she applied to unrealistic colleges tho imo, i have similar stats and would never even think ab applying to most of those schools. have at least a few safeties instead of ONE. i’m not dragging her tho, it just didn’t surprise me.
Girl, you are so freaking real. Let me tell you, you might not be at an Ivy, but you have something that most people don't get until way later in life (if at all) - head on your shoulders, feet on the ground, and perspective. Are you going to make more videos? Because I subbed!
I don't fucking know how this landed on my feed , but on the most needed time . I'm not from the US I'm not applying for Universities there but I'm also questioning what I'll do if I don't get into my dream University. I gave up. 4 years of my life for and you words are an absolute gift thank you so much ❤
This is so real. Even though i didn’t get into my dream school(UPenn), I got into some really good universities like Gtown, Tufts, and Swarthmore, but i wasn’t able to pay because of the financial aid and I’m going to one of my target schools. Im so grateful to have even been accepted anyway though, and I definitely learned a lot from tjis process. This video is a gem thank you 🙏
@@chiplock8927My sister didnt get into her dream ivy for medicine. She got into honors college for rutgers instead. If she went to the ivy, it would be way more competitive and she would be less likely to get into grad school for medicine. God has a plan for u! Everything happens for a reason❤ So keep your head high and smile😃
You do not know how unbelievably insightful this video was 😭😭 I do have a plan for the college apps this year but this video makes me realize how much more it matters thank you Charlotte
@@goldenchest2000 alot of intl schools in asia (the one in my country as well) caps it at 10 because they would rather have them apply to less schools with better quality apps vs shotgunning
good question! uhh my advisor was in fact like "I would advise against doing this for your own benefit" but I chose not to listen at the time! hope that helps
My son got into WashU in St. Louis last year. I was extremely surprised to see how comparative college admission has become over the years. Not only my son had put enormous amount of efforts, but also costed a lot of money too. I only went to the state schools for undergrad and dental school back in 90s. One of my classmates back in dental school told me her boyfriend didn't do well in high school so he ended up going to a community college. From there, he began working harder and transferred to a 4-year college. He ended up getting Ph.D from MIT. So you might have a slow and late start but there are plenty of time and opportunities to excel. Just require a lot of persistent work for a long time.
Congrats to your son, but in many ways you did better than he. State schools like UCLA and Berkeley educated more high-achieving, low-income students than all of the Ivies combined--and without the labyrinthine, nontransparent admissions schemes that have caused this vlogger and many others so much consternation.
I just want to say thank you for making this video. I have been stressing out over college stuff and I have trying to calm myself down and know that getting rejected from my dream school will not be the end of the world, but it has been hard. Its just comforting in a way to see that hey people DON'T just drop off the face of the Earth if they don't get into huge colleges like my subconscious has been telling me! I really appreciate your perspective on it and i hope that you know that you are lovely and awesome and exactly what I needed right now. Thank you.
This has been such an inspiring and realistic video! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. As a senior who just started their senior year, the stress and pressure of college application has engulfed my entire life, and watching this video has been so comforting.
i couldn’t have found this video at a better time. i’m a senior going through the college application process and am in the middle of worrying about whether or not i’ll be good enough to get into the “prestigious” colleges i’m applying to and have been experiencing burn out as a previously highly achieving student. i went from doing so much to going on my phone as way to escape and hearing you went through the same things made me realize im not alone and it’s truly changed my perspective on the application process so thank you ❤️
Hang in there!! I went through the exact same thing-turns out college in America wasn’t the thing for me :) Got rejected from most, didn’t want to go into debt for others, and now I’m living my best life at a school no-one in the US has heard of. The best thing that helped me was figuring out how fucking stupid the American college acceptance system is and how much it’s based on where your parents went, whether you do a sport that they need players for right now, or whether you donated money. Out of all the people at my school who got into Ivy+, only one did so on merit. Ultimately, even if you get in, please do consider whether the financial aspect is viable for you/your family, whether you would fit in with the culture, and whether what you’re interested in even requires a ‘prestigious’ name. For politics, yes. For STEM? It’s your skills that matter, ultimately. Good luck out there :)
@@mckennaaa8574 Hey! I actually moved to France-I’m now studying at the Paris Institute of Political Studies. I’d only been studying the language for four years in normal classes, so doing a dual French-English programme was definitely a challenge, but there are plenty of options across Europe for people who just speak English, in case that’s you! I couldn’t be happier with my choice :)
Tbh I feel like getting into good schools feels so important cuz of the prestige, pressure, and bragging rights. That’s the whole reason my cuz fought to get into her dream school, and after 2 weeks she already wants to drop out and go to community college :p Anyway, all the hard work in high school wasn’t worthless. You learned to develop grit/determination and maximized the learning that will help u in life, regardless of what school u go to
I don’t know if you’ll come to see this, but I’m literally about to cry help😭 I want to say thank you for making this. The video smoothened a part of my worries with some kind, reassuring touch. I’m still young, in early Highschool but I’m a very anxious person (equally prepared and unprepared somehow) I’ve been thinking too much about the future trying to set in stone what the rest of my life will be like, formed and rigid within the shape of my friends, family, expectations, and success. I relate to how you were. Your video was so comforting. I want to also say that I’m proud of you for where you are at and where you are headed and I wish the best for you. I’m definitely subscribing, despite how I’ve only found you by this one video on a random Saturday I really respect and look up to the person you are. I’m looking forward to more videos and I wish you the best of luck! I’ll keep trying hard My key takeaways(I’m noting down): - “Sometimes, life just doesn’t go the way you want it to. So you can be still like anything or you can be water.” - Nut dealearr 6:51 - Don’t put your main worries on fitting in - Plan in advance - Research - Don’t be delusional 10:40 - “it’s about you too - whether the institution fits your needs. In the end, you’re going to the school - this segment 12:40 - 13:32 ^ "You're totally right, you shouldn't follow me if you're reach for the same goal I had back then. But I'm, sharing my mistakes so in the even you are, you can learn something from what I did and be better! Yes I do wish that I had done things differently sometimes. If I did, maybe I would've had a different result, if I had done better, planned more effectively. But thats still only just a maybe. and no matter what I know mow (or what l might regret), the only way is to move forwards. - Who you surround yourself with is one of the most important decisions in hour life, you become like your environment (15:44 friendship part) - 17:19 I’m so proud of you for where you are, you’re amazing!! - college is not the be-all end-all, you’ll be okay; life is so much more. College is just a great way to ease your way into it and find yourself. - Enjoy the process as much as you can, try not to stress too much. Drink hot tea and soup. Explore yourself. Byebye, I’ll keep up with you and your videos!
Not sure why I got recommended this video 4 months after you posted but I was in the same boat almost 10 years ago… rejected by all the ivies I applied to and ended up in my safe school. I think you’ll do absolutely fine, just take advantage of all the resources you can get!! I would say I got a big confidence boost during my college years. And a lot of companies were trying to hire me by the time I graduated even though my program was not prestigious. Ivies look good on paper but it’s more exciting to craft your own kind of adventure ❤ Can’t wait to see how you’ll write your own chapters in this journey!
I’m applying to NYU early decision this month, and seeing how you got rejected with 7 perfect AP exam scores and got rejected is already quickly humbling me. I only have 3 (4 next year) and none of them are 5’s. I also don’t fill my time with extracurriculars and only fill it in with RUclips or video games kind of like you. I have like a 95% chance to get rejected, but I am happy to just get into a college (i’m a first gen and already got accepted into my safety school last month). Thank you for making this video! You’ll do many great things! Edit: also, prestigious colleges are WAY TOO EXPENSIVE, so that’s a plus for you and will be a plus for me if I get rejected 2nd Edit: For those curious, I got waitlisted! I'm really happy it wasn't a flat out rejection lol. Now to see if I get off it... also, nice to see class of 2025 venting out their feelings. We can make it through this!
Agreed! The thing with prestigious schools is that, although they are expensive, they often provide aid and merit scholarships-especially for academically gifted students, those from low-income backgrounds, and people of color-more than state schools would, considering the funding they receive. Nonetheless, Ivy Leagues and other prestigious schools are not the end be it all. However, do not let that stop you from applying, even if it’s just to one (if you have the benefit of fee waivers). You never know!
What a real vid man, I get where ur coming from. I was basically in the same situation in hs almost to the tee, and also got a lot of waitlists and rejects. It's a hard thing to deal with and tbh idk if I'm still over it, but you just gotta keep going on and push through. College is rly what you make of it (idk I just had my first year). Convert all the knowledge from scrolling to making yt videos, it'll help. Good luck with everything!
Two years ago, I was rejected from 12/15 of the schools I applied to. I graduated as my high schools salutatorian and much to say, it broke me. Although I didn't know it at the time, I would end up in a place that would allow me to grow as a person and as a student in ways only a 90% acceptance rate school could offer. I remember it vividly though. The more letters I opened, the less hope and self esteem I had. It feels like the world is ending. I lived all my life seeing my worth in my ability to thrive academically and I think thats true for most of us (students applying to selective schools). It really ends up working out in the end, though. I wish I knew that back then. Thank you for this video, I resonate so much with your words and your style made it very entertaining.
hey, i just wanted to thank you for making this video. as a hs senior, i've been so stressed out about my essays and grades and ecs and whatnot but this video's been really eye-opening, not to mention calming as heck. i really love the style of this video too, you sound like an awesome, kind person and i'm so glad to have found this channel. thank you so much, i wish you success and happiness at UIowa :)
We don't need IVY Leagues, IVY Leagues need us. A smart person is gonna be smart no matter where they go. An inventor is gonna invent nomatter where they go. There's pros in everything, you may not end up in debt. Never know
In an ideal world that's true, but there are way more smart people than there are open seats in the Ivy League. The Ivy League can afford to reject all kinds of geniuses because the geniuses are lined up out the door. Moreover, the Ivy league degree itself connotes a prestige that's worth more than intelligence to companies, because they only measure of your intelligence that a company can look at is your resume
Bro, such a real vid. I shared a lot of the same circumstances that u described. Someone like you will do great wherever you are, and I’m happy to see ur success! I went from feeling lost as a person when high school ended three years ago to getting accepted to ucla as a transfer this year. I think a lot of us gain the same thing through this process and our struggles, which is perspective. Wishin u continued success, this vid was awesome!!! ❤❤
thanks dude :)) congratulations on your transfer! 🥂 I’m glad you got to somewhere you hopefully feel good and wishing you success & continued happiness for your future!!
I am actually really grateful that this video found itself on my feed. I'm currently a high school junior (entering 2nd semester aka the most critical year of my entire early life) and this whole winter break (specifically the past two weeks and the past two years of my life) I have spent whatever time I had not working on something that was due the next day or hour in bed, watching netflix or doomscrolling. Before I came across this video, I had spent the whole day procrasinating again and not working towards any of my many ambitions (to this point I have been so delusional about my goals lol.) but watching this helped me realize that even if I may feel that it's too late to find discipline and self control, it never is. So thank you. I'm going to update this comment monthly with my accomplishments!
