts about, and again, that would be really pricey.

Xyk
2010-08-17, 10:57 PM
I fear I'm procrastinating them. I can't decide my major and require a substantial scholarship to go anywhere. I really want to go out of state (my college of choice is UO in Eugene, Oregon), but I live all the way down here in Texas. I'm pretty scared. The future is a jerk.

@^ You're from texas too! I also get auto-admit to everywhere in state due to my 2120 SAT score and solid 3rd quarter of my class :smalltongue:. Though my high school is 91st in the country according to Newsweek I think. I'm looking at UNT, but again, I'd need a substantial scholarship to live on campus.

Milskidasith
2010-08-17, 11:03 PM
Actually, no, I'm from Louisiana, but A&M has a "top 25% with decent ACT and SAT scores" admissions policy for out of state students. The essays (which I think I did well on) only help for scholarships.

If I was from Texas, I'd also automatically get in to UT, but I am fairly certain my scores and transcript (2290 SAT, 35 ACT, #1 in class with lots of AP courses) will let me get in through holistic review. :smallsmile:

Zexion
2010-08-17, 11:09 PM
Hey, Coffee, I recommend putting "has a webcomic with 30,000 views" on your application. I have several friends who are university/college professors, and they say that everyone applying to the big schools is smart, and to make your application stand out, you have to either:
1. Do sports.
2. Do lots and lots of volunteer work, possibly in foreign countries (although that's probably not applicable here).
or 3. <something that includes a webcomic> :smallbiggrin::smallsmile:

Xyk
2010-08-17, 11:12 PM
Actually, no, I'm from Louisiana, but A&M has a "top 25% with decent ACT and SAT scores" admissions policy for out of state students. The essays (which I think I did well on) only help for scholarships.

If I was from Texas, I'd also automatically get in to UT, but I am fairly certain my scores and transcript (2290 SAT, 35 ACT, #1 in class with lots of AP courses) will let me get in through holistic review. :smallsmile:

What the hell is wrong with you? Have you won a nobel prize yet? Don't you dare waste your time with those clowns at A&M. I don't get auto-admit to UT because of the whole "3rd quarter" thing. But luckily, my school has made it so class rank does not automatically attach to the transcript. It's a step in the right direction. Class rank puts those uneducated kids in small towns who barely pass the joke of a state test but manage a top 10% in UT.

Dubious Pie
2010-08-17, 11:13 PM
In 2 years, due to this nifty Running Start thing, I will be going off to Community College for 2 years, then transfering to WWU or UW-Seattle. Hoping for the latter, because they have good CS and EE programs. If I only could go out of state...

Phase
2010-08-17, 11:17 PM
Yeah, sort of freaking out. I'm afraid I'm on a college tour right now, covering some East Coast colleges. Luckily I spent the past two years doing research at NYU, so I have a significant edge over the other A students, but still, freaking.

A Rainy Knight
2010-08-17, 11:19 PM
I've done some college touring, and I'm currently in the process of getting all my college application essays written. I've written 7 already and have at least 3 more to write. Fun times all around.

Milskidasith
2010-08-17, 11:20 PM
What the hell is wrong with you? Have you won a nobel prize yet? Don't you dare waste your time with those clowns at A&M. I don't get auto-admit to UT because of the whole "3rd quarter" thing. But luckily, my school has made it so class rank does not automatically attach to the transcript. It's a step in the right direction. Class rank puts those uneducated kids in small towns who barely pass the joke of a state test but manage a top 10% in UT.

A&M and UT are both perfectly fine schools and I do not think my opinion will change based on which school I go to. Both of them, from my tour, looked like perfectly acceptable places to go.

Unless you are saying I should apply to neither of them and shoot for MIT, or something, but that's no guarantee.

So... yeah, I take it you are applying to UT, then?

Xyk
2010-08-17, 11:26 PM
I feel bad about my chances because I'm a B student. You guys worked during high school. Jerks. I got a 2120 SAT, and a 29 ACT, but I have no motivation to work hard. I really want to go far away and have an adventure. Plus I'm still confused like I mentioned earlier.

