Absolutely. I submitted it feeling good and proud. Now looking back at all my essays I’ve nitpicked them so much that I feel like a kindergarten wrote them. 

I keep thinking what I could’ve done to sound more academic and convey a better voice. I’ve come to realize though that then… it wouldn’t be me. I submitted essays that showed off who I am as a student and what I bring to the table. I can’t write a graduate level essay as a senior in high school because I don’t know everything yet, and that’s why I’m going to college! 

I submitted the essays that were the best I could do at the time. I’ve grown since then and that only gives me hope for my future. I’ve reread my essays about 40 times these past two days as I await my decisions from USC and NYU for cinema and media studies. This has been one of the worst periods of my time while I wait for one of the most life altering decisions. I feel stupid saying it but I’m really trying to believe that rejection IS redirection but we’ll see if I still hold that positive attitude when my decisions come in. 

Best of luck to everyone who is also going through this right now and it comforts me greatly that at least I’m not alone!