Study for the SAT if you haven't already! Junior year second semester was a bit hellish yeah, but like 20 minutes of practice questions a day is feasible. Your sat score could be a good boost to your college applications, even though it's not everything, it's nice to have and show off (good for scholarships too)! And getting a high score is definitely attainable, it's all about discipline. Again, sending positive vibes!! ❤ p.s. try listening to lilypichu's song "not too late" you might like it :)
Hi, a senior in high school here! You sound a lot like me. Reflective, self-critical, procrastinator, overthinker, and you have high expectations for yourself. Do simple things like putting down your phone (or whatever electronic you use) while cooking, eating, or some other task. No music, podcast, video, or show. Giving your brain time to process your thoughts is really important. It feels uncomfortable at first, but then you realize it's been forever since you last did anything without listening to something, filling your brain with noise. Journaling has also really helped me, just writing down anything that comes to mind. It's super beneficial to your brain and soul! Don't try to make it perfect, just write whatever. Me as a fellow human being who was in the same place as you last year says you've got this :D !! It's definitely not too late, not AT ALL. I didn't change my mindset right away, it's taken months. I also only shifted my mindset when I learned about new perspectives through stepping out of my comfort zone to try out new experiences and talking to new people. Starting early and doing anything is huge at this point! Don't put 10 things on your to-do list in one day, chill out. Just one productive thing is great progress. Sending hugs! ❤
i've tried replying a million times but i think my comments were too long; sorry if i look like a maniac & these comments are out of order anyways I WISH YOU LUCK ✨✨✨
@@melonbluh Hi!! This actually rlly hit home so thank you so much -- u just put into words everything that i've been thinking of 😭The reflective and self critical part is so true, and the fact that the procrastinator and overthinker side of me just sits on these negative self thoughts to the point it mentally and physically weighs me down 😂and literally only being able to bring myself to doomscroll when all I want to be is perfect?... unfortunately it's been a month since I wrote that comment, and I actually have not accomplished anything significant 😅 I'm still trying my best to change myself and create a 'new' mindset on life but I always find my lazy side reassuring myself that as long as I have the right 'idea' I can always just act on it later. Like i've been trying to get out of my comfort zone and when I obv can't, I just tell myself it's whatever like i'd rather be in bed and this can wait till later..... do u have any advice on the trying out new experiences and talking to new people part? I just have to keep telling myself that it can't happen overnight (because ill expect this and when im let down i just get so slumped). Thank you so much for ur kind and encouraging words!! ❤
Everything happens for a reason. When one door is closed, God opens up another, a better one to keep you moving forward. Life is about ups and downs. Winners pick themselves up after getting knocked down and do not dwel in the past. It's not the first school you go to that's important, but the last one. Thanks for sharing to help others, especially those that share similar experiences ❤😊. As a 55yo father of identical twins who will be applying to schools this summer, I am scared to death hoping my kids can make it through the college application and decision process unscathed 😮. My biggest concern is that one gets in to their ideal school, but the other doesn't even though both have same academic achievements.
I hope it turns out well for your children and good luck for their application process!! It can definitely be a stressful time for both kids and parents but having good support and clear communication helps to reassure both sides, in my experience :) hope this video helped in some small way!
thanks for such a deep talk on this topic. very refreshing to hear from the typical college admission videos / stats. you're super well spoken and have a great aptitude about life and growing i can tell... talking about connections with people who will give deeper meaning to life and finding yourself. good luck and I wish you the best!
btw you should keep doing these videos I enjoy hearing you talk and i'm sure many others do too you genuinely have a way of speaking and interacting with the camera
Thank you for this cathartic experience. I'm currently in the process of applying, and this video touched me more than any college vlogs or essay tutorials: speaking as comfortably and flowing as you is my goal for my essays.
Fun, creative, introspective video. Job well done! My son did sort of the opposite of you. He mostly focused on safety schools that was within WUE (Western Exchange state tuition). He was a good student but not those brainiac types. I wish he tried for a ‘reach’ school just to see if it was possible but in the end he made the correct choice getting the scholarship, school and major he wanted. It’s not a brand name school but he is proud to be there. They have a great philosophy and great facilities and they successfully crank out engineers that are easily and quickly hired right out of college. Random note: Jason Momoa went to high school in Iowa and he really loves it there.
thank you for this video :-) as a current high school senior going thru the same process, this has been more comforting than anything, knowing that we'll be able to find happiness wherever we go
This landed on my feed and I was in your EXACT shoes before, I was really lazy, and had a very toxic mindset when it came to college, depressed and angry that I didn't understand what I was doing wrong. I thought prestige of the school was so important and kept chasing ivy leagues to the point of idolatry (which you shouldn't do btw). Had mid average grades, no extracurriculars , no awards and no ambitions. The internet made my obsession even worse, thinking I needed 1600s and all kinds of math Olympiads to get in(you don't) At some point I realized this toxic behavior was REALLY hurting me and I had to grow from my delusions of a child mindset, expecting everything to be handed to them with little effort to an adult mindset of working hard, persevering and owning up to what I did wrong and making it better. Right now, I am pursing things that I am actually interested about, have 2 internships in a medical lab and clinic with a passion project in my hobby of gardening! I greatly appreciate this video and really should shed light into the EXTREMELY toxic light that other people are putting to college, it may sound very cliché but college doesn't guarantee success, even if you do all those check lists that people online tell you, it will be very obvious that you are doing it for the sake of college and not for your interest. Although you didn't get into your dream schools, I am very happy you learned from your mistakes and become a bigger person, unlike the other hundreds or possibly thousands of people who think their life ended when they received their rejections. Hope you grow into the best version of yourself, and happily got a new subscriber❤✨
BRO KEEP SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌🙌🙌 I'm a junior. I relate a lot to this video. Luckily I decided last year to stop trying to check all the boxes everyone else was. I gave up my slot for an AP class to take choir instead. I played music, and I competed in debate. And I feel 10x happier now knowing I'm doing what I choose instead of what I feel like I have to do. I really loved your video, and I hope you'll keep making more. Keep it coming buddy🫵👍👍👍👍
thank u for this video!! current high school senior rn and i feel like someone literally just retold everything im going thru rn. college decisions for the most part havent come out for me yet and im dreading the day they do because honestly my app wasnt great, but watching this has kind of helped me come to terms with knowing everything will be ok. wishing the best for u!!!!
Good video for those who fell and needed to pick themselves up to continuo the race. Interesting way of capturing your audience attention by moving around! You also have the option to transfer to another college but if you have already found fulfillment at your current place then kudos to you! You can always start a new chapter of your life at another college for graduate study. Time is still on your side and the choices are only limited by your imagination. Good luck and please continue to share your evolving story.
as a freshmen in hs, i really relate to this. thank you so much for this, I feel a lot less alone knowing other people are also just trying to figure it out. I also really like the video style :]
big tip, go to a community college after highschool. Spend 2 years at a community college, then transfer to any university. Your local CC probably has a program where the first two years are free (thats what Im doing rn), then after 2 years, you can transfer to any uni and you will have a near guarnteed admission chance to most univerities.
As a senior currently applying for colleges this fall, I really needed this. I've also struggled with loneliness/self-isolation, family issues, and extremely low self esteem. I've been on the verge of mental breakdowns for the past 2 weeks because of my sophomore grades, but whats done is done. I also couldv'e done so much more, as I would also spend countless hours on my phone, doing nothing productive
This will probably get buried in all the good commentary here, but thank you. Seriously, thank you. I'm waiting to hear back from colleges right now, and this video was very needed. I related to a lot of the things you talked about (being lonely, bed rotting even though we know better, and a billion other things), and I just wanted to say that this video was so incredibly validating and comforting. So thank you.
i also got rejected from all of the ivy league schools i applied to (quarantine grades were horrific no surprise there). but regardless, i'm still having a lot of fun in the school i'm at now. i just picked the first school that accepted me and i'm glad i did. as someone who had zero friends in high school, i'd consider myself fairly well known now. i've even become a club senator. being rejected is depressing, but there are better things to come always 😸 i hope anyone who reads this has a good day
I think even the strongest most dedicated candidates could have had similar results as you. I think the issue was really that you only applied to HIGHLY HIGHLY selective schools. If you could have applied to more it would have been fine- you could’ve added more targets, safeties etc. I don’t think it’s about you not doing enough, I think it was your strategy and your counselor should’ve advised you to add more safeties
I agree with your point; looking back I think I could have tried going deeper into research for other less well known schools for my major that would have hit the safety / target categories (at the time I wasn’t as much attracted by those options). Thanks for your thoughts and for watching!
gurl ur so wholesome 😭as a current college senior who also experienced quite a lot of turbulence last year, i'm also feeling very uncertain about my application/results, but this video kinda healed me a tiny bit in the best way possible 💖 also wtf ski racing is so cool?? and also ur vibes are immaculate ahhh i would totally love to be ur friend (not to be creepy)
hey! class of 2028 here :) i really enjoyed this video - it feels like everything i do is for college and it’s nice to get a sort of realistic point of view about what college actually is, and just the comforting thing that wherever I go, whether it be prestigious or not, I will hopefully really enjoy college :) i really appreciated the mention of social circles - I’m someone who has sort of isolated myself a bit for many reasons, primarily of which is social anxiety, and the mention of that and its effects on you was super helpful. i loved the format of this video lol, i’ll definitely be coming back to your channel a lot as I go through high school. bye!
Such a good video. I love how honest you are about college admissions. girl i am literally in your shoes right now. I am in 8th grade, but i just felt like i have tons of work to do(even though i don't have lots of homework to do). I suffer with friendship, family problem, and mental problems to. I procrastinate a lot but it just become a habits of me :((( i watched your videos and i felt like this is my future. I once used to be so wonderful in my early age around elementary school i was the golden kid who can do anything and good at anything. But now i'm just fallen behind, seeing other people succeed in their academic.
Hey girl, in the same grade as you. I feel the exact same way! I don't know what to do anymore. I mean I have been preparing early for college by studying hard, working hard on extracurriculars, and planning my own projects (some of which are really personal to me and which I actually want to do). I even got with non-profits!. But still, people around me make me feel like everything I do is wrong and I am just so tired. I want somebody who is not biased toward me to look at my portfolio and the things I got and tell me whether I am good enough :(
Middle and High school are incredibly difficult times, especially with all the expectations family and teachers often put on you. Its okay to not do super well, academically, mentally, socially, in whatever sphere. It hurts to disappoint other people, but honestly, I think that's part of what adolescence is, because it is learning what you want, what you can do, and how that differs from what your family/friends/authority figures may want. If I have one recommendation, it is just to invest in activities that make you feel better. Those are more important than academics, even, because passions are a part of you. I did well in school for a while, then floundered because I didn't know *why* I was doing it. (And that definitely contributed to the many college rejections I got). If you can find a why--by exploring things you care about--that's the best outcome. Its hard to work hard if you aren't really invested in what you're doing. But even if you can't, or even if school or outside life stuff is too hard, it will work out. Grades and career and college have nothing to do with whether or not you are "good enough"--there are so many wonderful people in this world who got 1.5 gpas in highschool, but kept moving forward in life and found something to do that did work for them, and are able to find happiness and meaning. Everyone has value, and I'm not just saying that. Life is easier, if you get into a good school and into a good career, but that's not the only path. Regardless, good luck to anyone reading this!
Once you figure out your passion, everything else falls into place. One of my friends wasn’t academically amazing, but he was very dedicated to his passion, and I think college admissions saw that
Thank you soo much for this video. i love your transparency. Im almost in the same position since i couldn’t do well on my entrance a month ago and i was heartbroken because i couldnt get into my dream school. But after taking some time to calm down and after watching your video i felt better, im grateful to you for that. Ive started to give other exams as well, hopefully to make it to some community college. I wish you all the good things in this world! Keep up the good work 🤍
Man, I wish the very best for you. It’s comforting to know that university isn’t the end all be all, and that even if I get rejected (which rn is one of my biggest fears), there’s people out there like you who I know will be successful despite it.
Recently got denied on my early decision UChicago application. It was my dream school for pretty much all 4 years of high school, and it really hurt to see that rejection letter. I was heartbroken and I cried to sleep that night. Now, though, I feel much better and I realize that I was insane for attaching all of my self worth into this institution that doesn't even know WHO I am. Still looking forward to my other applications, but now I feel that even if I get denied from every single one, I'll still be okay. Life simply goes as it does and I worked my absolute hardest in high school and in my applications, so if it isn't meant to be then that's okay. I realize that all of my accomplishments in high school aren't instantly invalidated just because I was denied; people are more than a sheet of stats. This video really resonated with me. Great work :) To all of our futures, in or out of an Ivy League.
