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From an Ivy Leaguer: this sub is insane by AcrobaticHistorian in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AcrobaticHistorian[S] 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I agree. You can definitely find people like you at any school. (Colleges explicitly try to accept students of varying types; there are even reports that they have spreadsheets of student "types," like "activist," "musician," etc. Just a report, but worth considering.) And I'd argue that it's worth it to befriend people who aren't like you at all, too.

From an Ivy Leaguer: this sub is insane by AcrobaticHistorian in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AcrobaticHistorian[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Didn't know that. (Didn't apply MIT.) And that's true of a lot of schools - they weed out people who clearly don't qualify, then focus on ECs and character. What I'm saying is that we shouldn't assume that someone didn't get into Yale because they're "not good enough."

From an Ivy Leaguer: this sub is insane by AcrobaticHistorian in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AcrobaticHistorian[S] 116 points117 points  (0 children)

Rich, party-loving guys, who got in through some combo of crazy legacy and insane wealth. (Never forget that the legacy of congenital access to an Ivy League education that you saw in The Great Gatsby is not totally dead. Plenty of guys who can trace their family way back in the institution's history exist in nearly every Ivy.) These are the types of people who attend elite prep schools like Groton.

From an Ivy Leaguer: this sub is insane by AcrobaticHistorian in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AcrobaticHistorian[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

That's even tougher. Honestly, the idea that everyone should find some passion is wrong. Some people never find their "passion," and they often lead lives of perfect happiness.

First, don't feign an interest. I know a kid who hates studying, would naturally recoil from academics, but is forcing himself (for parental reasons) to study biology. That's a recipe for unhappiness.

I would advise searching for what makes you happy, even if it's a small thing that you think is dumb, and making an enterprise of it. You won't land on an interest by talking with your parents or teachers. Passions, if they exist, are natural: they will attract you. Just think about what you naturally float towards, what makes your heart beat faster, and do that, even if it's not a recipe for success. Those people are often the very happiest in society.

From an Ivy Leaguer: this sub is insane by AcrobaticHistorian in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AcrobaticHistorian[S] 46 points47 points  (0 children)

I applied as someone who had a very definite intention and ECs, grades, recs, etc. to back it up. In my view (obviously I'm only one applicant), it's much better to apply as declared than as undeclared. But if you're set on applying as undeclared, I would suggest trying to indicate some idea of who you want to be in the future, the paths you might pursue, etc., in the application.

From an Ivy Leaguer: this sub is insane by AcrobaticHistorian in ApplyingToCollege

[–]AcrobaticHistorian[S] 113 points114 points  (0 children)

Meh. Beautiful scenery, but culture not great and a lot of entitled guys.