This year, I applied to 10 schools, many of which classify as part of the top-20 ranked CS programs in the nation. I believed that all of the work I had done and all of the experiences I had lived through over the past four years would allow me to have a flexible set of options when it came down to picking a school.And yet, I sit here writing this, accepted to but only my two safety schools. At first I felt extremely disappointed in myself. Seeing people around me get into their dream schools, I felt defeated, conflicted, and emotional. It was especially heartbreaking as I opened rejection letter after rejection letter. I didn't possess the best stats in the world, but I felt that I had enough on my application to at least place myself on a waitlist. I was never really that academically "gifted" kid or the type to compete in math and science olympiad. My stats* were at best, average, amongst my hyper-competitive peers. In my essays, I talked about my desire to explore, my passion for the art of creation, and other personal topics that were of great significance to my life. "Man, what did I do wrong. I thought I deserved this. What could I have done better? What did they want from me..."
Over time, I came to realize that the outcome of the application process didn't fall on my shoulders. Sure, I could have written my essays better, and there are things I could have done better over the years—but ultimately, I don't need XYZ college to thrive nor survive.My rejection letters are not a reflection of who I am as a person or my values. They don't represent the strength of dedication and commitment that I have for pursuing my goals and improving the lives of people around me.
"I felt defeated, conflicted, and emotional."I will never, ever, regret starting my own endeavors. I'll never look back on taking the muddied paths instead of the heavily-traveled roads. Because of my self-conducted explorative journey, I know that I'll work hard to secure myself an equally-or-more "successful" future as the individuals who will go on to attend an institution such as Stanford next fall. I took initiative, and that's what matters most to me. Through my projects, companies, experiences, and interactions, I found out more about the person who I really am—and if that means not attending a historically-renowned and prestigious institution next year? That is fine by me. I'm going to make the most out of the opportunities that I do have.
"I will never, ever, regret starting my own endeavors."To those of you applying in the coming years: best of luck with admissions, but don't lose yourself in the process. Don't discredit the work you've put in and don't forget to respect yourself for your accomplishments. Nobody else can tell you what type of person you are other than yourself. Embrace defeat as it will only make you stronger in the long run. You are going to be just fine. Stay safe and healthy, for there are good times ahead,Andy
* - Founder experience, SWE projects, real-world internship experience, 35 ACT, 3.96/4.76 GPA-WGPA, 12 AP courses taken, 3x All-State Band, 3x All-County Band, 3.5x member of National/Regional-level rowing team w/ medals, and other miscellaneous honors/awards.