@@Eighteenthmelody i thought so, but apparently not, I submitted my app around the 10th of October and they rejected me on the 29th of October (before Nov. 1st deadline even came out).
I just wanna thank you for creating this video. It reminded me to be carefree. Currently, I’m on a break in college. And honestly, I don’t know if I’d still like to come back and study. In my case, college rn seems like a burden for me because it’s as if it’s the only wall that keeps me from exploring the world. Ever since then, I do not like going to school. Despite my school achievements, I only gave my best shot to the last point at my own mental health expense. It was not worth it. And I wouldn’t do that again bcs I realized how much I only did it for others’ appeal and impression, not mine. That’s why I’m on recovery rn. Sounds absurd but yeah. I’m so happy to know you’ve found a better place btw! Your uni looks so peaceful and better. Love from 🇵🇭🩷
girl i sincerely see you have potentials i have you believe in yourself enough too never let those be wasted. always we bail! i have faith in you🎉 good luck in the future ahead❤
(Long ramble ahead) I just got rejected from Northwestern where I applied ED. I watched this video over the summer before senior year to prepare myself for rejection from top schools, and I find myself here again now. I know two other asian/wasian people at my school who got into John’s Hopkins and Stanford this week, and the feeling of failure is hitting hard as I can strongly relate to the desire you described of wanting to have that status of a student who got into a top ten school. I know I could’ve done it had my circumstances been perfect, but that wasn’t the case and I’m trying to come to terms with that. Like you were, I’m unsure of what i’m trying to achieve with college right now, and the guilt of not getting into a top 20 school knowing what my parents sacrificed for me to have this chance is weighing down hard. I hope to find out who I am at whatever institution I end up attending, and this video is helping me keep my head up for now, thank you so much for uploading this 🤍
I’m a 17 year old who recently applied to college (Brown, Columbia, Yale, Spelman, Howard, BC, BU, Northeastern, NCAT etc) during the 2024-25 cycle and here are some things I did wrong and what im changing in my transfer application: Previous faults: - Not preparing a list of schools in advance - Applying for one major only (knowing I’m indecisive) (Psychology now interested in Nursing) - Rushed last minute supplements, not doing much planning like op said - Spent months during the academic year thinking of my essay - Not doing enough/involving myself during my hs years -it’s okay to showcase some emotional aspects in ur writing but only use when relevant, don’t overdo it/guilt trip, admissions officers don’t like essays like that especially when it doesn’t tie to your academics/major and future plans Updated solutions: - plan ahead - use ai to help you plan out how you’ll execute supplements/essays -more passion/major focused extracurriculars, also community based - start your essays during the summer and don’t try to write too cliche/unique especially with the surge of TikTok common app essays. - essays should show academic as well as outside academic interests but the central focus should be on what u plan to major in(having well round ECs helps this process) -integrate ur ECs with ur essays(why ai helps with planning) -same thing for supplements (ALWAYS TIE BACK TO UR PASSIONS AND HOW YOU WILL PURSUE THEM AT YOUR SCHOOL OF INTEREST I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!!😭) -beRealistic when it comes to college lists (like OP said don’t be delusional)💀🙏🏿 but it’s okay to have a couple of reach schools
The University of Iowa has one of the top creative writing programs in the world, and the MFA program at the Iowa Writers Workshop has acceptance rates of 3-4%, so even if the university itself isn't as highly selective as the other schools mentioned, it's still an amazing program. So, congrats on finding a great opportunity and making the most of it!
awesome video! there's so much stress surrounding this topic for me and many others, and i really feel like it only gets worse as time goes on. all the success stories and decision reaction videos makes it seem like you're destined to fail if you don't have that moment. hearing from someone who didn't have anything like that is so refreshing to hear, and i'm glad to know that things worked out for you :) this brought me a lot of reassurance and i look forward to seeing what happens with this channel next!!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm currently in the college application process and I have the fear of being rejected from my ed or reach schools. I find myself in a similar situation to yours, and your video has given me a new outlook on things. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
wow...this was so comforting. i am soon gonna be in my last year of highschool and i feel so lost and defeated already? but your video really gave me the motivation and the comfort needed to get myself together. thank you 🥺💗
I'm on the exact same boat as you, same year too (finished my first year and starting my second in couple months). got rejected from my dream school and ended up going to a small private liberal arts school (in my asian country). i wasnt too happy and kinda flunked my first year getting a lower-than-expected gpa and my internship ended up being shorter than what was told to me. It was hard enough to deal with the fact that you didnt get to go where you wanted, but seeing kids you went to hs (also a private international school like you) with go the best universities globally and get really cool opportunities juts adds another layer of insecurities. I totally get you on everything you talked about.
Hey, I just submitted the last of my apps around 30 minutes ago! I keep coming back to this video whenever I'm anxious about the results -- I have a feeling I'll get rejected from the schools I really want to go to. But this is such a refreshing and reassuring perspective, and I appreciate the vulnerability, you've succinctly expressed many of the thoughts going through my confused ahh brain in the past few months. I wish you the best in all of your future endeavors and I can tell you'll do well :)
You have worked so hard! Never doubt that sometimes colleges or universities tend to have a certain crowd they are looking for which may make them overlook outstanding students. You have worked hard and can always try again and apply to other colleges. Also, studying abroad is beneficial and cheaper depending on the country and college you wish to attend. For example, I am applying to Seoul National University and a couple others in Korea. I don't know what you are trying to major in, but they have many opportunities, and you can always transfer your credits as long as they have what you are currently majoring in. So never give up!
This just popped up on my feed and I loved the vid so much!! I see myself a lott in you. I’m currently a student at a very small tight knit school that is very highly ranked in the US. I can deeply relate to what you talked about with people doing big things and applying to Ivies and crazy colleges. While I am a decent student, I have big procrastination issues as well, and seeing myself in comparison to everyone else can be challenging. I do plan on applying to some top colleges as I have always wanted to, but honestly I am warming up to the idea of some other colleges. I’m doing my best to stop idolizing college and to enjoy the ride a bit more :)
Yall unless you genuinely to want to go to an ivy, you really don't need to apply to any of them. If an IVY your dream school, then go for it! hell yeah! But don't feel like you have to apply to only ivies or top 20 schools as some sort of challenge or something if that's not what you truly want. I (a lifelong Georgia resident) applied to 4 safeties in Georgia ( I mean like actual safeties 70% or higher), Auburn because of its engineering program, UGA and that was it. Mainly because I already knew where I wanted to go fairly early in hs but also, I didn't wanna run myself into the ground in hs. Nonetheless, I've never been happier than at UGA. But my point is for everyone in high school is stay true to yourself and its okay to want to save money with the in-state colleges. Good luck yall!
I'm going to end with a C in precalculus and a B in AP Physics this semester(my junior year), and tbh I've just really been stuggling with thinking about college apps and my future plans. Junior year is supposed to be the most important year, the one with the best grades and improvement. Now that I don't have that, idk I've lost all hope in getting anywhere. I stumbled upon this video after watching a wave of Ivy League stat videos, and tbh it does make me feel better, and maybe a little more hopeful. I think your point about really thinking about what you want from college really resonated with me. I feel like my desire to get into Ivy Leagues was due to mainly peer pressure, being surrounded by competitive academics in the Bay Area. I also just wanted the ego boost, which ofc I realize isn't the right reason to apply. But I guess in a way, this really shifted my whole perspective on whether i really know what I want or not. Idk I'm still beating myself up about my grades, but it doesn't define me as a person, and I'd rather people appreciate me for me than my college. And I think a lot of people still put college first. Sorry for the essay, but what I really wanted to say is thank you for making me feel less alone and a lot more grateful for my existence :)
Hello Charlotte, thank you for making this, believe me it is very helpful and very humble from you to teach us from your experience, I just started highschool and in the system of my latinamerican country schools really don't care about college or international students so I have to make all of my research and studying for myself as I aspire going to an American college like you, and this even if its not a study guide or such kind of content it is really helpful and inspiring not only because of the tips but also your attitude, which is admirable as people should not let themselves down for the rejections, there are also other innumerable things in life.
What you said about being on your phone or laptop really resonated with me. When I was in uni if I wasn't doing school work, I was wasting my time on escapism. And now that I've graduated I still do just that. I'm trying to apply for my master's at Oxford and Cambridge (among other schools) but I'm slowly coming to the realisation that I am not the type of applicant they are looking for. I'll still apply but I don't know, I don't think I'll get in.
I think it's hard. A lot of people have compelling stories now with covid and such. TBH I wouldn't want to be an admissions officer at a competitive school. What a soul-sucking job that must be. I was gonna make a joke off the start about taking back your Asian card, but I can't. You have a lot of ability to self-assess and you're very honest about your decisions, I think that's so amazing. So many people our age just lie to themselves and never take responsibility for things. And, yeah, they're basically delusional.
Hey, I got deferred from my first choice yesterday. I just feel like I’m doing everything for the sake of glory and recognition as you mentioned. (I’m trying to not be upset but still upset lamo) I really wish I could just chill. Idk hahahahah I’m trying but it’s never enough and I feel really lost and scared. Thank you for showing me that life could be different. ❤
Girl from the video you have already matured so muchfrom experience and now enjoy college and aim for a graduate degree at your dream school. My friend literally did the same thing. You are amazing 🎉
This video was so relatable to me cause I just got rejected from pretty much every school I applied to. Not that the schools I got into are bad but def not where I thought I’d end up. It was very devastating and only now in Summer am I starting to heal from it. The college process is just such a shitty thing, I wish it was easier on us and wasn’t so taxing
Just my rambling experience, may or may not apply to anything: I applied to two colleges: Brown (reach) and a tiny school with like, a 73% acceptance rate (not gonna dox it so let's call it T). I was a high-achieving student in terms of grades. I was inactive in pretty much any other part of school. I spent my non-school time working, watching RUclips, playing video games, and reading the odd book once in a while. I got rejected from Brown and accepted by T other school. I felt very sad about not being accepted into Brown even though I didn't even know if I wanted to go to college. I took a year off to work and figured out if I even wanted to go to college. Honestly, I only went to T because I had already been accepted and the process of researching more filled me with dread, but I still felt sad about not going to an Ivy league or a better-known school. My college is decent, but it is definitely not sexy. It has good programs, but it is not anyone's first pick. I am not at the end of the road, but I can say my college experience has been worth it. Even at my tiny school of less than 2,000 students, I have gained so many friends, mentors, and connections. Don't even discredit the people around you in a dinky college. They are smart, hardworking, and incredible people. They're there because they have the expertise to do their job. Most schools will provide you with an adequate education. Furthermore, they will provide you with resources and connections. On another note, I became very active and visible on my college campus. This was a complete 180 from when I was in high school. There were so many opportunities I got because I cared about people enough to talk to them. For anyone wondering how to get ahead in college, talk to people! It is an environment where most people want to help you. From groceries to scholarships to job opportunities, you will be surprised just how far people will go for you. btw this is what networking is. You can do it accidentally if you're friendly enough.
dang i havent finished the video yet but so far this is actually so helpful bc i think like uh idk how to word this right but im going to high school soon and ive been kinda been similar to you as in how i am abt this typa stuff and i could see myself doing the same things you did but like thanks to this i could learn from youre mistakes to prevent me from making the same ones & now ik what not to do when i start high school and start applying to colleges & its like this is the exact advice i needed to hear, so i mean you prolly wont see this but ty this was like actually the most helpful like high school/college type advice video ive seen, and the way you formatted the video was cute too, wish you the best !
