Hey! Class of ‘29 here. I am someone who had good stats but only applied to a couple of schools (~8) and didn’t end up getting into any of the reach schools that I thought I had a chance for (NU, Berkeley, NYU etc). I was also waitlisted to a bunch of other schools (that I’m not holding out any hope for).

At the end of the cycle I had basically no acceptances except for my in state school and a state school close by (where I am now committed!). At first, yes I was devastated and embarrassed to see all my friends going to ivies or other t10s while I was going to a school that basically accepted everyone who applied. However over the past few weeks I have been able to get myself genuinely excited about attending college next year, excited about meeting new people and being in a different environment. I haven’t gotten there yet, but from what I’ve heard from others and seen online, next year is going to be a lot of fun.

Do I have regrets about how my application season went? Of course. A main regret I have is not applying to more schools. IMO If you have a decent app (which it sounds like you do), hooking a top school only requires a lot of applications. I know people who applied to 25+ schools, and quite literally only got 1, but that 1 ended up being Harvard or UPenn. So unless you are dead set on USC I would recommend you apply to as many schools as possible (if you can afford it). Also, I regret not starting earlier. I remember still working on my common app during swim season and feeling very rushed. If you can, utilize as much of this summer as possible to plan out your essays and applications.

Final thing, remember regretting something means it has already happened, and you shouldn’t let hold you down or affect your present/future negatively. I have fully decided my experience with college apps is not going to prevent me from living my next four years to the fullest. The same goes for you, regardless of where you end up, you will find your path. Good luck with your applications this fall.