It's that time of year when high school students across the commonwealth receive the news about where they will spend the next four years. Obviously, some folks are happy that they have been accepted at the school of their choice. Others have to consider their drop back schools. Of course, many folks (including the author of this blog) find that their second choices turned out to be the right place for them to grow and find themselves academically and socially. Most who have experienced college life know that it is what you make of where you are that matters. You can apply yourself and make the experience valuable whether you are at Harvard, Virginia Tech, Ferrum or VWCC.
What are your thoughts?
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Taryn says:
ReplyDeleteI consider myself very lucky to have been accepted into VCU- my first choice since I was about 12. I had, however, put my eggs into one basket: I only applied to one college. Thanks to Tiny Baby Jesus, I got accepted. If I had not, then I would have gone to a community college in Richmond. Strange right? Well, at the time of the application process, my family was planning to move to Northern Virginia, so I figured living in Richmond with my uncle would be my best option. But thats besides the point.
I know many of my friends didn't get into the school they wanted, or any college or university at all for that matter. However, I don't think they should be upset. Things like this happen for a reason. And there is always the option of Community College, which is twenty times cheaper and closer to home. This would allow someone to keep their job and live at home, allowing someone to save up money to go to university while at the same time making grades that will make it easier to transfer.
If you didn't get in to the school you wanted, it will be okay. With a little time, patience, and work, you can do anything.
The whole application process can really make you look at yourself differently, it has caused me to think to myself, "why me and not them?". It's hard to not feel guilty when you get in somewhere and your friends don't. But I also agree with the fact that you can excell wherever you are if you really apply yourself. You just have to keep the motivation up and, no matter how cheesy this sounds, never give up.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I got into VCU, my first choice.
ReplyDeleteI picked a school that had a life about it, a contrast to sleepy FC.
And no-one's college sucks. It is dealing with given circumstances in the right light!
If you aren't happy with college, you're not doing it right.
Yesterday, I seriously flipped a coin to try to decide where Im going to school. That goes to show how confused I am. However, I know wherever I end up, i'll make the most of it and have a great time. Picking one is the hard part. Wish me luck!
ReplyDeleteJamie Venning
I think it is a very smart decision to first attend a community college. Your education will be much cheaper there. At around $100 a credit hour, it is a wise choice. Once you go to a community college for 2 years, transfer to your school of choice.
ReplyDeleteI myself am lucky enough to have gotten into Ferrum. It is a VERY expensive school to attend. To live on campus, tuition is a little over $32,000 per year. Since I can go ahead and dive into my career choice my freshman year, I believe it is better for me to enter as a freshman insead of a Junior.
Which ever way you want to enter college is up to you. Anything you want to do will work as long as you go to college in the first place.
Tracie
I think that any college I that I went to I would be able to enjoy as long as I have the right mindset. But, I did get into the college I wanted. SO HEY! good stuff.
ReplyDeleteAs for the application process, I dread 4 years from now when I have to do it all over again...
GO MONARCHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI was lucky as well to get into my school of choice (Virginia Tech). It was the only school I applied to because that is really the only place I wanted to go. But I did apply early so that if I didn't get in I would still have time to apply regular to other schools.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my supposed to be roommate applied regular to VT and did not get in. I was very saddened as well as she because she did not get in to the school in which she wanted to go and she was wait listed at another school. she is in quite the bind because it is too late to apply to most schools now.
College is something you can't take for granted. I would encourage future students to apply to a school early if they know that is where they want to go. and if they don't apply early then they should probably make a priority list of schools they want to attend and apply to them all.
I agree with the thought that college is what you make of it. I have heard stories of people who were denied entrance to their first choice school and they ended up loving the school they did attend. So in all, it is what you make of it. And if you are not happy with the college decision,simply try harder.
ReplyDeleteE.Castaneda
My first choice when i started looking at colleges was JMU. As time went on and i got to see more colleges i slowly started to change my mind. I went on a campus visit to the University of Tennessee and absolutely fell in love with the school. I realized that a college that i was not interested in at the beginning is now my college of choice.
ReplyDeleteOver the past few weeks I know a lot of people who got accepted into really good places and a lot of people who got declined from a lot of places. Some people i always thought would be a shoe-in at their college of choice didn't get in. Those people have to keep their heads held high and always keep your dreams alive.
In the long run you have to go and do what makes you happy. Never loose faith in your dreams and in yourself!
Gary Goad
I definitely agree with the premise that it is not where you go but what you make of it, and I have heard a mulititude of people say the same. for example in my situation WakeForest University is my first choice (and i have been accepted!). however, it is most probable that i will end up at NC State, because they are offering me the most (Honors research program, and jeffersonian scholarship), as well as because their "style" really seems to fit what im looking for. On paper WakeForest has without doubt a better education, but in the case of my individual self I have a feeling NCSU is where ill be. Either way though, Ill be in College and far away from Franklin County! :-D
ReplyDeleteWhen i began looking for choices in colleges it was difficult because i want to go to a school that has musical theater and dance. It was very hard to find schools with both a major and minor in each. After searching and searching i found a list of schools that satisfied me. I applied immediately and just heard from the final one last week about getting accepted accademically. The downer is i as a performer i have to get accepted twice. Traveling to these schools twice to visit and to audition was a hassel.