I have yet to get rejected by the schools I applied to as it's only January but I don't know how to feel. This video hit really close to me, after doing a bunch of introspection this past college application season. Over the past 4 years, I feel like I've become so toxic, and I'm so burned out rn. I'm so tired of myself, and the comparison and the college stuff already, I feel so lonely and I wish I made better friends or more meaningful relationships. I procrastinate, I'm watching videos and scrolling webtoons at every moment and I turned in almost every single college application on the deadline. I applied to only T20s, but I'm so so delusional. I don't have a dream school but I just know I'm going to be so hard on myself because of my own expectations and hopes and I'm kinda scared. I have had many people important to me telling me that college decisions don't change anything and its okay there's many paths, but it might be too late I'm very stuck in this mindset that I've worked too hard in high school to fail and that I deserve it. Anyways big rant, but really, *thank you* for this video -- I really hope to learn and find myself in college.
I'm applying to Ivies and T20s + few in other countries this fall. I just learned that my GPAs are going to be a lot lower than my expectations for senior year, and I could picture myself getting rejected everywhere and I feel like I just wasted my high schools years for nothing. But your video reminded me that there are more impartant things in life than the degrees I get, my life is (hopefully) way longer than 4 more years, and I'll just have to try my best no matter what the results would be. Thanks
Contrary to the video: You should actually research colleges in the spring, write essays over the summer, and apply early action to colleges in the fall.
I don't know if you'll see this, but I want to thank you. Being a second gen immigrant, the pressure is intense to succeed and get into a "good" college. You've made me feel a little better. Thank you
The athlete path in high school is genuinely one of the most overrated if it’s a REAL SPORT (squash and lacrosse don’t count, I’m talking basketball, soccer, football, and track. Back then I was putting in minimum 4 hours a day into my sport while also having disordered eating to the point of passing out multiple times from low blood sugar while also doing my SATs and 9 AP classes. I got state medalist in track but had 0 social life outside of track and I was lonely and still have no real friends. I got into tufts and instantly tried to transfer but I got depressed because I turned into a hermit so I quit after 1 season due to suicidal ideation since my best friend got into a D1 when I was injured they year prior. I still kinda wish I could go back to my old sport for fun but now I just want to focus on my grades and making relationships and not go back to the endless insanity of track and field which I was addicted to. The college admissions process made me hate track and I now have internal pain when I see the Olympics.
I am 73 years old. All that college admissions stuff seemed so important when I was 17-20. I wanted to go to a prestige school or Ivy League but ended up at a not selective state school. At the time I was devastated. But it did not matter. I actually had a great experience at the state school, did well went o law school. Had an interesting and well compensated career. At this point I am actually glad that I went to school where I did. My life would not have been better nor my career more successful if I had gone to a more prestigious school. Later in life I taught for a while at one of the schools that rejected you. They had a great campus and lots of fancy stuff, but the students weren’t all that, and what they were taught was no different from other schools. You will be fine.
Wow, this is so relatable. I will be starting college soon and this is the only college I got accepted out of 14 colleges. It was my safety school tho. I also went through a huge depression just because of this college app thing and was super anti-social. I had big dreams and worked so hard in high school, but I guess that wasn't enough. Still am, but I hope I become more social after I start college. But this is not the end of the world. I will aim for bigger graduate schools while working hard at college during the upcoming 4 years.
to anyone applying for colleges, if you see colleges as trophies that you want to use as bragging rights, then please get off those applications and don't apply at all. You go there to pursue a higher education and get your degree, it doesn't matter what college you go to, prestigous or not, you will get the same degree and have the same job a person from an ivy league will have in a couple of years. If you only apply for the sole purpose of showing off, you're just wasting your money. Lower your standards which are probably highly unrealistic!
i remember obsessively searching for a vid like this a year ago, stuff like "getting rejected from every college." surprisingly, there wasn't much besides some girl complaining about stanford rejecting her (oh no, she has to settle for caltech). my parents were convinced my rejection from usc EA was proof i'd be full rejected besides my safe school, which wasn't entirely right or wrong. i ended up in my 'target' state school, and i'm pretty content here tbh. i feel like there's no limit like i was imagining i'd crash into post-rejection. i had the same thing as you - high-ish GPA, lots of AP 5's, mid extracurriculars and no real passion. i worked fairly hard but knew damn well people getting into top schools worked harder (for the most part). guess we kind of ran parallel in this regard. i imagine it's not as uncommon of a story as youtube would have you believe. almost everyone who gets in worked hard, but not everyone who worked hard gets in. just gotta take it as you go and remember the prestige and names are temporal. what really sticks with you and paves your life is your own character, so just keep building that. anyway, thanks for this, it's kind of like closure for my past self haha.
My friend, you have motivated me to work very hard throughout the rest of high school. For that, you've earned yourself a loyal subscriber. I hope to see you make more of these kind of videos. Have an amazing day :)
This is the most genuine video ever🫶.hope to never forget it. And Thank you so so much for being honest. I like this sense of assurance of not being alone in all this. I share all the struggles, honestly speaking am still in tears. This sounds like the story of my life, but i will have to work more on the brighter side
I only applied to one university (my dream school) and am actively saving money to pay for my tuition in my gap year. My backup plan? To attend community college for all basic requirement classes and go to Iowa State Uni. I specifically chose to apply to early admissions because I knew with my lack of some areas Drake wanted I wouldn't be their first pick from every application- but I would be one of the first they'd see, making them more likely to remember me first. I never did any extracurriculars after freshman year (online COVID-19 2020-21 year). I also switched between 3 schools in different areas (a small town in Iowa, near Houston TX, back to a neighboring school in Iowa again). I failed two semesters, one in F year and the other in Soph year. None of my electives were directly tied to my future career, even though I had the choice to take those classes. I hadn't decided what I wanted to do before graduation and therefore took none of the electives for it. My senior year I let my grades drop and my GPA dropped from the stable 3.2 I'd had Soph & Jr to a 2.67 I still got into Drake University for fall 2025-26!! Letting yourself slip is okay, even if it feels life-shattering. The process of letting yourself actually look at your situation from an outside perspective is hard. I genuinely cried and had breakdowns over thinking I'd never be accepted after the slip-up through senior year. But, my dad sat down with me and started asking me questions. He'd ask if I thought someone with a similar situation could be accepted, and why I thought that, etc. It was eye-opening because it made you slow down and really think about what are your admission counselors going to value, what are they going to want for your 4 years, and why. This really helped me because... They're looking for people who fit their ideals, not yours. If you want something for your future that they believe won't align with their university, teaching, and the experiences they can give you, they're going to reject you. And yes, that hurts- but you have to keep going, keep searching for what school truly wants someone with your goals, ideas, and skills in mind. It's not just about you not being "good enough", or underqualified, it's about whether that Uni can provide you with what they deem to be the best education catered to YOU, for what you're seeking. Good luck in your journeys, hope you all get into a uni that fills your needs, and most importantly!! I hope you can say by the end of the day that you're proud of your path, even if it doesn't go as planned.
Also, so cool that you're in U of I! Hope you have fun and enjoy it there. My aunt a few years back went to Iowa State, and after a while decided U of I might be a better fit. So she transferred and let me tell you- she hated it and lasted two days before having a meltdown and going back to State. I'm so glad you seem to be enjoying it! But, that also brings to light something else: Grace (my aunt) was a 4.0, straight A, cheerleader with multiple extracurriculars, took 4 years of french and took every AP she possibly could in high school- just to fail at a school she thought she'd do amazing in. Her experience specifically was what also made me question if I even wanted to go to certain schools because of how they operate. That's also something to think about, looking for real experience at those uni's and seeking true stories to ensure that you would actually have been happy there.
I remember my college application like it happened yesterday. I had a 5 on the BC calculus exam and had a 4.0 then proceeded to get accepted into only one university out of eight that I applied to, and to add insult to injury, I applied to the mechanical engineering program and got rejected from that too. Now, I was happy with the one school I was accepted to (UT Austin), but was, and still, am livid about being rejected from engineering.
I have a friend who goes to UT-Austin for MechE and it is soul-suckingly competitive for a school that‘s average in most other disciplines. My friend had perfect grades in STEM classes/AP Tests, advanced linear-algebra type maths, so much experience with robotics, and endless family support - and she still worried. Sometimes life works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. But being angry unfortunately can’t change the past so my friendly advice: do the best with what you have. I was furious about my rejections too, but I honestly ended up in a better university (in Europe) after I thought I had nowhere to go. And yet my disappointment stopped me from enjoying my first semester there because I was constantly comparing myself to my friends who got into prestigious US programs. Good luck out there!
I don’t mean to be insensitive, but have you considered transferring? A&M is pretty good in engineering (and also free if you’re National Merit), and there’s plenty of strong programs that might take you in.
applying to uni either during HS or right after HS is genuinely overrated. You can just apply to a community college and save so much money and basically gain as much knowledge as a regular university student (albeit, with an associate or transfer degree) and then you can plan to transfer to a 4-year university and finish with money still in your pocket. You would make yourself such a competitive applicant when applying to a transfer Uni because you would have more time in CC to do work, get involved in student government, help the community, etc. You would become a more capable candidate than a regular high schooler.
Honestly you getting that many sets you up for job rejections, because that is the reality after college. If you can process your emotions and understand that no matter what you are still worthy, you are still capable, and you still can, it will carry you to the finish line. This is coming from someone who has had to deal with college and job rejections. Just know there is more to life than earning titles. We take time for granted when we are chasing after the dream. Take this time and enjoy your surroundings. There will always be times to make money. The one thing we don't make time for enough is ourselves. Always remember when ever one door closes their is another that opens and is waiting for you to walk through :)
i dont know what ur aspirations are but as someone who is currently a phd student and had similar thoughts back in undergrad, let me tell u that high school and undergrad is only an incredibly small piece of ur life's puzzle. Its not the end all be all, and believe me that u will have multiple chances during undergrad to "course correct" ur trajectory (but only if ur unsatisfied with it, ofc)
“I was lazy in high school”
*3.89 gpa 7aps nearly all 5s*
Fr 😭
Yeah I’m fucked😭😭
bro😂
she applied to unrealistic colleges tho imo, i have similar stats and would never even think ab applying to most of those schools. have at least a few safeties instead of ONE. i’m not dragging her tho, it just didn’t surprise me.
@@Amongus-is5zmsigh
Girl, you are so freaking real. Let me tell you, you might not be at an Ivy, but you have something that most people don't get until way later in life (if at all) - head on your shoulders, feet on the ground, and perspective. Are you going to make more videos? Because I subbed!
I love this comment
Thank you so much for your kindness, I really appreciate it!!! making more videos for fun is the plan :)
You summarized this perfectly
I don't fucking know how this landed on my feed , but on the most needed time . I'm not from the US I'm not applying for Universities there but I'm also questioning what I'll do if I don't get into my dream University. I gave up. 4 years of my life for and you words are an absolute gift thank you so much ❤
good luck with everything!! wishing you the best :)
This is so real. Even though i didn’t get into my dream school(UPenn), I got into some really good universities like Gtown, Tufts, and Swarthmore, but i wasn’t able to pay because of the financial aid and I’m going to one of my target schools. Im so grateful to have even been accepted anyway though, and I definitely learned a lot from tjis process. This video is a gem thank you 🙏
Congratulations on going to one of your target schools and on your acceptances!!! Thank you for being here :) wishing you all the best 💪
@@chiplock8927My sister didnt get into her dream ivy for medicine. She got into honors college for rutgers instead. If she went to the ivy, it would be way more competitive and she would be less likely to get into grad school for medicine. God has a plan for u! Everything happens for a reason❤ So keep your head high and smile😃
Real
Can you review my sop, im applying to Tufts
Can you review my sop, im applying to Tufts
You do not know how unbelievably insightful this video was 😭😭 I do have a plan for the college apps this year but this video makes me realize how much more it matters
thank you Charlotte
how come nobody stopped you from applying to 9 reaches and 1 safety?
