Applying for College

[The Lionheart]

As I type this, I am tediously copying my parents' tax return one page at a time (for financial aid stuffs), so I figured I may as well post up a thread about it.

Just wondering where you guys are applying to college this year, where you've applied in the past, where you got in, etc.

This year I applied early decision to Rice University, and did plain ole' early applications for the University of Texas (that's really my second choice), the Colorado School of Mines (I told myself I would apply to at least one out of state school, and this was my choice), Baylor University (Dad's an alum), and Texas A&M (my parents really wanted me to apply here, but it's in my hometown, and I'm ready to get out of here).

I'm looking at going into Electrical Engineering, but we'll see how that goes after my first physics class (definitely dreading that one). I would like to minor in English (as writing is one of the things I enjoy doing most), but I'm not sure how the work load is going to work out with all of that.

I've already been accepted into A&M, Mines, and Baylor, and out of those three, Baylor is the only one to offer me money so far ($14K a year though, so hmmmm).

But yeah, really hoping I can get into Rice, and more importantly, pay for it. It costs $45K a year to go there (and of course, that will go up as time goes on), so if they can't help me out a bit, I won't be able to afford it.

But yeah, I'm just glad applications are out of the way for me, a lot of my friends are still struggling along with those.

Applying for financial aid, though, is a completely different story.

So uh yeah, discuss and all of that.

 

[Professor Ven]

Re: Applying to College

*ahem*

I didn't really bother applying, per se, to colleges in Mississippi, where I does live. The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State just are..ew. I sent my ACT Scores and such to those places, and I'm currently nearly finished with my first semester as a freshman in the NWCC (Northwest Community College), Desoto Center (i.e., not the actual college campus, just the one that's nearest to my house). Granted, it is a community college, I see tons of 'older people,' and it pretty much is sophomore high school.

On the other hand, I literally pay for nothing (Lololol $975 Presidential Scholarship paid for tuition derpaherpa), except books. I go into the bookstore, get the ISBN Numbers for the books I need, and leave, go home, and order them off of Amazon for like $500 cheaper in total. No joke either. My classes are easier than high school, almost, and I'm pulling 19 hours this semester (but have a hate/love relationship with my Saturday 8AM class), and have already pre-registered for next semester, for 16 hours (thank you Holy Avenger for not fcuking me over big time..).

Tried applying the FASFA, and my divorced dad was an ar-tard and either didn't fill it out right or something, me dunno, (i.e. he's the ultimate derpface), so I'll probably wind up having to redo all of that next semester, somehow (but I personally couldn't give two pennies for it).

So all in all, it isn't so bad, but eh. Could be worse.

 

[Dogenzaka]

Re: Applying to College

This year I applied early decision to Rice University, and did plain ole' early applications for the University of Texas (that's really my second choice), the Colorado School of Mines (I told myself I would apply to at least one out of state school, and this was my choice), Baylor University (Dad's an alum), and Texas A&M (my parents really wanted me to apply here, but it's in my hometown, and I'm ready to get out of here).

Rice - I applied there, didn't get in.
UT - Hisssssssssss (actually almost applied there but didn't because I forgot and their deadline was a month ahead that year in comparison to the previous.)
Baylor - Hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Colorado - Good choice
Texas A&M - Better choice. Come to me, Papa.

If you go to A&M, here is the best advice of your life.

Physics 208 (Electricity and optics) - DO NOT TAKE IT HERE. You will not pass. Absolutely every engineer here will tell you to steer as far away as you freaking can from this dreaded class. I know Physics-freaks that struggle, fail the class, take it in the summer and pass with flying colors. Take this class in community college over the summer or something (Blinn it up baby). Physics 218 is kind of like its somewhat-prettier younger sister, but it's still something you want to avoid here if you can, too.

Math 152 (Engineering Calculus II) - Same as above, though not as bad. It's a very difficult class here, so if possible, take it in community college over the summer or test out of it. Try to not take it here.

If you plan on sticking with electrical engineering, take Chem 107 (Engineering chemistry). It's a much harder class than Chem 101 or 102, but it satisfies the requirements of both.

However, if you do biomedical engineering you will need to take Chem 102 in addition to 107 or 101, and if you do chemical engineering, you will NEED to take 101 and 102.

Also, as an electrical engineering major, you only need one upper-level math class in addition to your curriculum to minor in Math. So it's a good idea to minor in it.

And also, don't overload yourself in your first semester. The curriculum might suggest 16-18 hours per semester, but DO NOT DO THIS your first semester when you are trying to get used to college, studying, and engineering classes. You will torture yourself.