EDIT: No, UT would not accept me. I'm in the third quarter. Like 52nd percentile. I would need another substantial scholarship. Definitely apply to UT, but A&M is infamous in Texas for its idiots. I think you'd probably do great at MIT too, or UC Berkeley.


Edited again for grammar and spelling. That "it's/its" thing always gets me.

Milskidasith
2010-08-17, 11:27 PM
I feel bad about my chances because I'm a B student. You guys worked during high school. Jerks. I got a 2120 SAT, and a 29 ACT, but I have no motivation to work hard. I really want to go far away and have an adventure. Plus I'm still confused like I mentioned earlier.

Could your confusion be because your mind is...

:smallcool:

Fried like an egg?

YEEEEEeah, that one was reaching a bit.

EDIT: Also, most of the top engineering schools are very expensive and very far from home. UT and A&M are probably my best options. I could apply to a lot of colleges, but it takes a lot of work and, not having visited them, I really can't judge; while the top schools are probably the top schools for a reason, A&M and UT are in the top 10-15 engineering schools in the nation, and University of Arkansas and LSU are actually fairly decent (~100th in the nation).

Again, while I could get into those schools, I do not think that the extra costs associated with many of them is necessarily worth the slight benefit in prestige, especially when, coming from all the programs listed as a potential chemical engineer, I have a (statistically) 90+% chance of getting at least one job or graduate degree offer, along with above average pay for a chemical engineer.

Commander McCoy
2010-08-17, 11:34 PM
I've been stressing about this a lot lately, but what I've only just realized is that I don't even want a higher education. I'm perfectly happy with the diploma I'll be receiving in a few months. I'm probably just going to enlist in the Air Force.

Xyk
2010-08-17, 11:44 PM
Could your confusion be because your mind is...

:smallcool:

Fried like an egg?

YEEEEEeah, that one was reaching a bit.

EDIT: Also, most of the top engineering schools are very expensive and very far from home. UT and A&M are probably my best options. I could apply to a lot of colleges, but it takes a lot of work and, not having visited them, I really can't judge; while the top schools are probably the top schools for a reason, A&M and UT are in the top 10-15 engineering schools in the nation, and University of Arkansas and LSU are actually fairly decent (~100th in the nation).

Again, while I could get into those schools, I do not think that the extra costs associated with many of them is necessarily worth the slight benefit in prestige, especially when, coming from all the programs listed as a potential chemical engineer, I have a (statistically) 90+% chance of getting at least one job or graduate degree offer, along with above average pay for a chemical engineer.

That's fair. Still, living on college station is just hell from what I hear from friends who have gone there and are not jocks. What will probably end up happening is a double major for me. Elementary education and either physics, musical composition, music education, or criminology.

Milskidasith
2010-08-17, 11:52 PM
Side note: No matter how much you dislike Wal-mart, they *really* make the University of Arkansas an attractive instutition to go to; job offers from any school there are nearly guaranteed, and they get massive funding.

Anyway, thank you for your advice, Xyk. I will take it into consideration (and I mean that, I'm not just being polite).

THAC0
2010-08-18, 01:18 AM
music education

Ah, someone after my own heart. Penn State rocks, btw. :smallcool:

Lioness
2010-08-18, 04:57 AM
Man, everything's so much easier here.

We order 6 courses (can be from different Unis) in order or preference. Then we apply through a third party thing that manages every uni application. Then we wait until the end of the year when we find out our results, and then a little bit later we find out, based on them, whether we've been accepted or not.

I'm applying for:


Education/Arts - Adelaide Uni
Arts - Adelaide Uni
Education/Arts - Flinders Uni
Arts - Flinders Uni
Psychology - Adelaide Uni
Psychology - Flinders Uni

Adelaide is closer, but I'd rather do Arts than Psychology.

GrlumpTheElder
2010-08-18, 05:12 AM
Man, everything's so much easier here.


And here in England, except we only get 5 aplications. We then either get offered a place (conditional to you acheving certain grades) or declined from these universities. Of all the universities that have offered you a conditional place, you pick two; a firm (first) choice and an insurance (second) choice. When A-Level results come out (which is tomorrow :smalleek:) the universites will tell you whether your grades are high enough to be accepted.