Better question, why tf did they cap the # of schools at 10?
at least 2 maybe 3 safeties, but one Fk that
@@goldenchest2000 alot of intl schools in asia (the one in my country as well) caps it at 10 because they would rather have them apply to less schools with better quality apps vs shotgunning
good question! uhh my advisor was in fact like "I would advise against doing this for your own benefit" but I chose not to listen at the time! hope that helps
My son got into WashU in St. Louis last year. I was extremely surprised to see how comparative college admission has become over the years. Not only my son had put enormous amount of efforts, but also costed a lot of money too. I only went to the state schools for undergrad and dental school back in 90s. One of my classmates back in dental school told me her boyfriend didn't do well in high school so he ended up going to a community college. From there, he began working harder and transferred to a 4-year college. He ended up getting Ph.D from MIT. So you might have a slow and late start but there are plenty of time and opportunities to excel. Just require a lot of persistent work for a long time.
Congrats to your son, but in many ways you did better than he. State schools like UCLA and Berkeley educated more high-achieving, low-income students than all of the Ivies combined--and without the labyrinthine, nontransparent admissions schemes that have caused this vlogger and many others so much consternation.
I just want to say thank you for making this video. I have been stressing out over college stuff and I have trying to calm myself down and know that getting rejected from my dream school will not be the end of the world, but it has been hard. Its just comforting in a way to see that hey people DON'T just drop off the face of the Earth if they don't get into huge colleges like my subconscious has been telling me! I really appreciate your perspective on it and i hope that you know that you are lovely and awesome and exactly what I needed right now. Thank you.
I’m really thankful to hear that, I hope everything goes well for you! Thank you for being here :)
This has been such an inspiring and realistic video! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. As a senior who just started their senior year, the stress and pressure of college application has engulfed my entire life, and watching this video has been so comforting.
Honey, hard work is never a waste of time. You are an amazing human. Just keep moving forward and you will be the person you were meant to be!!
i couldn’t have found this video at a better time. i’m a senior going through the college application process and am in the middle of worrying about whether or not i’ll be good enough to get into the “prestigious” colleges i’m applying to and have been experiencing burn out as a previously highly achieving student. i went from doing so much to going on my phone as way to escape and hearing you went through the same things made me realize im not alone and it’s truly changed my perspective on the application process so thank you ❤️
Hang in there!! I went through the exact same thing-turns out college in America wasn’t the thing for me :) Got rejected from most, didn’t want to go into debt for others, and now I’m living my best life at a school no-one in the US has heard of.
The best thing that helped me was figuring out how fucking stupid the American college acceptance system is and how much it’s based on where your parents went, whether you do a sport that they need players for right now, or whether you donated money. Out of all the people at my school who got into Ivy+, only one did so on merit. Ultimately, even if you get in, please do consider whether the financial aspect is viable for you/your family, whether you would fit in with the culture, and whether what you’re interested in even requires a ‘prestigious’ name. For politics, yes. For STEM? It’s your skills that matter, ultimately.
Good luck out there :)
@@elysialena9856 Thank you! If you don’t mind me asking, what country did you move to?
@@mckennaaa8574 Hey! I actually moved to France-I’m now studying at the Paris Institute of Political Studies. I’d only been studying the language for four years in normal classes, so doing a dual French-English programme was definitely a challenge, but there are plenty of options across Europe for people who just speak English, in case that’s you! I couldn’t be happier with my choice :)
@@elysialena9856 wow that’s so cool!
Tbh I feel like getting into good schools feels so important cuz of the prestige, pressure, and bragging rights. That’s the whole reason my cuz fought to get into her dream school, and after 2 weeks she already wants to drop out and go to community college :p
Anyway, all the hard work in high school wasn’t worthless. You learned to develop grit/determination and maximized the learning that will help u in life, regardless of what school u go to
I don’t know if you’ll come to see this, but I’m literally about to cry help😭 I want to say thank you for making this. The video smoothened a part of my worries with some kind, reassuring touch. I’m still young, in early Highschool but I’m a very anxious person (equally prepared and unprepared somehow) I’ve been thinking too much about the future trying to set in stone what the rest of my life will be like, formed and rigid within the shape of my friends, family, expectations, and success. I relate to how you were. Your video was so comforting. I want to also say that I’m proud of you for where you are at and where you are headed and I wish the best for you. I’m definitely subscribing, despite how I’ve only found you by this one video on a random Saturday I really respect and look up to the person you are. I’m looking forward to more videos and I wish you the best of luck! I’ll keep trying hard
My key takeaways(I’m noting down):
- “Sometimes, life just doesn’t go the way you want it to. So you can be still like anything or you can be water.”
- Nut dealearr 6:51
- Don’t put your main worries on fitting in
- Plan in advance
- Research
- Don’t be delusional 10:40
- “it’s about you too - whether the institution fits your needs. In the end, you’re going to the school
- this segment 12:40 - 13:32
^ "You're totally right, you shouldn't follow me if you're reach for the same goal I had back then. But I'm, sharing my mistakes so in the even you are, you can learn something from what I did and be better! Yes I do wish that I had done things differently sometimes.
If I did, maybe I would've had a different result, if I had done better, planned more effectively. But thats still only just a maybe. and no matter what I know mow (or what l might regret), the only way is to move forwards.
- Who you surround yourself with is one of the most important decisions in hour life, you become like your environment (15:44 friendship part)
- 17:19 I’m so proud of you for where you are, you’re amazing!!
- college is not the be-all end-all, you’ll be okay; life is so much more. College is just a great way to ease your way into it and find yourself.
- Enjoy the process as much as you can, try not to stress too much. Drink hot tea and soup. Explore yourself.
Byebye, I’ll keep up with you and your videos!
Not sure why I got recommended this video 4 months after you posted but I was in the same boat almost 10 years ago… rejected by all the ivies I applied to and ended up in my safe school.
I think you’ll do absolutely fine, just take advantage of all the resources you can get!!
I would say I got a big confidence boost during my college years. And a lot of companies were trying to hire me by the time I graduated even though my program was not prestigious. Ivies look good on paper but it’s more exciting to craft your own kind of adventure ❤ Can’t wait to see how you’ll write your own chapters in this journey!
I’m applying to NYU early decision this month, and seeing how you got rejected with 7 perfect AP exam scores and got rejected is already quickly humbling me. I only have 3 (4 next year) and none of them are 5’s. I also don’t fill my time with extracurriculars and only fill it in with RUclips or video games kind of like you. I have like a 95% chance to get rejected, but I am happy to just get into a college (i’m a first gen and already got accepted into my safety school last month). Thank you for making this video! You’ll do many great things!
Edit: also, prestigious colleges are WAY TOO EXPENSIVE, so that’s a plus for you and will be a plus for me if I get rejected
2nd Edit: For those curious, I got waitlisted! I'm really happy it wasn't a flat out rejection lol. Now to see if I get off it... also, nice to see class of 2025 venting out their feelings. We can make it through this!
Yoo, hmu NYU gang🤝
lmk how it goes!! im planning on applying to nyu next year
Agreed! The thing with prestigious schools is that, although they are expensive, they often provide aid and merit scholarships-especially for academically gifted students, those from low-income backgrounds, and people of color-more than state schools would, considering the funding they receive. Nonetheless, Ivy Leagues and other prestigious schools are not the end be it all. However, do not let that stop you from applying, even if it’s just to one (if you have the benefit of fee waivers). You never know!
5 isn’t a perfect score, it’s usually around 70%+ raw. Most AP exams only have a couple dozen perfect scorers
@@student.8128 sane
What a real vid man, I get where ur coming from. I was basically in the same situation in hs almost to the tee, and also got a lot of waitlists and rejects. It's a hard thing to deal with and tbh idk if I'm still over it, but you just gotta keep going on and push through. College is rly what you make of it (idk I just had my first year). Convert all the knowledge from scrolling to making yt videos, it'll help. Good luck with everything!
thanks dude, I appreciate it!! same for you as well, good luck 💪
You are going to do great in college! Be proud of yourself. It sounds like you persevered through some difficult circumstances.
Thank you so much :) I really appreciate it!
Two years ago, I was rejected from 12/15 of the schools I applied to. I graduated as my high schools salutatorian and much to say, it broke me. Although I didn't know it at the time, I would end up in a place that would allow me to grow as a person and as a student in ways only a 90% acceptance rate school could offer. I remember it vividly though. The more letters I opened, the less hope and self esteem I had. It feels like the world is ending. I lived all my life seeing my worth in my ability to thrive academically and I think thats true for most of us (students applying to selective schools). It really ends up working out in the end, though. I wish I knew that back then. Thank you for this video, I resonate so much with your words and your style made it very entertaining.
hey, i just wanted to thank you for making this video. as a hs senior, i've been so stressed out about my essays and grades and ecs and whatnot but this video's been really eye-opening, not to mention calming as heck. i really love the style of this video too, you sound like an awesome, kind person and i'm so glad to have found this channel. thank you so much, i wish you success and happiness at UIowa :)
im literally like you always using yt and not focusing more. im so convinced to now work harder
This has been genuinely therapeutic, thank you for making it :)
We don't need IVY Leagues, IVY Leagues need us. A smart person is gonna be smart no matter where they go. An inventor is gonna invent nomatter where they go. There's pros in everything, you may not end up in debt. Never know
In an ideal world that's true, but there are way more smart people than there are open seats in the Ivy League. The Ivy League can afford to reject all kinds of geniuses because the geniuses are lined up out the door. Moreover, the Ivy league degree itself connotes a prestige that's worth more than intelligence to companies, because they only measure of your intelligence that a company can look at is your resume
this is what i think!!
this is so real but it truly doesn't matter where you go, persistence is key 💓 u got this!!
I love your transparency, not many people admit to their deficiencies and struggles so it’s refreshing to see someone talking about that
Bro, such a real vid. I shared a lot of the same circumstances that u described. Someone like you will do great wherever you are, and I’m happy to see ur success! I went from feeling lost as a person when high school ended three years ago to getting accepted to ucla as a transfer this year. I think a lot of us gain the same thing through this process and our struggles, which is perspective. Wishin u continued success, this vid was awesome!!! ❤❤
thanks dude :)) congratulations on your transfer! 🥂 I’m glad you got to somewhere you hopefully feel good and wishing you success & continued happiness for your future!!
I am actually really grateful that this video found itself on my feed. I'm currently a high school junior (entering 2nd semester aka the most critical year of my entire early life) and this whole winter break (specifically the past two weeks and the past two years of my life) I have spent whatever time I had not working on something that was due the next day or hour in bed, watching netflix or doomscrolling. Before I came across this video, I had spent the whole day procrasinating again and not working towards any of my many ambitions (to this point I have been so delusional about my goals lol.) but watching this helped me realize that even if I may feel that it's too late to find discipline and self control, it never is. So thank you. I'm going to update this comment monthly with my accomplishments!
Study for the SAT if you haven't already! Junior year second semester was a bit hellish yeah, but like 20 minutes of practice questions a day is feasible. Your sat score could be a good boost to your college applications, even though it's not everything, it's nice to have and show off (good for scholarships too)! And getting a high score is definitely attainable, it's all about discipline. Again, sending positive vibes!! ❤
p.s. try listening to lilypichu's song "not too late" you might like it :)
Hi, a senior in high school here! You sound a lot like me. Reflective, self-critical, procrastinator, overthinker, and you have high expectations for yourself.
Do simple things like putting down your phone (or whatever electronic you use) while cooking, eating, or some other task. No music, podcast, video, or show. Giving your brain time to process your thoughts is really important. It feels uncomfortable at first, but then you realize it's been forever since you last did anything without listening to something, filling your brain with noise.
Journaling has also really helped me, just writing down anything that comes to mind. It's super beneficial to your brain and soul! Don't try to make it perfect, just write whatever.
Me as a fellow human being who was in the same place as you last year says you've got this :D !! It's definitely not too late, not AT ALL. I didn't change my mindset right away, it's taken months. I also only shifted my mindset when I learned about new perspectives through stepping out of my comfort zone to try out new experiences and talking to new people.
