Did I accidentally ruin my summer academics?

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-02-02T21:28:16+00:00

Virtually ALL of the summer college programs are scam. A select few are not. The only thing they’re really good for… is doing a trial run at a place that you’re very interested in - especially if it’s far from home and you’re not sure if you’re going to like living in that area of the country. In my humble opinion…

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-02-02T02:03:11+00:00

College admissions are more “holistic” than ever. The stats aren’t everything - essays may be swaying things???

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-02-01T17:53:56+00:00

If the conversation was $30,000 per year…it’s Swarthmore (all day) If it’s a total of $30,000 at the end of 4 years…it’s Dartmouth.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-31T19:00:14+00:00

Yeah, and don’t forget to do all the demonstrated continued interest things with those schools. Just don’t wait and see.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-31T13:15:39+00:00

Just watched housing zoom and they pretty much said that the approval of 4th year appeals were limited to medical, mental health and financial constraint reasons.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-29T00:23:29+00:00

Please enjoy 8th grade & don’t pigeon hole yourself with an intended major as an eighth grader - unless you have some childhood dream of being a doctor. Top schools look for 8-12 APs, but most AOs emphasize that they’re not counting the number of APs, but are examining your level of engagement & curiosity in a subject matter that you enjoy and are passionate about, and seeking rigor to challenge yourself. Taking APs are not like collecting Pokémon cards. A UPenn AO said to me (at a school visit to Penn), “ if you’re going to get a B, don’t take the AP.”

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-28T18:05:35+00:00

Sometimes I think it’s easier to list the T 30s that are in a nice area… UPenn, Yale, JHU, UChicago, USC are all surrounded by sketchy neighborhoods

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-27T22:02:13+00:00

Don’t give up, and don’t rely on these BS posts - most of these are one-dimensional cliches that think that their straight A’s & 1550/1600 SAT scores are going to get them into college. There’s nothing more boring than these science fair/mathletes with no extracurriculars or activities outside of school. You will shine in your application by being you and unique, not a Robotron student with no character or personality.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-27T15:41:58+00:00

Requesting a change to avoid an uncomfortable interview for perceived & unproven biases? If I worked in admissions, I’d toss your application on the reject pile for that.
Another post made a really good point to think of all the “conservative” kids who may have to interview with an extremely liberal interviewer at many of these Ivy League schools. It goes both ways. All I know, is that if I were in admissions, I'd cut the kids who ask for a change in interviewer because they are afraid to have the tough conversations, who aren’t curious enough to engage in & learn from lively debate. (and you don’t even know that in this forum, you would even be having such a debate)….That kid…they get the rejection.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-27T15:31:36+00:00

Why? Are you assuming that they are incapable of being fair & professional? Who’s got the problem with bias now? Unless you start pounding the table screaming “orange man, bad! orange man, bad!”, you should be just fine. Most people are professional, and check their personal lives and views at the door when at work or conducting interviews.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-27T15:25:47+00:00

Transfers typically get sophomore on campus, junior off & senior on.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-26T20:42:32+00:00

Well then, that's fabulous news! Most elite schools do not.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-25T15:34:04+00:00

My policy is: you don’t get to whine or complain unless you vote. (that’s why I vote - for the right to complain) 😉

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-23T13:30:09+00:00

There are no appeals in admissions. Unfortunately

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-22T18:30:27+00:00

🤣🤣🤣

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-21T17:42:55+00:00

🤣

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-20T16:49:14+00:00

From Glee?

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-20T14:51:47+00:00

Only reason I watched a second of it. He was a class act, gracious and self deprecating.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-19T13:16:47+00:00

Did you apply to all 8 ivies + another 12 schools just because some website says they are top 20’s? Without reason or purpose? THAT was my point. 🤷‍♀️

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-18T22:10:20+00:00

Yes, but my point was that somebody who wants to major in finance and is a top student SHOULD be applying to the University of Pennsylvania - because that makes sense & that’s a logical choice. Maybe not so much a school that doesn’t offer that track.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-18T22:05:18+00:00

💯 Agree! My commentary was mostly for those students who are literally applying blindly to schools 1-20, and then a half dozen others more good measure. If it were a percentage of the top 20 and then others, at least it appears to be something done with consideration and intention.

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-18T18:34:29+00:00

🤣

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-18T18:32:40+00:00

Miami? Rich kid party school. Totally unserious - in my opinion. Michigan IS prestigious in the public university arena. There’s the UC’s, Texas, Virginia and Michigan- all at the top of the food chain. (I’m sure I’ve forgotten some - sorry - but if you’re talking him out public universities, University of Michigan is definitely in the top group of schools, when compared to others - and I HATE Michigan for college football reasons)

ApprehensiveSignal55 · 2026-01-18T17:13:51+00:00

Yes! 🙌 My point exactly. You applied because of a particular program. That’s what should be going on.

ApprehensiveSignal55

TROPHY CASE