My firm choice is:
Optometry at Aston University (in Birmingham) Need grades AAA
And my insurance choice is:
Optometry at Anglia-Ruskin University (in Cambridge) Need grades AAB

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-18, 06:57 AM
The problem with me is that I'm in competition with about 20 others from my school.
But I do a bunch of extracurriculars and actually I think the webcomic here might help me out a bit. Especially since people like it?

Milskidasith
2010-08-18, 07:00 AM
The problem with me is that I'm in competition with about 20 others from my school, and they've all got slightly higher GPAs than I do...

And what makes it really annoying is that A) I'm the only on in school who understands the meaning of the term, "Friendly rivalry," and there's the science olympiad in school which I'm actually really good in, but of course some of them joined up this year just for the college transcript and then one of them ended up vice-president when I was running for it too simply because it's a popularity contest and they all voted for her. :smallannoyed:

But I do a bunch of extracurriculars and actually I think the webcomic here might help me out a bit. Especially since people like it?

Webcomic will help.

Also, according to schools I visited, adding a bunch of extracurriculars in your junior/senior year really doesn't help; while they don't mark down points, and they certainly won't ignore any charitable deeds you did because of those organizations, they can generally tell when people are joining things to pad their transcript. So... yay for people who shallowly join a bunch of clubs to look good getting few benefits from doing so? :smalltongue:

rakkoon
2010-08-18, 07:13 AM
So last time a thread like this showed up people explained to me the whole applying to colleges thingy. This is popular in America. Is it also used in other parts of the world?

College & university are free for all with a high school diploma here and are quite cheap (compared to England anyway). This means we have one of the highest tax rates in the world since my wages are paying for those who go for one year and fail miserably but hey :smallwink:

Recaiden
2010-08-18, 08:10 AM
Well, for all the high school seniors here, myself included, it's finally starting...:eek:

Is anybody else freaking out over this too? Because I'm freaking out, school hasn't started yet, and I'll probably get an ulcer mid-November.

And I'm also freaking out because I can't decide between my top 3 colleges. Each one has their benefits and drawbacks...

Try to stay calm. It really isn't that bad.


I haven't started the common app essay yet (Or the supplementary essays required by MIT and Columbia), although I know what I want to write and I have worked on the other parts.

The problem is that I may apply early decision...
Ah, all the paperwork.


Congratulations. I'm not so lucky. The colleges I want to go to...I have a very small chance of getting into. :smalleek:
You are applying to at least one that's easier to get into, right? Because while we all hope you'll get into your top choice, it's good to be prepared. I know I was rejected from the top three of places I applied.


automatic admissions policy
:smallbiggrin:


What the hell is wrong with you? Have you won a nobel prize yet? Don't you dare waste your time with those clowns at A&M. I don't get auto-admit to UT because of the whole "3rd quarter" thing. But luckily, my school has made it so class rank does not automatically attach to the transcript. It's a step in the right direction. Class rank puts those uneducated kids in small towns who barely pass the joke of a state test but manage a top 10% in UT.

Though Xyk is really right, the class rank thing is terrible unfair to people in more competitive schools.

Anyway, just don't wait till the last moment to submit your application, and you'll be fine.

Kiren
2010-08-18, 08:14 AM
Well, for all the high school seniors here, myself included, it's finally starting...:eek:

Is anybody else freaking out over this too? Because I'm freaking out, school hasn't started yet, and I'll probably get an ulcer mid-November.

And I'm also freaking out because I can't decide between my top 3 colleges. Each one has their benefits and drawbacks...

I'm going into my junior year soon, it will hit me by the end of the year.

Good luck!


The problem with me is that I'm in competition with about 20 others from my school, and they've all got slightly higher GPAs than I do...