If necessary, start off part-time at 10 hours or maybe 12 hours...but don't just pile up 18 hours and decide that you're gonna try to handle it, especially if you get involved in any of the 800 student organizations at A&M or get involved in a fraternity or some church or club or something.

 

[sora364]

Re: Applying to College

I was accepted into SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), one of the most pretegious art schools in the country . You can only imagine the elation coursing through my body when I received my acceptance letter. I also was awarded a 3000 dollar "Artistic Scholarship" from them-and that is definitely going to mitigate the pain of my tuition (though it's literally nothing compared to yours , considering when you get into Rice XD) The tutition is roughly 28,000-but with me living off campus-the approximately 8,000 will be deducted. Thank GOD I live in such close proximity to the college. I am trying to circumvent as much future debt as possible.

I received the results from my FASFA just several hours ago, incidentally. Over half of my tuition is paid for. Now all if I have to do is maintain a 3.0 GPA.

As of now, I am not quite certain what my major will be. SCAD offers a broad curriculum of courses that peak my interest to the damn point of obsession. The options are so vast-I cannot fully process exactly what I want to start a career out of.

Still man, good luck getting into Rice University! I agree, Financial Aid is a drag-but in the end it's well worth it. Best wishes.

 

[Mistearea]

If community college counts, then I got there. Sadly, the only reason that I am goin' to a Community College is because I messed around in High School and got semi-bad grades(well mostly bad considering I had to repeat my senior year). But once I get in, I'll spend a couple years with a major in English before transferin' to maybe MTSU or another college here in Tennessee.

 

[stephaknee]

I'm a Junior in college. Just registered for my Spring classes . It's actually about time for me to start looking into graduate programs and GREs and recommendation letters. Yuck.

 

[Oberon]

I applied to two university's and one technical school (which I'm currently attending). The universities were for my absolute goal of getting a degree in something such as Sociology or Psychology, however I realized that would do almost nothing for me in a failing economy. :v

Oh, and the fact I was denied entrance might've had something to do with it.

At any rate, I'm now at the tech school because they have a bombin' graphics program. Plus I'm the art director for the newspaper so I'm keepin busy while gaining assloads of experience. Huzzaaaah

 

[Silver_Soul]

Just got my Sat Scores

and i Am not happy

i got a total score of 1570, so rice is out of the question.

So now i am leaning more towards A&M at College Station

i am currently a junior in high school, and in the top ten percent.

this question is leaning more toward Dogen, so do you think i might be admitted?

 

[Sean]

i am currently a junior in high school, and in the top ten percent.

Well if youre a Texas native you are automatically admitted into any college in Texas if you graduate in the top 10% of your class.

But as for me, I'm a California kid although I really dont want to go to school here (way too expensive). So far I've applied to:

Texas Tech
Oregon State University
Valparaiso University
Cal Poly University
Dayton University
Syracuse University
Arizona State University (lol)

 

[Silver_Soul]

Well if youre a Texas native you are automatically admitted into any college in Texas if you graduate in the top 10% of your class.

But as for me, I'm a California kid although I really dont want to go to school here (way too expensive). So far I've applied to:

Texas Tech
Oregon State University
Valparaiso University
Cal Poly University
Dayton University
Syracuse University
Arizona State University (lol)

You have to be a Texas Native?
I was born in Mexico :O

I really need to check with My counselor about all of this
All the people who were in the top 10% got a pink sheet talking about automatic admission, but i wasn't sure if my SAT and ACT(im taking it tomorrow) would have to be awesome to be admitted.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I didn't apply to any out of state schools...or anything cool.

Loyola Marymount University - Waitlisted. I wasn't going to bother anyways because I knew they weren't going to give me money because I got the letter so late despite applying early action.
UCLA - I screwed up my application so I got rejected.
UC Riverside - Accepted but my mom didn't want me to go there.
California Polytechnic University: San Luis Obispo - Rejected, but I didn't want to go there anyways
California Polytechnic University: Pomona - Accepted. I didn't want to go there but I'm pretty sure if I did EOP, I'd have gotten some money for it.
California State University: Los Angeles - Accepted, but the school is impacted. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of getting classes.
Woodbury University - Accepted. Got a scholarship. Went. School pissed me off with everything except classes and teachers and the school screwed up my FA package so I couldn't pay. Left.

Now I'm at community college. Didn't pay a penny except for books.

ACT scores are average, don't like them though. Easily could have gotten a higher score if I had cared.