Starting early and doing anything is huge at this point! Don't put 10 things on your to-do list in one day, chill out. Just one productive thing is great progress.
Sending hugs! ❤
i've tried replying a million times but i think my comments were too long; sorry if i look like a maniac & these comments are out of order anyways I WISH YOU LUCK ✨✨✨
Good luck
@@melonbluh Hi!! This actually rlly hit home so thank you so much -- u just put into words everything that i've been thinking of 😭The reflective and self critical part is so true, and the fact that the procrastinator and overthinker side of me just sits on these negative self thoughts to the point it mentally and physically weighs me down 😂and literally only being able to bring myself to doomscroll when all I want to be is perfect?...
unfortunately it's been a month since I wrote that comment, and I actually have not accomplished anything significant 😅 I'm still trying my best to change myself and create a 'new' mindset on life but I always find my lazy side reassuring myself that as long as I have the right 'idea' I can always just act on it later. Like i've been trying to get out of my comfort zone and when I obv can't, I just tell myself it's whatever like i'd rather be in bed and this can wait till later..... do u have any advice on the trying out new experiences and talking to new people part?
I just have to keep telling myself that it can't happen overnight (because ill expect this and when im let down i just get so slumped).
Thank you so much for ur kind and encouraging words!! ❤
Everything happens for a reason. When one door is closed, God opens up another, a better one to keep you moving forward. Life is about ups and downs.
Winners pick themselves up after getting knocked down and do not dwel in the past.
It's not the first school you go to that's important, but the last one. Thanks for sharing to help others, especially those that share similar experiences ❤😊.
As a 55yo father of identical twins who will be applying to schools this summer, I am scared to death hoping my kids can make it through the college application and decision process unscathed 😮. My biggest concern is that one gets in to their ideal school, but the other doesn't even though both have same academic achievements.
I hope it turns out well for your children and good luck for their application process!! It can definitely be a stressful time for both kids and parents but having good support and clear communication helps to reassure both sides, in my experience :) hope this video helped in some small way!
thanks for such a deep talk on this topic. very refreshing to hear from the typical college admission videos / stats. you're super well spoken and have a great aptitude about life and growing i can tell... talking about connections with people who will give deeper meaning to life and finding yourself. good luck and I wish you the best!
btw you should keep doing these videos I enjoy hearing you talk and i'm sure many others do too you genuinely have a way of speaking and interacting with the camera
thank you so much! that means a lot :) wishing you the best too!! (please don’t drink more bleach 🚱)
@@chiplock8927 LMAO thanks for the throwback
Thank you for this cathartic experience. I'm currently in the process of applying, and this video touched me more than any college vlogs or essay tutorials: speaking as comfortably and flowing as you is my goal for my essays.
Fun, creative, introspective video. Job well done! My son did sort of the opposite of you. He mostly focused on safety schools that was within WUE (Western Exchange state tuition). He was a good student but not those brainiac types. I wish he tried for a ‘reach’ school just to see if it was possible but in the end he made the correct choice getting the scholarship, school and major he wanted. It’s not a brand name school but he is proud to be there. They have a great philosophy and great facilities and they successfully crank out engineers that are easily and quickly hired right out of college.
Random note: Jason Momoa went to high school in Iowa and he really loves it there.
Congratulations to your son and thank you for watching! And I didn’t know that previously about Jason Momoa, thanks for sharing 😁
thank you for this video :-)
as a current high school senior going thru the same process, this has been more comforting than anything, knowing that we'll be able to find happiness wherever we go
This landed on my feed and I was in your EXACT shoes before, I was really lazy, and had a very toxic mindset when it came to college, depressed and angry that I didn't understand what I was doing wrong. I thought prestige of the school was so important and kept chasing ivy leagues to the point of idolatry (which you shouldn't do btw). Had mid average grades, no extracurriculars , no awards and no ambitions. The internet made my obsession even worse, thinking I needed 1600s and all kinds of math Olympiads to get in(you don't) At some point I realized this toxic behavior was REALLY hurting me and I had to grow from my delusions of a child mindset, expecting everything to be handed to them with little effort to an adult mindset of working hard, persevering and owning up to what I did wrong and making it better.
Right now, I am pursing things that I am actually interested about, have 2 internships in a medical lab and clinic with a passion project in my hobby of gardening!
I greatly appreciate this video and really should shed light into the EXTREMELY toxic light that other people are putting to college, it may sound very cliché but college doesn't guarantee success, even if you do all those check lists that people online tell you, it will be very obvious that you are doing it for the sake of college and not for your interest.
Although you didn't get into your dream schools, I am very happy you learned from your mistakes and become a bigger person, unlike the other hundreds or possibly thousands of people who think their life ended when they received their rejections.
Hope you grow into the best version of yourself, and happily got a new subscriber❤✨
BRO KEEP SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌🙌🙌
I'm a junior. I relate a lot to this video. Luckily I decided last year to stop trying to check all the boxes everyone else was. I gave up my slot for an AP class to take choir instead. I played music, and I competed in debate. And I feel 10x happier now knowing I'm doing what I choose instead of what I feel like I have to do.
I really loved your video, and I hope you'll keep making more. Keep it coming buddy🫵👍👍👍👍
You are an amazing human being!!!! Don't let failure define you!!11!!1!!!1!!1!!!!!!
thank u for this video!! current high school senior rn and i feel like someone literally just retold everything im going thru rn. college decisions for the most part havent come out for me yet and im dreading the day they do because honestly my app wasnt great, but watching this has kind of helped me come to terms with knowing everything will be ok. wishing the best for u!!!!
Good video for those who fell and needed to pick themselves up to continuo the race. Interesting way of capturing your audience attention by moving around!
You also have the option to transfer to another college but if you have already found fulfillment at your current place then kudos to you! You can always start a new chapter of your life at another college for graduate study. Time is still on your side and the choices are only limited by your imagination. Good luck and please continue to share your evolving story.
as a freshmen in hs, i really relate to this. thank you so much for this, I feel a lot less alone knowing other people are also just trying to figure it out. I also really like the video style :]
big tip, go to a community college after highschool. Spend 2 years at a community college, then transfer to any university. Your local CC probably has a program where the first two years are free (thats what Im doing rn), then after 2 years, you can transfer to any uni and you will have a near guarnteed admission chance to most univerities.
@@saltedbiscuit8318i wouldn’t really call that a “tip” though. that’s just a different route you can decide to do for yourself
@@saltedbiscuit8318 my uni is already hard enough on internal transfers, don’t give people false information
As a senior currently applying for colleges this fall, I really needed this. I've also struggled with loneliness/self-isolation, family issues, and extremely low self esteem. I've been on the verge of mental breakdowns for the past 2 weeks because of my sophomore grades, but whats done is done. I also couldv'e done so much more, as I would also spend countless hours on my phone, doing nothing productive
hi! may i ask what your sophomore grades were if you’re comfortable?
This will probably get buried in all the good commentary here, but thank you. Seriously, thank you. I'm waiting to hear back from colleges right now, and this video was very needed. I related to a lot of the things you talked about (being lonely, bed rotting even though we know better, and a billion other things), and I just wanted to say that this video was so incredibly validating and comforting. So thank you.
I’m glad I could help in some small way :) best of luck to you and sending a virtual hug
I’m glad I could help in some small way :) best of luck to you and sending a virtual hug
i also got rejected from all of the ivy league schools i applied to (quarantine grades were horrific no surprise there). but regardless, i'm still having a lot of fun in the school i'm at now. i just picked the first school that accepted me and i'm glad i did. as someone who had zero friends in high school, i'd consider myself fairly well known now. i've even become a club senator. being rejected is depressing, but there are better things to come always 😸 i hope anyone who reads this has a good day
I think even the strongest most dedicated candidates could have had similar results as you. I think the issue was really that you only applied to HIGHLY HIGHLY selective schools. If you could have applied to more it would have been fine- you could’ve added more targets, safeties etc. I don’t think it’s about you not doing enough, I think it was your strategy and your counselor should’ve advised you to add more safeties
I agree with your point; looking back I think I could have tried going deeper into research for other less well known schools for my major that would have hit the safety / target categories (at the time I wasn’t as much attracted by those options). Thanks for your thoughts and for watching!
i'm a freshman in high school, and watching this video calmed my heart
girl , same here , but don't be sad our time will come.
for sure 🦾 all the best for everything
gurl ur so wholesome 😭as a current college senior who also experienced quite a lot of turbulence last year, i'm also feeling very uncertain about my application/results, but this video kinda healed me a tiny bit in the best way possible 💖 also wtf ski racing is so cool?? and also ur vibes are immaculate ahhh i would totally love to be ur friend (not to be creepy)
haha thank you I'm flattered :) good luck with your application!!
hey! class of 2028 here :) i really enjoyed this video - it feels like everything i do is for college and it’s nice to get a sort of realistic point of view about what college actually is, and just the comforting thing that wherever I go, whether it be prestigious or not, I will hopefully really enjoy college :) i really appreciated the mention of social circles - I’m someone who has sort of isolated myself a bit for many reasons, primarily of which is social anxiety, and the mention of that and its effects on you was super helpful. i loved the format of this video lol, i’ll definitely be coming back to your channel a lot as I go through high school. bye!
Such a good video. I love how honest you are about college admissions. girl i am literally in your shoes right now. I am in 8th grade, but i just felt like i have tons of work to do(even though i don't have lots of homework to do). I suffer with friendship, family problem, and mental problems to. I procrastinate a lot but it just become a habits of me :((( i watched your videos and i felt like this is my future. I once used to be so wonderful in my early age around elementary school i was the golden kid who can do anything and good at anything. But now i'm just fallen behind, seeing other people succeed in their academic.
Hey girl, in the same grade as you. I feel the exact same way! I don't know what to do anymore. I mean I have been preparing early for college by studying hard, working hard on extracurriculars, and planning my own projects (some of which are really personal to me and which I actually want to do). I even got with non-profits!. But still, people around me make me feel like everything I do is wrong and I am just so tired. I want somebody who is not biased toward me to look at my portfolio and the things I got and tell me whether I am good enough :(
Bro you’re in 8th grade please don’t stress out over things like this 😭 You’re still very young.
sounds like you are on the right track so pleeeeeaaaase keep goin
Middle and High school are incredibly difficult times, especially with all the expectations family and teachers often put on you. Its okay to not do super well, academically, mentally, socially, in whatever sphere. It hurts to disappoint other people, but honestly, I think that's part of what adolescence is, because it is learning what you want, what you can do, and how that differs from what your family/friends/authority figures may want. If I have one recommendation, it is just to invest in activities that make you feel better. Those are more important than academics, even, because passions are a part of you. I did well in school for a while, then floundered because I didn't know *why* I was doing it. (And that definitely contributed to the many college rejections I got). If you can find a why--by exploring things you care about--that's the best outcome. Its hard to work hard if you aren't really invested in what you're doing.
But even if you can't, or even if school or outside life stuff is too hard, it will work out. Grades and career and college have nothing to do with whether or not you are "good enough"--there are so many wonderful people in this world who got 1.5 gpas in highschool, but kept moving forward in life and found something to do that did work for them, and are able to find happiness and meaning. Everyone has value, and I'm not just saying that. Life is easier, if you get into a good school and into a good career, but that's not the only path. Regardless, good luck to anyone reading this!
Once you figure out your passion, everything else falls into place. One of my friends wasn’t academically amazing, but he was very dedicated to his passion, and I think college admissions saw that
Thank you soo much for this video. i love your transparency. Im almost in the same position since i couldn’t do well on my entrance a month ago and i was heartbroken because i couldnt get into my dream school. But after taking some time to calm down and after watching your video i felt better, im grateful to you for that. Ive started to give other exams as well, hopefully to make it to some community college. I wish you all the good things in this world! Keep up the good work 🤍
Man, I wish the very best for you. It’s comforting to know that university isn’t the end all be all, and that even if I get rejected (which rn is one of my biggest fears), there’s people out there like you who I know will be successful despite it.