And what makes it really annoying is that A) I'm the only on in school who understands the meaning of the term, "Friendly rivalry," and there's the science olympiad in school which I'm actually really good in, but of course some of them joined up this year just for the college transcript and then one of them ended up vice-president when I was running for it too simply because it's a popularity contest and they all voted for her. :smallannoyed:

But I do a bunch of extracurriculars and actually I think the webcomic here might help me out a bit. Especially since people like it?

That's the problem with high school, always a popularity contest. If its any consolation, things like that have happened at my high school too.

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-18, 08:42 AM
You are applying to at least one that's easier to get into, right? Because while we all hope you'll get into your top choice, it's good to be prepared. I know I was rejected from the top three of places I applied.

And I'm kinda embarrassed to admit what's worrying me the most since I'm afraid people will laugh at me.

ForzaFiori
2010-08-18, 08:54 AM
I went through all this last year, and I'm actually starting my freshman year today. I don't know what it's like for people outside the USA, but for all those inside of it, I can say that the anxiety of getting started is by far the worst part. The essays seem like they're hard, but typically there about...1, maybe 2 pages about yourself. That's fairly simply to do, and the rest of the application is just telling them that your a legal resident of where ever your from, and if you have any legacy. Then you wait, and when the mail comes, either you or someone else opens it and then boom, your accepted. Or not, I suppose, but with SAT scores and grades/ranks like the ones I've seen flashed around this thread, I doubt you wont get in. I had a 2100, sub-4 GPA, and wasn't top 10%, and still made it into every where I applied except for Vanderbilt, and that's like the Harvard of the south.

So pretty much, go on and get it over with so you can come back to this thread and brag in about 6 month.

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-18, 08:59 AM
Thanks. Doesn't stop me from freaking out though. :smalltongue: And congratulations to you!

Cyrion
2010-08-18, 09:10 AM
Good luck to all of you applying to college!

A couple of people have mentioned the fun of paying for college. Allow me a moment on my soap box- be aggressive about finding financial aid! A lot of people fall into the trap of just filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and then trusting to their colleges to take care of them. That will get you student loans and the occasional something else, but there's lots of other money out there.

For example, a free search engine (http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp).

This one lets you put in various criteria and gives you a list of potential scholarships. Not all of them are grades based!!

Poke around the web and your community for other opportunities. A student of mine got a four year scholarship to medical school through church. The scholarship was for Jewish women. He was Jewish, but he wasn't a women.

Recaiden
2010-08-18, 09:42 AM
I'm applying to a couple of safeties, but I really don't want to go to a state school if I can help it.

And I'm kinda embarrassed to admit what's worrying me the most since I'm afraid people will laugh at me.

You can go ahead and say. I won't promise no one will laugh, but it may or may not be a reasonable fear, I don't know yet. but we can't give you any advice if you don't tell us. :smalltongue:

Octopus Jack
2010-08-18, 09:58 AM
And here in England, except we only get 5 aplications. We then either get offered a place (conditional to you acheving certain grades) or declined from these universities. Of all the universities that have offered you a conditional place, you pick two; a firm (first) choice and an insurance (second) choice. When A-Level results come out (which is tomorrow :smalleek:) the universites will tell you whether your grades are high enough to be accepted.


My firm choice is:
Optometry at Aston University (in Birmingham) Need grades AAA
And my insurance choice is:
Optometry at Anglia-Ruskin University (in Cambridge) Need grades AAB


I'm getting my AS results tomorrow and will have to go through UCAS soon, I'm hoping my extra-curriculars (lots of stuff) will help swing it for me. From what I've seen of the Universitys I've been to Birmingham is my first choice to do Archaeology

Also: Good Luck :smallbiggrin:

Quincunx
2010-08-18, 10:22 AM
"Legacy" means relatives who attended the same college. I see why this is beneficial for the families but I admit it escapes me why the admissions department would care. . .just to differentiate yourself from the pack, or is it truly seen as a positive?

snoopy13a
2010-08-18, 02:05 PM
And I'm also freaking out because I can't decide between my top 3 colleges. Each one has their benefits and drawbacks...

Don't worry about picking between your top schools yet. There's plenty of time until the early decision deadline (assuming any of your top 3 take early decision). Plus, as others have said, you still have to get into them.

