Update: Dream College January 5, 2008
Posted by Teen Atheist in anecdotes, rants, school, teen angst.Tags: atheism, college, religion
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I got waitlisted.
Well, shit.
How dumb does somebody have to be to not pass the entrance test for the school known as Everybody’s Second Choice? And, like, I picked Creative Writing, which is probably the least popular course on the list. I don’t know whether or not I still consider myself smart, but I’m definitely not the kind of smart that gets a kid accepted into college.
Perhaps this is the price I pay for skipping a whole year of school?
I’m upset right now. It’s a manly, angry-grunting, punch-the-wall kind of upset, although inside my head, I’m screaming like a banshee.
The problem is, Dream College was the only college I applied for. (This is seriously reminding me of that Justin Long film, Accepted.) I have three options: a) enroll in Crappy College, b) find a job, move out, wait a year and enroll again, c) find a job, move out, be one of those people who never went to college.
GAAAH SHIT.
Diary of a Teenage Atheist 
Mine is worse. I got this half scholarship from the Dream College you so refer to (we’re on the same group of islands).
But even with that, they have me spending college life here, as sucky as it is, because of some grave, quasi-unfounded, parental distrust issues and good old-fashioned terminally ill old people.
I can’t argue with their financial decisions regarding such matters but still, I guess it’ll scar me for life.
Yeah, I don’t think that’s worse. It’s like saying that finishing in second place is worse than finishing last — you lose either way. At least you got accepted, and you had a choice in the matter. Whether or not it scars you for life is entirely up to you; and secondly, if you really wanted it that badly, couldn’t you try to support yourself? I have people constantly commenting on this blog telling me to get a job and move out, and I think it’s a good idea. You might want to consider it, too.
I hope I didn’t come off as abrasive; I’m still in a foul mood because of the results, but honestly, I’m just trying to understand if there wasn’t anything more you could have done.
Oh no, it’s totally cool. It’s just that annoying feeling of having such an opportunity just slip away when you almost have it that totally bites. I’d be stupid if I kept it in my system any longer. Although I’d be jealous of you if you get in, I’d be frankly happy for you at the same time.
Yeah, sorta’ read about it a lot of times here. I guess they’re right about earning our own cash. Many of our well-off teenagers are no better than our homeless counterparts when it comes to money.
Pardon me for abusing the capability of ranting on a blog I don’t own.
I’m happy to know this blog from a fellow atheist and countryman exists. You have something Jesus probably never had, a teenage account of his life.
Keep posting! 😀
Feel free to rant away! I know I’m totally self-absorbed, but I also like talking to people about their problems. 😀 I understand, though, that it must be a bitch for you too to watch an opportunity like that pass you by.
get one of your teachers to send a reference letter for you, to contest the decision. another tactic is to find out which programs have room, and get in under one of those. The course loads for the first year or two of college is pretty much the same regardless of major anyway.
swim to america. go to college there.
Wow, helpful. *rolls eyes*
Marc: Thanks. Actually, the original application required recommendation letters from teachers. This is the baffling part, because they let me take a look at what they wrote (we’re good friends, hee), and I got stellar ratings and glowing remarks. The college says that waitlisted applicants should send their own appeal letters, so I guess that’s what I’ll do for now. I’m also looking into applying for a scholarship overseas.
TA: Rec. letters from teachers are weighed the least. You looked at yours; that’s not untypical, and that’s why. Don’t know what your other issues are (you skipped a whole year of school? Huh?) but letters from teachers don’t do much.
Short story: I took an educational placement test and got to graduate early.
> Short story: I took an educational placement test and got to
> graduate early.
Oh, okay, that’s not a bad thing, that should work in your favor…
The problem is that skipping fourth year meant that I wouldn’t be studying a number of topics that were covered in the entrance test, which most likely resulted in my low score (though I don’t know what that score is yet). I wanted to take one of those college entrance reviews to prepare, but Mother Dearest figured that any idiot could get into that college (and any college other than the one she graduated from). I was dumb enough to believe her.
Okay, then can you study, take the test again, and apply again next year?
I know, it’s another year, and it sucks, but maybe in the meantime you can move.
A question: What if you go to the crappy college and while you are there, you try to go to the dream college? Is such thing possible where you live?
Wow that sucks. But isn’t there any other college you want to go to, just a tiny bit? I missed the scholarship test for the school I wanted to go to and now I’m going to my second choice. And besides college is only like 4 years of your life. By the time you’re middle aged you’ll barely remember anything.
This has nothing to do with your post, but I just noticed the quote of the month. I like it.
you think your story is bad? I couldn’t complete my education (when I still was into multimedia design) as I walked away from aa fucking full scholarship as part of the requirement was to go to one of certain state colleges…and none of them had what effing wanted…all they had was PRINT-BASED graphic design…NOT COMPUTER BASED!!! GRRRRR!!!!
WTF am I ranting about, tho? Three years pass, now I want to go back in the next few years for sports medicine.
Yeah, I wouldn’t say your story was worse than mine either, Jersey, although you have my sympathies.
Atheistgirl:
NYU. Hee. 😛
Thanks, so do I! Although next time, please post off-topic comments in the “Feedback” page.
Ooh, I’ve missed a year of high school as well. I dropped out this year. I have to wait until October this year before I can get a GED; General Equivalency, or Good Enough, Diploma here in the States.
Then tis off to a community college which my parents are going to pay for. I’m getting a job but I still feel way too spoiled.
I feel good about having a whole year though. It gives me an excuse to just cool off while I’m young, get my drivers license, a job, a car, ya know-grow up, and hang out with friends before the doom of adulthood.
Exactly, DFG. This has actually been the best year of my life, despite the drama, and I learned more in the one year I spent free than in the other three years of high school.
I’m so jealous. They wanted to promote me when I was in kindergarten and 1st grade. If I had accepted, I’d be a sophomore right now instead of an 8th grader. I could have been done school two years early!
Oh, and if I were you I’d go with option a and just keep trying to get into Dream College. Even if you end up in Crappy College the whole time, at least you’ll have gone to college.(And trust me, you want to go to college!)
Hmm, I don’t know about that. I graduated a year early, too. I’m now in university. I don’t really know what I want to do yet, but I decided to take some university courses anyway. I think one of my main reasons was (I live in the country, school is 1/2 hour-45 mins away) that I would be away from home more, I really don’t like it here. It kind of sucks because I’m not really into it, my preference would have been to move to the city and work for a year but that wasnt possible cause I’m underage & the parents would NOT go for me living away from them. They really need that element of control.
From personal experience, I think I’d suggest that you move out & work for a year, get some money & life experience, and then try again? I think that if it’s really what you want to do, it would be worth waiting for, instead of settling…
I don’t know.
ATHEISTGIRL SAID:
> (And trust me, you want to go to college!)
Yes, but maybe not right away.
There’s no law saying you have to go right out of HS, and I, in retrospect, wish I hadn’t.
Everyone is different, and I’m not trying to give specific advice. But I’d at least *consider* the prospect of a year of something else.
You’ll be fine. A good little appeal letter should do the trick. Just write it well.
Don’t mention the ay tee aych ee eye ess em, though. The Jesuits are liberal, but you don’t wanna push it. (Did I assume rightly?) Good luck, and Joe bless.
Micketymoc: LOL @ “Joe bless.” I’m so stealing that. 😛
George Carlin is extremely stealable to us atheists, I’ll give you that. 😉
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