Recently got denied on my early decision UChicago application. It was my dream school for pretty much all 4 years of high school, and it really hurt to see that rejection letter. I was heartbroken and I cried to sleep that night. Now, though, I feel much better and I realize that I was insane for attaching all of my self worth into this institution that doesn't even know WHO I am. Still looking forward to my other applications, but now I feel that even if I get denied from every single one, I'll still be okay. Life simply goes as it does and I worked my absolute hardest in high school and in my applications, so if it isn't meant to be then that's okay. I realize that all of my accomplishments in high school aren't instantly invalidated just because I was denied; people are more than a sheet of stats. This video really resonated with me. Great work :)
To all of our futures, in or out of an Ivy League.
doesnt uchig ed come out in December?
@@Eighteenthmelody i thought so, but apparently not, I submitted my app around the 10th of October and they rejected me on the 29th of October (before Nov. 1st deadline even came out).
I just wanna thank you for creating this video. It reminded me to be carefree. Currently, I’m on a break in college. And honestly, I don’t know if I’d still like to come back and study. In my case, college rn seems like a burden for me because it’s as if it’s the only wall that keeps me from exploring the world. Ever since then, I do not like going to school. Despite my school achievements, I only gave my best shot to the last point at my own mental health expense. It was not worth it. And I wouldn’t do that again bcs I realized how much I only did it for others’ appeal and impression, not mine. That’s why I’m on recovery rn. Sounds absurd but yeah.
I’m so happy to know you’ve found a better place btw! Your uni looks so peaceful and better. Love from 🇵🇭🩷
girl i sincerely see you have potentials i have you believe in yourself enough too never let those be wasted. always we bail! i have faith in you🎉 good luck in the future ahead❤
(Long ramble ahead)
I just got rejected from Northwestern where I applied ED. I watched this video over the summer before senior year to prepare myself for rejection from top schools, and I find myself here again now. I know two other asian/wasian people at my school who got into John’s Hopkins and Stanford this week, and the feeling of failure is hitting hard as I can strongly relate to the desire you described of wanting to have that status of a student who got into a top ten school. I know I could’ve done it had my circumstances been perfect, but that wasn’t the case and I’m trying to come to terms with that. Like you were, I’m unsure of what i’m trying to achieve with college right now, and the guilt of not getting into a top 20 school knowing what my parents sacrificed for me to have this chance is weighing down hard. I hope to find out who I am at whatever institution I end up attending, and this video is helping me keep my head up for now, thank you so much for uploading this 🤍
I’m a 17 year old who recently applied to college (Brown, Columbia, Yale, Spelman, Howard, BC, BU, Northeastern, NCAT etc) during the 2024-25 cycle and here are some things I did wrong and what im changing in my transfer application:
Previous faults:
- Not preparing a list of schools in advance
- Applying for one major only (knowing I’m indecisive) (Psychology now interested in Nursing)
- Rushed last minute supplements, not doing much planning like op said
- Spent months during the academic year thinking of my essay
- Not doing enough/involving myself during my hs years
-it’s okay to showcase some emotional aspects in ur writing but only use when relevant, don’t overdo it/guilt trip, admissions officers don’t like essays like that especially when it doesn’t tie to your academics/major and future plans
Updated solutions:
- plan ahead
- use ai to help you plan out how you’ll execute supplements/essays
-more passion/major focused extracurriculars, also community based
- start your essays during the summer and don’t try to write too cliche/unique especially with the surge of TikTok common app essays.
- essays should show academic as well as outside academic interests but the central focus should be on what u plan to major in(having well round ECs helps this process)
-integrate ur ECs with ur essays(why ai helps with planning)
-same thing for supplements (ALWAYS TIE BACK TO UR PASSIONS AND HOW YOU WILL PURSUE THEM AT YOUR SCHOOL OF INTEREST I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!!😭)
-beRealistic when it comes to college lists (like OP said don’t be delusional)💀🙏🏿 but it’s okay to have a couple of reach schools
The University of Iowa has one of the top creative writing programs in the world, and the MFA program at the Iowa Writers Workshop has acceptance rates of 3-4%, so even if the university itself isn't as highly selective as the other schools mentioned, it's still an amazing program. So, congrats on finding a great opportunity and making the most of it!
Hi. Don't worry we all are with you through your bad and good times. Keep working hard !
awesome video! there's so much stress surrounding this topic for me and many others, and i really feel like it only gets worse as time goes on. all the success stories and decision reaction videos makes it seem like you're destined to fail if you don't have that moment. hearing from someone who didn't have anything like that is so refreshing to hear, and i'm glad to know that things worked out for you :) this brought me a lot of reassurance and i look forward to seeing what happens with this channel next!!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm currently in the college application process and I have the fear of being rejected from my ed or reach schools. I find myself in a similar situation to yours, and your video has given me a new outlook on things. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
You're right to get it off your chest and continue being the best you :)
wow...this was so comforting. i am soon gonna be in my last year of highschool and i feel so lost and defeated already? but your video really gave me the motivation and the comfort needed to get myself together. thank you 🥺💗
Cheering for you, good luck!! 🍀
I'm on the exact same boat as you, same year too (finished my first year and starting my second in couple months). got rejected from my dream school and ended up going to a small private liberal arts school (in my asian country). i wasnt too happy and kinda flunked my first year getting a lower-than-expected gpa and my internship ended up being shorter than what was told to me.
It was hard enough to deal with the fact that you didnt get to go where you wanted, but seeing kids you went to hs (also a private international school like you) with go the best universities globally and get really cool opportunities juts adds another layer of insecurities.
I totally get you on everything you talked about.
thank you for giving us perspective and helping us with finding peace with our situations.
Hey, I just submitted the last of my apps around 30 minutes ago! I keep coming back to this video whenever I'm anxious about the results -- I have a feeling I'll get rejected from the schools I really want to go to.
But this is such a refreshing and reassuring perspective, and I appreciate the vulnerability, you've succinctly expressed many of the thoughts going through my confused ahh brain in the past few months. I wish you the best in all of your future endeavors and I can tell you'll do well :)
best of luck to you! 🍀I wish you all the best too :))
You have worked so hard! Never doubt that sometimes colleges or universities tend to have a certain crowd they are looking for which may make them overlook outstanding students. You have worked hard and can always try again and apply to other colleges. Also, studying abroad is beneficial and cheaper depending on the country and college you wish to attend. For example, I am applying to Seoul National University and a couple others in Korea. I don't know what you are trying to major in, but they have many opportunities, and you can always transfer your credits as long as they have what you are currently majoring in. So never give up!
Applause. I love how honest you are
This just popped up on my feed and I loved the vid so much!! I see myself a lott in you. I’m currently a student at a very small tight knit school that is very highly ranked in the US. I can deeply relate to what you talked about with people doing big things and applying to Ivies and crazy colleges. While I am a decent student, I have big procrastination issues as well, and seeing myself in comparison to everyone else can be challenging. I do plan on applying to some top colleges as I have always wanted to, but honestly I am warming up to the idea of some other colleges. I’m doing my best to stop idolizing college and to enjoy the ride a bit more :)
Yall unless you genuinely to want to go to an ivy, you really don't need to apply to any of them. If an IVY your dream school, then go for it! hell yeah! But don't feel like you have to apply to only ivies or top 20 schools as some sort of challenge or something if that's not what you truly want. I (a lifelong Georgia resident) applied to 4 safeties in Georgia ( I mean like actual safeties 70% or higher), Auburn because of its engineering program, UGA and that was it. Mainly because I already knew where I wanted to go fairly early in hs but also, I didn't wanna run myself into the ground in hs. Nonetheless, I've never been happier than at UGA. But my point is for everyone in high school is stay true to yourself and its okay to want to save money with the in-state colleges. Good luck yall!
I'm going to end with a C in precalculus and a B in AP Physics this semester(my junior year), and tbh I've just really been stuggling with thinking about college apps and my future plans. Junior year is supposed to be the most important year, the one with the best grades and improvement. Now that I don't have that, idk I've lost all hope in getting anywhere. I stumbled upon this video after watching a wave of Ivy League stat videos, and tbh it does make me feel better, and maybe a little more hopeful. I think your point about really thinking about what you want from college really resonated with me. I feel like my desire to get into Ivy Leagues was due to mainly peer pressure, being surrounded by competitive academics in the Bay Area. I also just wanted the ego boost, which ofc I realize isn't the right reason to apply. But I guess in a way, this really shifted my whole perspective on whether i really know what I want or not. Idk I'm still beating myself up about my grades, but it doesn't define me as a person, and I'd rather people appreciate me for me than my college. And I think a lot of people still put college first. Sorry for the essay, but what I really wanted to say is thank you for making me feel less alone and a lot more grateful for my existence :)
Hello Charlotte, thank you for making this, believe me it is very helpful and very humble from you to teach us from your experience, I just started highschool and in the system of my latinamerican country schools really don't care about college or international students so I have to make all of my research and studying for myself as I aspire going to an American college like you, and this even if its not a study guide or such kind of content it is really helpful and inspiring not only because of the tips but also your attitude, which is admirable as people should not let themselves down for the rejections, there are also other innumerable things in life.
What you said about being on your phone or laptop really resonated with me. When I was in uni if I wasn't doing school work, I was wasting my time on escapism. And now that I've graduated I still do just that. I'm trying to apply for my master's at Oxford and Cambridge (among other schools) but I'm slowly coming to the realisation that I am not the type of applicant they are looking for. I'll still apply but I don't know, I don't think I'll get in.
I have to say this video was the most relatable college advice video I've watched and I unfortunately find myself in a similar situation
I think it's hard. A lot of people have compelling stories now with covid and such. TBH I wouldn't want to be an admissions officer at a competitive school. What a soul-sucking job that must be. I was gonna make a joke off the start about taking back your Asian card, but I can't. You have a lot of ability to self-assess and you're very honest about your decisions, I think that's so amazing. So many people our age just lie to themselves and never take responsibility for things. And, yeah, they're basically delusional.
Hey, I got deferred from my first choice yesterday. I just feel like I’m doing everything for the sake of glory and recognition as you mentioned. (I’m trying to not be upset but still upset lamo) I really wish I could just chill. Idk hahahahah I’m trying but it’s never enough and I feel really lost and scared. Thank you for showing me that life could be different. ❤
Girl from the video you have already matured so muchfrom experience and now enjoy college and aim for a graduate degree at your dream school. My friend literally did the same thing. You are amazing 🎉
This video was so relatable to me cause I just got rejected from pretty much every school I applied to. Not that the schools I got into are bad but def not where I thought I’d end up. It was very devastating and only now in Summer am I starting to heal from it. The college process is just such a shitty thing, I wish it was easier on us and wasn’t so taxing
Just my rambling experience, may or may not apply to anything: I applied to two colleges: Brown (reach) and a tiny school with like, a 73% acceptance rate (not gonna dox it so let's call it T). I was a high-achieving student in terms of grades. I was inactive in pretty much any other part of school. I spent my non-school time working, watching RUclips, playing video games, and reading the odd book once in a while. I got rejected from Brown and accepted by T other school. I felt very sad about not being accepted into Brown even though I didn't even know if I wanted to go to college. I took a year off to work and figured out if I even wanted to go to college. Honestly, I only went to T because I had already been accepted and the process of researching more filled me with dread, but I still felt sad about not going to an Ivy league or a better-known school.
My college is decent, but it is definitely not sexy. It has good programs, but it is not anyone's first pick. I am not at the end of the road, but I can say my college experience has been worth it. Even at my tiny school of less than 2,000 students, I have gained so many friends, mentors, and connections. Don't even discredit the people around you in a dinky college. They are smart, hardworking, and incredible people. They're there because they have the expertise to do their job. Most schools will provide you with an adequate education. Furthermore, they will provide you with resources and connections.