Out of my top four schools, I only got into one of them (and it was probably my fourth choice going in).

Unfortunately, while New York has many good engineering schools (I'm guessing you're leaning towards that area because of the MIT reference), most are private.

In ranking NY's state schools:

1) (tie) Geneseo (but this is a liberal arts college and I'm almost certain does not have engineering)
1) (tie) Binghamton
3) Stony Brook
4) Buffalo
5) Albany

I believe that Binghamton, Stony Brook, Albany, and Buffalo all have engineering programs but they don't stack up well against Cornell, Columbia, RIT, RPI, Union, Clarkson, etc.

zeratul
2010-08-18, 02:11 PM
I may be in the minority here but I'm not freaking out at all. I'm only applying to one college, my grades are good enough to get in, and my parents work there :smallcool:. I'm doing an early decision thing so I guess I should probably get to work on my essay at some point, but really It's no big deal.

Milskidasith
2010-08-18, 02:45 PM
"Legacy" means relatives who attended the same college. I see why this is beneficial for the families but I admit it escapes me why the admissions department would care. . .just to differentiate yourself from the pack, or is it truly seen as a positive?

Legacy generally has scholarships for legacies and waives out of state fees. It generally doesn't actually make it easier to get in.

Asta Kask
2010-08-18, 02:53 PM
I haven't started the common app essay yet (Or the supplementary essays required by MIT and Columbia), although I know what I want to write and I have worked on the other parts.

What do you want to write about?

Rockphed
2010-08-18, 03:06 PM
For whoever was looking into going to MIT:

Research* has shown that where you go for your undergrad doesn't matter nearly as much as where you go for a graduate degree. I suggest applying to MIT and seeing if they will give you a scholarship, but otherwise go somewhere cheap that teaches your subject well.

Also, for people who are worried about clubs and whatnot, join clubs that are fun and express who you are, not NHS, tautology club (http://www.xkcd.com/703/), or anything like that. Actually, form and join the tautology club at your highschool. That will probably impress admissions people more than any other transcript padding.

*Which I saw in US news a few years back. No idea how to find it again.

snoopy13a
2010-08-18, 03:29 PM
"Legacy" means relatives who attended the same college. I see why this is beneficial for the families but I admit it escapes me why the admissions department would care. . .just to differentiate yourself from the pack, or is it truly seen as a positive?

It often depends on the the legacy.

Person A's father went to school X.

Person B's father went to school X and gives $5,000 a year (or whatever amount is seen as substantial) in alumni donations.

If Person B is borderline, the school will probably accept him/her because if they don't, Person B's father will no longer give $5,000 a year in donations.

Person A will not get the same edge but if he/she is equal with another applicant who isn't a legacy, Person A will probably get in as a tie-breaker.

ForzaFiori
2010-08-18, 04:58 PM
"Legacy" means relatives who attended the same college. I see why this is beneficial for the families but I admit it escapes me why the admissions department would care. . .just to differentiate yourself from the pack, or is it truly seen as a positive?

Legacy isn't a HUGE help for getting into college, but it can give you the edge over someone who is about equal to you and that doesn't have legacy.

If two people have the same GPA, same SAT, same community service, etc, but Person A's mom and dad both went to the school, Person A get's in before person B.

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-18, 05:23 PM
Yep...And I don't have legacy.

Cyrion
2010-08-19, 09:06 AM
Yep...And I don't have legacy.

Many might look at that as a good thing.

Several recent ex-Presidents, Vice Presidents and high-profile political officials are Ivy League grads simply because of legacy, and there's always been at least a little public backlash at the fact that their grades and test scores wouldn't otherwise have gotten them into those schools.

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-19, 09:12 AM
Many might look at that as a good thing.

Several recent ex-Presidents, Vice Presidents and high-profile political officials are Ivy League grads simply because of legacy, and there's always been at least a little public backlash at the fact that their grades and test scores wouldn't otherwise have gotten them into those schools.

Yeah, I guess...