 

[Solar]

It's a debate between University of Calgary which a friend is going for med or Uni of Toronto. University of Alberta seems like a good idea but for some reason the idea is unapealing to me. However, moving another province or city is no easy deal. But I have close relatives in Toronto and it's good for med...but they all are which makes this more tempting

 

[Silver_Soul]

I am so stressed out right now...

i just had a field trip to the university of Houston for Model United Nations, and i met like the greatest geniuses and debaters EVER. ok im exaggerating, but they were all super smart and with very bright futures. and to top it all off I got my first SAT scores and it kinda ruined my day

 

[Sign]

I'm like Ethnic; I only applied in state. How lame.

UC Riverside - Accepted, but didn't want to go. Parents didn't want me to go either primarily due to the distance.
UCLA - Rejected lol I was fully aware that I wouldn't be able to make the cut cuz my grades aren't as high as they wanted.
San Jose State - Accepted. Would've gone if my first choice didn't work out.
San Francisco State - Accepted. Didn't want to go.
St. Mary's College - Accepted. I told my parents there was no way I'd be going there.
Dominican - Accepted. Didn't want to go. Idk why my dad insisted on all of these religious colleges considering I'm not religious.
Art Institute of California - San Francisco - Here I am now. Fought really hard to get in here (with my parents I mean), and for the most part, I'm enjoying it.

 

[Sean]

San Jose State - Accepted. Would've gone if my first choice didn't work out.

Eh I would shoot myself if I went to that college seeing as my high school is literally 5 minutes away. And the fact that everyone from my school either goes there or West Valley.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I'm like Ethnic; I only applied in state. How lame.

We are just lame Californians.

San Jose State - Accepted. Would've gone if my first choice didn't work out.

I wouldn't touch that school with stick. I know a boy who went there and had below a 2.0 in HS. Who gets a GPA that low and gets accepted to any school? And how did they graduate high school? And he was a creeper. -_-

St. Mary's College - Accepted. I told my parents there was no way I'd be going there.

It is cold in South Bend right now. My friend said yesterday it would feel like -15 degrees outside despite it only being 3 degrees. It is a good choice you didn't go there.

 

[Hero]

Re: Applying to College

Granted, it is a community college, I see tons of 'older people,' and it pretty much is sophomore high school.

*shudders* I feel your pain. I had to go to a community college last semester, and it felt like an extension of high school....the very thing I ran like hell from once I graduated. I had this 60 year old woman in my English class .________. .

And to the original poster, while I may not know Rice's SAT standards, I still encourage you to apply. While SAT's play a huge part in the college process, you can redeem yourself in other areas. Make sure your college essay and high school GPA are kick ass. If you do sports or extra curricular activities/community service, that also helps. I had an SAT score of about 1500 as well and I was accepted into New Jersey Institute of Technology. I didn't wind up going there, and opted for cheaper tuition at Brooklyn College instead.

Oh, to the original poster, are you Mexican or were you just born there? You don't have to answer if you don't want to.

 

[Jelai]

Hey, Baylor is a good university. I have a friend that goes there. If I could, I would have applied there but I can't really afford to go out-of-state. Another university I really wanted to apply for is Biola University at La Mirada, California.

I'm staying in-state for now. Acceptance rate is lax, but has been tightening over the years. I still got easily accepted though to all of my local colleges and unis.

College of Southern Nevada (formerly Community College of Southern Nevada) - despite the name change, it's still a community college. I do dual-enrollment here so that I can finish up my credits faster.

Nevada State College - this is where I mainly go for my major (Occupational Science). A lot of old folks (all old enough to be my parents) going into Nursing at this school though since it's cheap. And you know, the economy still sucks so lots of folks quittin' their jobs and going back to school to graduate with something that will guarantee them an entry in a highly demanded workface that has great pay.

UNLV - applied just in case all of the upper division Psychology classes at Nevada State got full during class registration season. I haven't started attending this school yet.

Toruo University of Nevada - will apply here 1-2 years from now for graduate schooling in Occupational Therapy

US Air Force and beyond - wherever my Montgomery GI Bill can take me free tuition from the military is great; I can finally enroll in my dream colleges and pursue other passions without hassle, if I want to. I think I'll just use it for my Toruo University loan stuff.

 

[Sean]

I wouldn't touch that school with stick. I know a boy who went there and had below a 2.0 in HS. Who gets a GPA that low and gets accepted to any school? And how did they graduate high school? And he was a creeper. -_-

Although it does have the #1 nursing program in America =/

 

[Mythological Omega]

I didn't have high hopes of getting into OU or OSU since my grades weren't nearly good enough to get into schools of that caliber. Mind you, my grades were not terrible by any means; I scored a 30 on my English ACT, a 23 on my Reading, and an 18 and 17 for Math and Science, respectively. I was accepted by Seminole State College (a community college) and the University of Central Oklahoma. After my time at Seminole comes to an end next year, I'll transfer to UCO where I plan to double major in Computer Science and English and minor in Musical Performance.