ReplyDeleteNow that the arts have become so big in college it is very difficult to get in the BFA programs. I have been accademically accepted to all five schools i applied to and did not get in to 4 of the 5 BFA programs but am still waiting on the letter from my top choice PACE in New York City.
I feel like it is meant for me to go there if i get accepted because i haven't gotten accepted into any of the other BFA programs ... I will go where i am ment to be, BUT i am tired of WAITING!!!
When i began looking for choices in colleges it was difficult because i want to go to a school that has musical theater and dance. It was very hard to find schools with both a major and minor in each. After searching and searching i found a list of schools that satisfied me. I applied immediately and just heard from the final one last week about getting accepted accademically. The downer is i as a performer i have to get accepted twice. Traveling to these schools twice to visit and to audition was a hassel.
ReplyDeleteNow that the arts have become so big in college it is very difficult to get in the BFA programs. I have been accademically accepted to all five schools i applied to and did not get in to 4 of the 5 BFA programs but am still waiting on the letter from my top choice PACE in New York City.
I feel like it is meant for me to go there if i get accepted because i haven't gotten accepted into any of the other BFA programs ... I will go where i am ment to be, BUT i am tired of WAITING!!!
I love you Taryn. And Jesus loves you too.
ReplyDeleteI think that a school's name isn't really important in the grand scheme of things. College should be a time to find yourself and what your interests are. No matter where you go, you're bound to gain a self-awareness you just can't get at high school. I believe college IS what you make of it. Yeah, you can mope and whine that you didn't get into your "dream school," but it won't change anything.
ReplyDelete~Trecek
I think the college or university that you attend has a huge impact on who you eventually become as a person. It's where you meet life-long friends, where you eventually decide on a career, and where most people come to terms with their personal identity.
ReplyDeleteHowever, let it be said: all this stress is completely unnecessary. Are they trying to give us an apoplexy before the age of 20?
In the end, your mindset is more powerful than any rejection letter. If you go to school with the determination to get the most out of it that you possibly can, it will be a good experience.
I was set on going to Hollins University for the first half of senior year. I went twice to visit and realized after the second time that it wasn't for me. I did however, convince one of my friends to go with me the second time I visited Hollins, and SHE realized that she loved the school, so yay for her!
ReplyDeleteBut as for me... I felt a little stranded. I was in the middle of my senior year and I didn't know where I'd be for the next four years, AHH!!!
I'LL FINISH THIS LATERR!!!!
Hannahhh
Hahhahaha... Okay. (This is Hannah.)
ReplyDelete...So it was the middle of my senior year and I realized that I needed to apply to colleges, ASAP! So, kind of randomly one day I was talking to my Grandma, haha, and she told me that two of my cousins went to JMU, and they grew up in Pennsylvania. She told me I ought to check this school out, and I did; I visited the university and I loved the atmosphere! Overall I only applied to two schools: JMU and Radford as my backup plan. I got into JMU and I'm going into journalism. Huzzah!
--> Hannah
College really is what you make of it- I know everyone keeps saying that but it really is. I applied to JMU and VT and got declined from both (apparently just to make sure I knew, JMU told me five times...) which really sucked at first because the only school I got into was the one my sister and brother already go to...But it forced me to open my eyes and see that Radford isn't really a crap school that everyone just has as a fall back institution. I got accepted and went to go see where I'd be spending the next four years of my life locked up, and I had a really good time in the couple hours I was there. The medium size school allows you to have small class sizes and your professors can easily hook you up with some internships later on. It's not a dinky school nobody has heard of, and you aren't a number to a professor who just wants his paycheck like a much larger school. The Radford Outdoors program really got me interested- I mean I should be looking at the academics, but any school who's going to let me rent out backpacking gear if I don't own it already has me sold! Anyways...major congrats to everyone who got into where they want to be.
ReplyDeleteVikTorious says:
ReplyDeleteWell I have never had a specific college in mind...for me its about making it there. In my mind there is more emphasis on making it through college rather than which one I will go to. I had always planned to go to community college for my first couple of years because it is better for my wallet. Chosing a bigger college is still a few years away for me!! Thank Buddha!
I think the biggest thing to realize is that life is waaaay to short to dwell on which college you're going to get into because that is only the begining. A hundred years is not nearly enough to live a full life and that is why I will be happy where ever I happen to be! WOOOO! The scariest thing about college is not where I will end up...I just don't want to lose mi amigos!!
I know that in my college decision making process, i had a school that i would have considered my top choice then i had many schools that i was considering, but i feel that someone really cant know about their choice till they actually are a part of that college community. I am not going to the school that was my top choice but i am going to a school that i believe is for me and i will excell at with a lot of work. You can be happy at any college you choice, because life is what you make it.
ReplyDelete