Cyrion
2010-08-19, 10:20 AM
Really, there's no place that gives an undegrad degree so valuable that if you can't get in without legacy you've missed something. What you really want from college is a solid education and opportunities to do cool stuff (extra-curriculars, sports, access to events, etc.) that you'll miss when you get out into the "working world." Most colleges give you that opportunity,and you don't really need a Harvard or MIT to do well.

As someone posted above, where you get your graduate degree is far more important than your undergrad degree.

I'll also offer a counter point to common college "wisdom." The best school you can go to is one that does not offer a graduate program in your degree. Why? This means you, the undergraduate, have more opportunities.

- You get to do more interesting research because you're not crowded out by grad students.

- You get better teachers, partly because the people at these institutions tend to be more focused on teaching, and partly because you get more time with the professor instead of the graduate teaching assistant.

- You get cooler classes. The professors still want to teach the advanced, fun stuff, but they don't have grad students to teach it to. Guess who benefits from that?

I stumbled into this by accident. I chose my college because they had a fencing program (few colleges don't) and because they gave me a scholarship. I lucked out in that I got a great education. The didn't have a graduate program in chemistry, and I got all of the above benefits. I was two years into a PhD program before I saw entirely new material.

Milskidasith
2010-08-19, 10:29 AM
Really, there's no place that gives an undegrad degree so valuable that if you can't get in without legacy you've missed something. What you really want from college is a solid education and opportunities to do cool stuff (extra-curriculars, sports, access to events, etc.) that you'll miss when you get out into the "working world." Most colleges give you that opportunity,and you don't really need a Harvard or MIT to do well.

As someone posted above, where you get your graduate degree is far more important than your undergrad degree.

I'll also offer a counter point to common college "wisdom." The best school you can go to is one that does not offer a graduate program in your degree. Why? This means you, the undergraduate, have more opportunities.

- You get to do more interesting research because you're not crowded out by grad students.

- You get better teachers, partly because the people at these institutions tend to be more focused on teaching, and partly because you get more time with the professor instead of the graduate teaching assistant.

- You get cooler classes. The professors still want to teach the advanced, fun stuff, but they don't have grad students to teach it to. Guess who benefits from that?

I stumbled into this by accident. I chose my college because they had a fencing program (few colleges don't) and because they gave me a scholarship. I lucked out in that I got a great education. The didn't have a graduate program in chemistry, and I got all of the above benefits. I was two years into a PhD program before I saw entirely new material.

The problem with a program that has an undergraduate degree but not a graduate program is that it is unlikely to be properly funded. Yeah, your local college may not offer a graduate engineering program, so you may get all the good stuff as an undergrad... but the good stuff at a local university is probably not any better than what you can get at a place that has massive amounts of funding and good contacts to get said research jobs. Your situation may be an exception, but most of what you have listed seems totally irrelevant to undergraduate/graduate; most of it just has to deal with having good professors and apparently having less competition, but schools with bigger programs typically get more research opportunities anyway.

pendell
2010-08-19, 10:58 AM
Hmm .. my college story ..

Back in 1998 I was applying for a graduate degree at George Mason University. Just before the deadline for that year, I was notified that they couldn't consider my application because it was incomplete; they didn't have my college transcripts.

I was sure they HAD sent along the transcripts, so I called my undergrad university, and they confirmed that they had, indeed, sent the transcripts.

So I went to see the registrar's office, and they found my transcripts after a two-minute search. The transcripts were in my application file all along. The office person simply had forgotten to type it in.

So I stood over her until she had.

I was accepted, and went on to get my MS in computer science.

Do y'know? I never really sweated my college acceptance. As a high school student, I applied to schools for which my lackluster grades qualified me -- Virginia Tech and California State University Stanislaus -- and was easily accepted. I attended the school in California for family reasons, and because it was cheaper.

I have since gone on to a fine career in computing, 14 years working for my country and 2 for private employers. The only really hard time was when I first got out of college, and my no-name college didn't stack up well against the other universities in the area such as Stanford and UC Berkeley.

But it all worked out.

I guess that's why I wasn't nervous. I knew I'd be all right whatever school I went to. And I was.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

PS. Part of it was that since I couldn't get into Annapolis due to asthma,
I didn't really care what civilian school I went to. I'd already been rejected from the only ones I actually cared about. -- BDP.

