I know this is old looking at the date posted so you might be working or a senior at this point, but I definitely agree with you, and the farther out you are from high school, the more crazy most of this stuff seems. I went to a high school that had a population of majority Asian American or upper middle class white, so speaking for the Asian population personally, the kids fit the Asian stereotype to a T. Everyone was constantly compared using GPA and SAT/ACT score, and inversed to regular schools where smart kids get bullied, at our school, usually the 'stupid' or 'underachieving' kids were the ones made fun of. It was pretty much the norm to take AP's starting sophomore year, have multiple SAT attempts prior to the first school paid one in junior year, multiple PSAT candidates with full scores, kids who took the SAT just for the fun of sharing their full score. Lots of people my year went to UM, and you were considered a failure to go to Michigan State, Oakland University, or Oakland community college, and there was a sorta unspoken shame to not speak about your scores or where you're going if you don't have numbers high enough. Being Asian American, our entire value as people were these accomplishments too, and generally a big portion of the school encouraged this expectation upon everybody. Years down the line having gotten to college, met lots of people from different work ethics and financial backgrounds, you realize maybe how weird the whole process is. My parents and others had expectations of what colleges I should go to, but I wanted one that was good for my major and long term career, but wasn't prestigious, and even as a 7th semester in college, 1 parent was still asking me to transfer. I am working now at a company that does have the equivalent prestige of an Ivy league in college, but many of my coworkers attended normal or small town colleges. With all that in mind, it makes you wonder if it's worth it making kids s****dal, when you end up finding out much of it never matters at the career level for majority of jobs.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

This pisses me off

So I'm a bit on the other side of the coin. I had perfect scores and good volunteering and so on but chose to go to the 100% acceptance State School. Everyone made fun of me for MONTHS and told me how I'm squandering my future at a bad school. To me it's the best choice I ever made. I had to run away when I turned 18 and the State school offered online classes.... and recently I became disabled aswell. Went to visit a friend who goes to a very high ranked tech school... BRUH. I WOULD LITERALLY DIE IF I HAD TO WALK THROUGH THAT CAMPUS. It was beautiful but very very inaccessible. At least when I go to State University the train drops me off right at school and I walk like 5 minutes not like.... 30 lol

Period.

I find it crazy how we're supposed to prove ourselves worthy for college - as in we need to show that we already know everything (having a perfect grade, getting a good score on the SAT or some other equivalent test, having perfect ECA's) when that's literally the POINT of college???? Like we go to college to learn more, and I find it a little redundant that in order to deserve to learn more, we need to have already known everything beforehand. Coming from a kid who's just finished high school, I'm honestly just stuck. I did well internally (mostly A's and C's), but flunked my board exams and barely passed three subjects (thanks, Cambridge A-Levels), and without a good grade, almost everything seems literally IMPOSSIBLE. None of my past safeties are even possible for me to even think of getting accepted into right now. The only hope I had left was my SAT (which I got turned away from because my passport had been expired - my fault for not checking tbh). I literally don't know what to do with my life anymore, and it's honestly just sad watching everyone around me be completely transfixed on college admissions while I'm just... floating around, in a sense.

Its insane everyone on those subreddits are crying and betraying their own friends just to get into a t20 school

Cal State?

Sorry but you didn't do "great" in HS. You're painfully ordinary in grand scheme of things. You want to go into CS just because of hype, as evidenced by the fact that you set your Standord CS goal at sophomore year.

You know shit's gotten bad when people are having panic attacks over college applications as high school freshmen

Ivy league, community college, jail, whatever it may be, we still love you. ❤

As someone applying soon, this is a great message. It's amazing to be excited about a school, and it's good to be ambitious but don't let not getting accepted consume you. Great video!

Hey, I just wanted to mention that its your skill which matters. I went to one of the best medical schools in India, and trust me, most people I met didnt love medicine, and nor are they great doctors. Ive met wayy smarter doctors from non brand name universities.

I do not want to further my application to go to my dream school. I want to further my application to attend a college with the best prestige/educational effectiveness ratio to give myself the best job opportunities as I graduate from university

This happened to me but with animation schools. I thought I could only ever be successful if my technical skill level was on par with the best of the best. I wanted to go to a top animation school like CalArts or Sheridan. I got so caught up in being good enough to get in that I failed to realize that the path I was headed down was unaffordable and not the best for me. I’m now lucky enough to study a major that suits me much better with in state tuition. Sometimes you have to think about what is best for you and not what is seen as the most successful by others. Thanks for the great video!!

College admissions in America is kinda crazy where I'm from it's all done by a company and the application process for all universities are the same. You put in your grades (exams are at the end of the year so for most people they're just predicted) and write a max 4000 character essay about why you want to study the subject and what you've done to persue that interest, the unis all recieve the same essay. And you can only apply to 5 unis. It's probably easier as our population is considerably smaller (700,000 people applying per year across all the unis)

The overarching message is that students should focus on what works best for them, both academically and personally, rather than chasing prestige. Finding a school that supports their individual goals and well-being is far more important than the name on the diploma. This approach can lead to a more fulfilling and less stressful college experience.

Mad cuz bad lmao

I love your Frappes and Fiction. I'm a geezer, and your comments take me back. I read Camu several times before I was 18. Are you interested in filmmaking or acting? Anyway, search for cospolon and you'll see why I like your stuff. All the best with your creative and academic work. Buliamti

It’s such a relief to finally be on the other side of this whole ordeal. The entire application process and the culture surrounding it is so fucked

just found your blog and channel from looking at your review of 5 survive. and as a 19 yr old vegan trying to get back into reading this is definitely a channel i’ll watch!