On another note, I became very active and visible on my college campus. This was a complete 180 from when I was in high school. There were so many opportunities I got because I cared about people enough to talk to them. For anyone wondering how to get ahead in college, talk to people! It is an environment where most people want to help you. From groceries to scholarships to job opportunities, you will be surprised just how far people will go for you. btw this is what networking is. You can do it accidentally if you're friendly enough.
This is a beautifully poetic entry. You are an amazing person, artist and storyteller. Wishing you the absolute best of luck. Subscribed. 💙
dang i havent finished the video yet but so far this is actually so helpful bc i think like uh idk how to word this right but im going to high school soon and ive been kinda been similar to you as in how i am abt this typa stuff and i could see myself doing the same things you did but like thanks to this i could learn from youre mistakes to prevent me from making the same ones & now ik what not to do when i start high school and start applying to colleges & its like this is the exact advice i needed to hear, so i mean you prolly wont see this but ty this was like actually the most helpful like high school/college type advice video ive seen, and the way you formatted the video was cute too, wish you the best !
i'm glad i stood up for this vid 💖💖💖
I have yet to get rejected by the schools I applied to as it's only January but I don't know how to feel. This video hit really close to me, after doing a bunch of introspection this past college application season. Over the past 4 years, I feel like I've become so toxic, and I'm so burned out rn. I'm so tired of myself, and the comparison and the college stuff already, I feel so lonely and I wish I made better friends or more meaningful relationships. I procrastinate, I'm watching videos and scrolling webtoons at every moment and I turned in almost every single college application on the deadline. I applied to only T20s, but I'm so so delusional. I don't have a dream school but I just know I'm going to be so hard on myself because of my own expectations and hopes and I'm kinda scared. I have had many people important to me telling me that college decisions don't change anything and its okay there's many paths, but it might be too late I'm very stuck in this mindset that I've worked too hard in high school to fail and that I deserve it. Anyways big rant, but really, *thank you* for this video -- I really hope to learn and find myself in college.
This was so excellent on so many levels. You are amazing! Best of luck on your next path:)
I'm applying to Ivies and T20s + few in other countries this fall. I just learned that my GPAs are going to be a lot lower than my expectations for senior year, and I could picture myself getting rejected everywhere and I feel like I just wasted my high schools years for nothing. But your video reminded me that there are more impartant things in life than the degrees I get, my life is (hopefully) way longer than 4 more years, and I'll just have to try my best no matter what the results would be. Thanks
Wonderful vid!!! So true, so raw and so sad. If only everyone watched it
Contrary to the video: You should actually research colleges in the spring, write essays over the summer, and apply early action to colleges in the fall.
I don't know if you'll see this, but I want to thank you. Being a second gen immigrant, the pressure is intense to succeed and get into a "good" college. You've made me feel a little better. Thank you
The athlete path in high school is genuinely one of the most overrated if it’s a REAL SPORT (squash and lacrosse don’t count, I’m talking basketball, soccer, football, and track. Back then I was putting in minimum 4 hours a day into my sport while also having disordered eating to the point of passing out multiple times from low blood sugar while also doing my SATs and 9 AP classes. I got state medalist in track but had 0 social life outside of track and I was lonely and still have no real friends. I got into tufts and instantly tried to transfer but I got depressed because I turned into a hermit so I quit after 1 season due to suicidal ideation since my best friend got into a D1 when I was injured they year prior. I still kinda wish I could go back to my old sport for fun but now I just want to focus on my grades and making relationships and not go back to the endless insanity of track and field which I was addicted to. The college admissions process made me hate track and I now have internal pain when I see the Olympics.
I am 73 years old. All that college admissions stuff seemed so important when I was 17-20. I wanted to go to a prestige school or Ivy League but ended up at a not selective state school. At the time I was devastated. But it did not matter. I actually had a great experience at the state school, did well went o law school. Had an interesting and well compensated career. At this point I am actually glad that I went to school where I did. My life would not have been better nor my career more successful if I had gone to a more prestigious school. Later in life I taught for a while at one of the schools that rejected you. They had a great campus and lots of fancy stuff, but the students weren’t all that, and what they were taught was no different from other schools. You will be fine.
Wow, this is so relatable. I will be starting college soon and this is the only college I got accepted out of 14 colleges. It was my safety school tho. I also went through a huge depression just because of this college app thing and was super anti-social. I had big dreams and worked so hard in high school, but I guess that wasn't enough. Still am, but I hope I become more social after I start college. But this is not the end of the world. I will aim for bigger graduate schools while working hard at college during the upcoming 4 years.
to anyone applying for colleges, if you see colleges as trophies that you want to use as bragging rights, then please get off those applications and don't apply at all. You go there to pursue a higher education and get your degree, it doesn't matter what college you go to, prestigous or not, you will get the same degree and have the same job a person from an ivy league will have in a couple of years. If you only apply for the sole purpose of showing off, you're just wasting your money. Lower your standards which are probably highly unrealistic!
i remember obsessively searching for a vid like this a year ago, stuff like "getting rejected from every college." surprisingly, there wasn't much besides some girl complaining about stanford rejecting her (oh no, she has to settle for caltech). my parents were convinced my rejection from usc EA was proof i'd be full rejected besides my safe school, which wasn't entirely right or wrong. i ended up in my 'target' state school, and i'm pretty content here tbh. i feel like there's no limit like i was imagining i'd crash into post-rejection.
i had the same thing as you - high-ish GPA, lots of AP 5's, mid extracurriculars and no real passion. i worked fairly hard but knew damn well people getting into top schools worked harder (for the most part). guess we kind of ran parallel in this regard. i imagine it's not as uncommon of a story as youtube would have you believe. almost everyone who gets in worked hard, but not everyone who worked hard gets in. just gotta take it as you go and remember the prestige and names are temporal. what really sticks with you and paves your life is your own character, so just keep building that.
anyway, thanks for this, it's kind of like closure for my past self haha.
I’ve binged your vids and I love your style and voice (both literal voice and how you present ur vid) so much
Keep killing it
My friend, you have motivated me to work very hard throughout the rest of high school. For that, you've earned yourself a loyal subscriber. I hope to see you make more of these kind of videos. Have an amazing day :)
This is the most genuine video ever🫶.hope to never forget it.
And Thank you so so much for being honest. I like this sense of assurance of not being alone in all this.
I share all the struggles, honestly speaking am still in tears.
This sounds like the story of my life, but i will have to work more on the brighter side
Ur so prettty!!!!!! Ty for making this video it’s so real
I only applied to one university (my dream school) and am actively saving money to pay for my tuition in my gap year. My backup plan? To attend community college for all basic requirement classes and go to Iowa State Uni.
I specifically chose to apply to early admissions because I knew with my lack of some areas Drake wanted I wouldn't be their first pick from every application- but I would be one of the first they'd see, making them more likely to remember me first. I never did any extracurriculars after freshman year (online COVID-19 2020-21 year). I also switched between 3 schools in different areas (a small town in Iowa, near Houston TX, back to a neighboring school in Iowa again). I failed two semesters, one in F year and the other in Soph year. None of my electives were directly tied to my future career, even though I had the choice to take those classes. I hadn't decided what I wanted to do before graduation and therefore took none of the electives for it. My senior year I let my grades drop and my GPA dropped from the stable 3.2 I'd had Soph & Jr to a 2.67
I still got into Drake University for fall 2025-26!! Letting yourself slip is okay, even if it feels life-shattering. The process of letting yourself actually look at your situation from an outside perspective is hard. I genuinely cried and had breakdowns over thinking I'd never be accepted after the slip-up through senior year. But, my dad sat down with me and started asking me questions. He'd ask if I thought someone with a similar situation could be accepted, and why I thought that, etc.
It was eye-opening because it made you slow down and really think about what are your admission counselors going to value, what are they going to want for your 4 years, and why. This really helped me because... They're looking for people who fit their ideals, not yours. If you want something for your future that they believe won't align with their university, teaching, and the experiences they can give you, they're going to reject you. And yes, that hurts- but you have to keep going, keep searching for what school truly wants someone with your goals, ideas, and skills in mind.
It's not just about you not being "good enough", or underqualified, it's about whether that Uni can provide you with what they deem to be the best education catered to YOU, for what you're seeking.
Good luck in your journeys, hope you all get into a uni that fills your needs, and most importantly!! I hope you can say by the end of the day that you're proud of your path, even if it doesn't go as planned.
Also, so cool that you're in U of I! Hope you have fun and enjoy it there.
My aunt a few years back went to Iowa State, and after a while decided U of I might be a better fit. So she transferred and let me tell you- she hated it and lasted two days before having a meltdown and going back to State. I'm so glad you seem to be enjoying it!
But, that also brings to light something else:
Grace (my aunt) was a 4.0, straight A, cheerleader with multiple extracurriculars, took 4 years of french and took every AP she possibly could in high school- just to fail at a school she thought she'd do amazing in.
Her experience specifically was what also made me question if I even wanted to go to certain schools because of how they operate. That's also something to think about, looking for real experience at those uni's and seeking true stories to ensure that you would actually have been happy there.
I remember my college application like it happened yesterday. I had a 5 on the BC calculus exam and had a 4.0 then proceeded to get accepted into only one university out of eight that I applied to, and to add insult to injury, I applied to the mechanical engineering program and got rejected from that too. Now, I was happy with the one school I was accepted to (UT Austin), but was, and still, am livid about being rejected from engineering.
I have a friend who goes to UT-Austin for MechE and it is soul-suckingly competitive for a school that‘s average in most other disciplines. My friend had perfect grades in STEM classes/AP Tests, advanced linear-algebra type maths, so much experience with robotics, and endless family support - and she still worried. Sometimes life works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. But being angry unfortunately can’t change the past so my friendly advice: do the best with what you have. I was furious about my rejections too, but I honestly ended up in a better university (in Europe) after I thought I had nowhere to go. And yet my disappointment stopped me from enjoying my first semester there because I was constantly comparing myself to my friends who got into prestigious US programs. Good luck out there!
@@elysialena9856 “average” don’t slander ma boi like that
I don’t mean to be insensitive, but have you considered transferring? A&M is pretty good in engineering (and also free if you’re National Merit), and there’s plenty of strong programs that might take you in.
@@thebcwonder4850 Sorry hahaha, their politics/humanities programs are just not great in my experience!!
applying to uni either during HS or right after HS is genuinely overrated. You can just apply to a community college and save so much money and basically gain as much knowledge as a regular university student (albeit, with an associate or transfer degree) and then you can plan to transfer to a 4-year university and finish with money still in your pocket.
You would make yourself such a competitive applicant when applying to a transfer Uni because you would have more time in CC to do work, get involved in student government, help the community, etc. You would become a more capable candidate than a regular high schooler.
Sharing your experience is valuable. You will go as far as you want, too.
I’m so impressed by you and this video. I struggle with the same lack of motivation issues you mention and it can be life sucking.
Honestly you getting that many sets you up for job rejections, because that is the reality after college. If you can process your emotions and understand that no matter what you are still worthy, you are still capable, and you still can, it will carry you to the finish line. This is coming from someone who has had to deal with college and job rejections. Just know there is more to life than earning titles. We take time for granted when we are chasing after the dream. Take this time and enjoy your surroundings. There will always be times to make money. The one thing we don't make time for enough is ourselves. Always remember when ever one door closes their is another that opens and is waiting for you to walk through :)
i dont know what ur aspirations are but as someone who is currently a phd student and had similar thoughts back in undergrad, let me tell u that high school and undergrad is only an incredibly small piece of ur life's puzzle. Its not the end all be all, and believe me that u will have multiple chances during undergrad to "course correct" ur trajectory (but only if ur unsatisfied with it, ofc)