Cyrion
2010-08-19, 03:09 PM
The problem with a program that has an undergraduate degree but not a graduate program is that it is unlikely to be properly funded. Yeah, your local college may not offer a graduate engineering program, so you may get all the good stuff as an undergrad... but the good stuff at a local university is probably not any better than what you can get at a place that has massive amounts of funding and good contacts to get said research jobs. Your situation may be an exception, but most of what you have listed seems totally irrelevant to undergraduate/graduate; most of it just has to deal with having good professors and apparently having less competition, but schools with bigger programs typically get more research opportunities anyway.

Depends on what you want with "proper funding." Is a smaller place going to have a particle accelerator? Certainly not. But they should have the basic stuff you need, and if the faculty are really interested in grants, they'll be bringing in the funding to make what the university has work well.

It also doesn't matter if your institution has a particle accelerator if you never get to work with it.

However, your points are well-taken that networking can be key. That's something that's probably as/more important than the "research name" of the school. Where do the grads of your program go? Unfortunately, most people don't think to ask that particular question.

You're also right that grad/undrgrad shouldn't bethe driving factor for good vs. bad teaching, but sadly, many schools put so much more emphasis on publish or perish than on teaching that faculty put the most energy into what will keep them employed. This gets more true the higher up the institutional food chain you go.

Asta Kask
2010-08-19, 03:27 PM
Yep...And I don't have legacy.

You could point out that Cato the Elder, Gaius Marius and Marcus Tullius Cicero were all homines novi. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novus_homo)

tehjohnli
2010-08-19, 06:12 PM
I'm only a junior, but I already know all of the colleges that I'm going to apply to, etc. Damn asian parents. XD
Anyway, I'm applying to 7 or 8 ivies and a couple of secondary schools, and a couple of safeties.

Zexion
2010-08-19, 07:35 PM
But I do a bunch of extracurriculars and actually I think the webcomic here might help me out a bit. Especially since people like it?
Correct. In fact, I recommend you make a one-page comic with a slight college theme to endear you and your sense of humor to the reviewers. If they laugh even once, they're going to remember you.

snoopy13a
2010-08-19, 08:32 PM
Correct. In fact, I recommend you make a one-page comic with a slight college theme to endear you and your sense of humor to the reviewers. If they laugh even once, they're going to remember you.

That's not a bad idea but I recommend limiting to your "reach" schools and maybe your 50-50 chance schools. Do not send it to the "safety" schools as it is a risky strategy that can backfire.

This also applies to application essays. Play it safe for safety school applications but it doesn't hurt to be bold and risky for your reach schools. Again, for 50-50 chances ones, it's up to you.

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-19, 09:25 PM
Thanks, guys.

Risk-taking is something I tend to do a lot in my essays.

Trobby
2010-08-19, 09:33 PM
Actually, my cousin Eric just started applying for colleges. I think he's getting a little freaked out too.

Just remember that the sort of college you go to should match the sort of person you are. If you want to be in a college where you'll be surrounded by a lot of people, look for one with a dorm life that supports that sort of thing, but if you prefer to be alone and like your privacy, look for one where you can have some time to yourself.

Realize though that if the latter is what you're after, you are still going to socialize in college, and that it is a pretty awesome experience finding people who are like-minded to you. Especially when you totally dont' expect it.

It's been awhile since I applied, though having a good reference letter helps. Anyway, good luck!

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-19, 10:08 PM
It's been awhile since I applied, though having a good reference letter helps. Anyway, good luck!

Thankfully, reference letters won't be a problem. My English teacher thinks that I'm an absolutely amazing writer, and my biology teacher says that I'm the best biology student she's ever had. :smallbiggrin:

Milskidasith
2010-08-19, 10:48 PM
Thankfully, reference letters won't be a problem. My English teacher thinks that I'm an absolutely amazing writer, and my biology teacher says that I'm the best biology student she's ever had. :smallbiggrin:

Not to burst your bubble, but from going to visit colleges, they say that letters that only praise your academics are not favored; they don't show anything about you as a person, and they can tell your academic ability from your transcripts anyway. While it would obviously help to have a good letter of recommendation saying "he is a great writer" when they have your essays, ACT/SAT writing score, and English grades to take into account, that is a fairly meaningless distinction.

