Obviously, my senior year would have been quite relaxing (that's so totally not me) if it hadn't been for the college apps. Juniors, let me just warn you, although I'm only at the second sentence of this long-to-be note: the college admission process does NOT end on the first Monday of January when you click "submit" on the Common Application website and take a huge breath of relief. In my opinion, it goes on all the way until you fling your cap at graduation and officially become an alumnus of your high school. To think of it now, maybe that was indeed an appropriate sentence for my introductory paragraph. Nonetheless, regardless of how stressful it was, it has in fact made my senior year much more interesting and productive. I'm not done with the entire process just yet, but now I feel I know enough about it, so that I may be able to help others with my own experiences.
So I was one of the insane people who signed up at the Common App website the day that 2008-2009 applications were released (July 1, for those of you who aspire to do the same next year :D). I've seen my sister work into - and past - the application deadlines, and I didn't want that happening to me. As for UC applications, those went swell. Although I was really busy with retaking SATs (didn't see that coming), taking ACTs for the first time (didn't see that coming either), and surviving Levering's madness, I managed to get them in several days before the actual deadline. Score!
The real conflict began afterward, with private college applications. If you guys don't know yet, I'm not a citizen of the States, and my status here is a bit complex, because it's actually not a status but in the middle of two statuses (stati?!). That makes me an international applicant at most colleges including Ivy Leagues, and I would be competing for admission against all the other insanely smart and talented applicants from Hong Kong, Mexico, Europe, Singapore, you name it. This not only reduces my chances for acceptances, but also makes me ineligible for most financial aid, including FAFSA and Cal Grant.
This was why I had to get rid of several of my private college choices. I didn't even consider applying to the Claremont colleges or USC because they specifically told me that I would not receive any financial assistance if I were to be accepted (and I'm not being conceited or anything, but I think I would have had a fairly decent chance at some of those colleges). I hand-picked several in-state private colleges to which I can apply and still have a chance for aid... until I realized that they still required a Certification of Financial Statement, which is basically a form that you have to get signed by your bank official saying that you have the 50k each year to afford college. I did not discover this until Thanksgiving break, while researching some of my schools more carefully.
So imagine the stress that overwhelmed me in December. Amidst studying for Levering, keeping up with the completely new language of AP Stats, writing college essays, and juggling two jobs, I had to find new colleges to apply to, write new essays, get new recommendation letters from new teachers, etc... I was beyond frustrated. I had worked the whole summer to ensure that something like this didn't happen, so it was as if all my hard researching and selection process were being denied of acknowledgment. Yet, I managed it somehow. I was applying to six insanely competitive colleges, made double the competition for me, an international applicant. I can't even count how many versions of essays and short answers I wrote, not to mention the letters to colleges explaining my odd status in the States.
I think seniors learn a lot about life while going through this process. First, we had to write college essays, and to write college essays, we needed to contemplate what seriously mattered in our lives. As someone who has read quite a few college essays (and probably several versions of each essay), I must admit that it really is obvious when someone writes about an experience that they are not at all passionate about. The essay is more difficult to get through - it's as if I'm getting dragged sentence by sentence to read it.
But yeah... I really got a chance to sit down and think about the things that mattered in my life, as well as the experiences that shaped me into who I am today. Besides, I love writing, duh... so the essays weren't that much of a pain. All I basically did was take a long, long shower while brainstorming the specs of an essay... and then I'd pop out of the shower and type it up. Yay!
After submitting, I spent January trying to just recharge and relax after all the stress that college apps gave me. Yet, even that didn't last long, because I knew I had to get in my financial aid apps as soon as possible. Juniors, let me tell you this - don't risk submitting your financial aid documents late. Be as early as you can! Bug your parents about finishing their tax returns starting New Year's Day.
CSS Profile was about ten pages long, and pretty difficult to figure out. I sort of waded through the whole thing, putting numbers here and there, not really paying much attention... I guess because I pretty much knew that I wasn't going to get any financial aid, or I'll be shot down because of my need for financial aid. My calculated EFC was at about $800 dollars per year... sigh.
But really! It's not the end of the world if you don't get accepted to your first choice college. I didn't, so I know that for a fact. Actually, I think it's a great life lesson. If you 'got rejected everywhere,' take the results as they are and don't be a sore loser. Once you get into the excitement of starting college in fall 2009, those rejections/waitlists are not even going to matter anymore.
Overall I'm glad that I'm done with this process. I may not have been accepted to every college, but I played a fair and honest game, and I've gotten what I deserved - everyone does. I guess this is one reason I feel pity for friends of mine who were fooled into doing extracurricular activities for the sake of college; they lost valuable time and energy in TRULY being called to serve this school and community. In the end, what did they reap from their faulty ambitions? Absolutely nothing at all.
As for where I'm going, I've committed to CSULB (Cal State Long Beach) earlier this week. I know probably a lot of you may be thinking, "What? What happened to so-and-so college??" But really, guys, I'm already in love with this school. They offered me admission to their President's Scholars Program, something beyond what I've even dreamed of. So I'm basically getting a full ride for the next four years (raise your hand if you think you can turn down that kind of package in this economy), book allowance, parking spot, whatever. Plus it's only offered to valedictorians/National Merit Scholars, so I'm not worried about being constantly challenged, in a sense. Talk about the PSATs actually coming in useful, eh? I keep having to eat my words these days...
I'm grateful to God, because I know there are people at Ivy League schools who don't even know who He is yet. They're missing out on who He is and how SERIOUSLY amazing He is, so right now I feel happier and more complete than those HYPS students would ever feel... and it's always been that way, don't you think?
Thank you to the few friends who supported me throughout this entire process, and especially during the last couple of weeks when I had to make difficult decisions and pretty much endure people going, "So where are you headed to? Oh no wait, it's an Ivy huh"
You know who you are, buddies. I owe you so, so much.
And... a BIG sorry to all of you out there who's been asking me questions about where I'm going to go. I didn't tell people about anything for quite awhile because I personally think it's none of your business, ha. I needed to pray and seek obedience before telling anyone where I'm going. Maybe except... for CSULB, it almost feels as if I was destined to go there.
Also, I'm not sure if you guys know, but one pet peeve of mine is people judging other people. This whole "But so-and-so should have gotten into (insert prestigious college name here)!" is pretty much a thinly-veiled form of gossip, in my opinion. You can't ever 'evaluate' others that way unless you are God.
...But now I'm telling you because I've made my decision :D happy? COUGHchristineCOUGH hahaha
Anyway, feel free to contact me with any college questions, if you have any. I have completely exhausted myself with this topic... so case closed. For now.
Class of 09♥
-monica
For more information about the President's Scholars Program at CSULB:
http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/students/presidents_scholars/
If you're ranked first in your class, or you think you will named a National Merit Semifinalist next September, you should definitely apply for this!
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Real quick. The little story about me fasting chocolate.
So one day I was walking home and talking to God.
And I said, "God, if you let me go to this school with a full ride, then I will fast chocolate until graduation day - June 19."
See, I knew it's nearly impossible for me since I need my daily dose of chocolate.
And after I said that, I sort of laughed and thought, 'well it's not like I'm going to get the scholarship, anyway!'
Then I heard God say... "Oh, yeah?"
The next day, I got a thick envelope in the mail... :)
Praise the Lord.
xD and stop offering me chocolatee
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