Sounds like cope xD

Yes but let's be honest here to, students that go to IVY league colleges are the smartest students but the dumbest when it comes to finances. Why the fuck would you pay a down payment on a house to go to college?!

Copium is in the air. No one is forcing you to go to Ivy Leagues & You can always apply to a community college. Stop hurting the game for the rest of us, the best Unis deserve the best students & most of them has a generous financial aid package. A lot of people actually likes the stress & euphoria college admissions bring & newsflash they’re the ones to usually get in.

give more video

You have singlehandedly alleviated my worries thank you holy shit

Whatever university you go to is where you are meant to go. It is where is right for you. Live the best life you can for your own enjoyment and that will prepare you the most for “success” in life because you are only growing as a person and you are forming the life you want. If life was increadibly stressful in highschool it will be the same in university. These videos are needed in the pool of stress that is university based videos.

You can find a top 100 school that's a top 20 in your major.

Kanye West

i was just feeling this way a few days ago

Based

glad im adopting this mindset junior year bc i alr felt myself stressing & comparing myself to others

I knew I was cooked when I heard "4.0" and "1500+" I have a 3.7 UW and an 1100. BYE LOL

I'm currently just grinding ec's and grades and comps and everything as I'm already in this toxic college admissions culture as I just want to go to HYPSM + Cornell. Mainly because they offer a great program at Cornell that hardly any other schools offer. I also love Ithaca's beauty.

I absolutely appreciate your post. Thank you so much.

Someone didn't get into a T25

Yh but for someone like me its more like i dont have friends to spend time with, and when i did they were fake and had gc without me too So i just do my hobbies and like u said its not for college but they probably look good. Idrc though i only want to go to a UC or State School/CC to save some money for my parents

I definitely agree with how stressful and insane the college admissions process for prestigious schools. There's honestly too much pressure to deliver, especially when your circumstances aren't optimal. Dartmouth College is my top choice - I just hope all the hard work will pay off. Thanks for the positive representation!

great vid

Old head here: when I saw the SAT/ACT and application process. I said “F this!” and applied to a JC and enjoyed my senior year 😂😂😂😂

Honestly this is partly why I think going to college is a bit overrated. Like going to college can sometimes feel more competitive then getting a job. Like I went to higher education and I regret it mostly because I spent all of it being a broke student when I could have used that time working and having an Income and maybe even getting some experience would my foot in the door.

You’re such a genuine person. As a current senior from a good high school where everyone is super high achieving, I forgot that I was good on my own. I noticed myself falling into the a2c rabbit hole and I hope I snap out of it because it feels like an addiction where any small validation gives a huge dopamine rush

Here's the thing though...take a freshman right now, if they don't put this much effort forward they might not even make it into a state school! I know multiple valedictorians who only got into what used to be considered a "mid" school, but if that's the case then that means that a "normal" school is only reachable by the top high school students! So if people ramp down their grind, they might land at just a community college!!

As a mother, I know that you are still young and probably frustrated for the disappointed experience of not getting into your dream colleges and it wasn't like this when I went to college. However, for future applicants, college applications are a number game, just like you said, like the lottery. The more you apply, the more chances you get to go to a good school. Do not take it personal if the colleges didn't accept you. That's fine, you move on! the good part is that at least you try, and that counts. You don't stay with the doubt. You did what you needed to do to get a chance, the decision is out of your control. Also, there might be a percentage of truth of what you said about students applying because of the brand and name to ivys and T20s, but I think most students apply because of the opportunities that that represents. Do not think about affordability either, most of the ivys have a huge endowment in the billions, they do not depend on tuitions. You might get a scholarship. Also, all the things you need to do to build a resume while in high school is insane. However, if you see it from a different perspective, the struggles, the sacrifices you do to get a good GPA, good grades, good scores the volunteer hours, the extracurriculars, etc. Is to prepare you for life because life is not easy. It helps you to have discipline, motivation, goals, organization. It helps you to learn to prioritize things, to time management, etc.which are skills that you are going to need as an adult. In addition, the purpose of college is not only to teach you academic subjects is to teach you to THINK, to be curious, to be an intellectual, and NOT everyone who goes to college can reach that. Some people never learn it. I hope this helps!

As a freshmen in college I am at my local college tbh but I never cared for the Ivy League also I am a C student and I’m happy as well as the fact that I got to spend my free time with my friends and such instead of worrying about stupid northeastern schools.

I felt the same way about the process. Also, you’re stats are much better than mine. I couldn’t even pass 1500 on the sat no matter how hard I tried. My passion was also mathematics, so I did enjoy the math circle stuff and competitions, but the classes I took and studying for stuff I wasn’t interested caused the burnout. College admissions still ended up destroying me as my very top choice schools all rejected me. They didn’t find any of my achievements impressive even though I put a lot of time into them 😢. It all worked out though as I got into my state’s flagship school, which was also pretty high on my preferences. Anyways, just wanted to share my experience and also let you know that you’re super exceptional (much more than I am at least). You have an amazing future ahead.

Yeah, I'm older but I have watched those "how to get accepted" videos posted (more recently) here on KZbin, and I noticed one thing... these guys posting advice that got into these schools have an insecurity, that boils down to basically: "OMG if I don't get into an Ivy, I will die under an overpass overdosing on opiates, and if I get into an Ivy I am suddenly shitting gold, and floating above everybody else." As for everybody else, even if you get into Harvard, or University of Oxford, or University of Paris it doesn't mean much... unless of course your family is rich.

Colleges in general are toxic. You would have probably gotten into one of those "Ivy" schools if you had black or brown skin which isn't fair.

you are a great girl! good luck to you!

and if you watch videos of people reading their files then you realize they STILL have no clue why they got in!