Try to get them to focus on the aspects that make you who you are, and unique things you have that make you a good student, rather than just the whole good student schtick.

Trobby
2010-08-21, 12:25 AM
I don't know about that...I think though that having good relations with the person who writes your recommendation letter helps. Apparently, my English teacher was really fond of me and wrote a stellar letter of recommendation for me, which got me such a good standing with the college that they gave me the highest scholarship that they offer at the school. Which, you know, is pretty cool.

Of course even though their official position is that of a teacher, their recommendation should still reflect on who you are, rather than your grades, but that is something that is entirely up to the teacher themself.

Incidentally, your English teacher will probably write your best recommendation letter. It may or may not have something to do with that being his profession. :smalltongue:

Sneak
2010-08-21, 12:36 AM
I'm honestly not too worried about getting into schools, but I am not looking forward to the application process...which, of course, means I am procrastinating on it and will eventually have a panic attack when I realize I have to write all my supplemental essays and fill out the common app in one night. :smallsigh:

At least I have my common app essay done already.

SilentNight
2010-08-21, 12:51 AM
Did some horrible rough drafts of the common app essay and the three Stanford supplements. I figure I'll do early decision there so I can get it out of the way and focus on the schools I'm more likely to get into.

Milskidasith
2010-08-21, 09:38 AM
I don't know about that...I think though that having good relations with the person who writes your recommendation letter helps. Apparently, my English teacher was really fond of me and wrote a stellar letter of recommendation for me, which got me such a good standing with the college that they gave me the highest scholarship that they offer at the school. Which, you know, is pretty cool.

Of course even though their official position is that of a teacher, their recommendation should still reflect on who you are, rather than your grades, but that is something that is entirely up to the teacher themself.

Incidentally, your English teacher will probably write your best recommendation letter. It may or may not have something to do with that being his profession. :smalltongue:

When did I say being a teacher mattered? It's not who the person is, it's what they write about, and coffee made it sound like they were writing purely about academics. If the teacher wrote a nice personal letter, it would be great, but writing about how you go about doing your work is better than writing about how good you are at doing it.

CoffeeIncluded
2010-08-21, 09:41 AM
When did I say being a teacher mattered? It's not who the person is, it's what they write about, and coffee made it sound like they were writing purely about academics. If the teacher wrote a nice personal letter, it would be great, but writing about how you go about doing your work is better than writing about how good you are at doing it.

What? No! It's not just academics!

Castaras
2010-08-23, 05:27 PM
Having to write a personal statement soon. :smallannoyed: Especially pissed off atm having got my AS results meaning I'm exceedingly unlikely to be able to apply to some of the Unis I wanted to go to (Cambridge and Warwick...:smallsigh:).

Hate personal statements. Why can't I just go for an interview instead of writing about myself? It's easier talking to someone about myself rather than writing!

GrlumpTheElder
2010-08-23, 05:51 PM
Having to write a personal statement soon. :smallannoyed: Especially pissed off atm having got my AS results meaning I'm exceedingly unlikely to be able to apply to some of the Unis I wanted to go to (Cambridge and Warwick...:smallsigh:).

Hate personal statements. Why can't I just go for an interview instead of writing about myself? It's easier talking to someone about myself rather than writing!

Personal Statements are painful. I did not enjoy writing my one at all. Here's some advice, listen to what the universities want in a statement. If it contradicts what a teacher or tutor says, go with the university.

Good luck with it. Once it's done it's quite a relief

Xyk
2010-08-23, 09:59 PM
I narrowed down my list of potential colleges last night! It was outrageously (read: 27) long. But now it's only 6!

San Diego State
University of Oregon
Oregon State
University of North Texas
University of Victoria
Depaul University (unlikely to be accepted)

Looks like west coast will be fun.