Even from those of you who have followed my blog all along, I’ve kept much of my personal life a mystery. Partially, I was worried about privacy. However, I also simply didn’t think anyone would be interested in hearing about my daily life. But since I seem to be wrong (I love hearing about others’ lives too), here’s a little more about what I’ve been up to these past few years. I won’t start at the very beginning, even though Julie Andrews says it’s a very good place to start. Instead, I’ll start with my senior year of high school.
During my senior year of high school, I unfortunately did not go about college hunting in the best way. If it wasn’t Ivy League, I didn’t even want to look at a school. I very much wish I could go back and tell my high-school self how crazy her thinking was.
I fell in love with UPenn as soon as I set foot on campus. The only problem: Nobody told them that Katie was destined for their school. When the college letter arrived, it was suspiciously thin.
My dream school waitlisted me?!
Looking back, I know the waitlist letter, which ultimately turned into a rejection, didn’t have anything to do with my worth; it simply meant the admission department decided I wasn’t the right fit at the time. To me, though, it felt like I wasn’t good enough. Even now, I still feel a little ashamed admitting my rejection.
After shedding many tears over the matter (and literally throwing the waitlist letter in the fire. Burn!!!!), I settled on Bryn Mawr College. It was quiet and peaceful but also close to an urban setting. It was a good school, far from home, and it even participated in a consortium with UPenn, meaning I could take classes at my dream university.
Bryn Mawr was a terrific school, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting great girls and taking advantage of the school’s close proximity to Philadelphia. I even prefer Philly to NYC, because it’s smaller and more manageable whilst still being jam-packed with fun. But the school just wasn’t right for me. You know how sometimes you can feel—in your heart—that something’s just not right? For me, Bryn Mawr was too small. It was difficult to get into all the classes I desired, since most only offered one section. I found myself signed up for classes simply because they fit my schedule: NOT cool when you’re paying for each course. After my first year away, I transferred to SMU in Dallas.
Update: click for My College Story – Part 2.
Question of the Day:
How did you choose what college to attend, if you attended one? (Or, how do you plan to choose?)
You said “Let’s start at the very beginning” and I sang outloud “a very good place to staaaart” and then I read the rest of the sentence. Haha!
I *know* how you felt! The embarrassment! I went to a performing arts high school and I was kind of the “star singer.” Everyone and their mom expected me to go to Julliard (even though I honestly didn’t want to!!) … so I sent my CD in for a premliminary audition, and they didn’t even ask to see me in person! So embarrassing. Then I didn’t get into my #1 school either (NYU), and sudden;y all my friends were being accepted to college and all I had left were the state schools I’d applied to. I got in for music performance and music education, and chose music performance. Apparently it didn’t matter, though … by the end of the first semester I’d dropped the music program (loathed it!), picked up an English major, and decided to transfer back to the city. I went to Queens College, a public school, and now I think i have developed “reverse snobbery.” I’m the only person in my family who goes to a public school (now I’m studying towards grad school) – all seven of my brothers/step siblings go to private schools and their tuition all costs at least 10x mine, if not 20x, so I’m proud not only of my fiscally responsible education choice but also the fact that I have received a FANTASTIC education and will continue to receive it, in the hallowed halls of public ed.
Ilana, Oh my gosh, my grandma went to both Queens College AND Julliard! 🙂
P.S. NYU turns down all the best students; my sister didn’t get in either. I hate that school! 🙁
WHY DON’T YOU CORRECT YOUR GRADUATION SCHOOL? IT LEADS TO BELIEVE
YOU GRADUATED FROM PENN STATE BUT DID NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR POSTING?
THANK YOU
We are not really sure what this comment is trying to say. There are no errors that we know of in the post about where Katie went to school.
That sucks the 1st one wasn’t right for you 🙁
I picked my uni cos it was an hour from home,whcih meant I could keep on riding my horse at weekends. It sucked though – my ED took over, I had no friends and I ended up moving back home and commuting!! I’ve got 1 year left now..I can’t wait for it to be over!
I love these CCV life story posts! Thank you for sharing with us! 🙂
I loved reading about your real life!! Sounds like it worked out in the end…I thought seriously about transferring in college too, but I never bit the bullet. I felt like I had worked too hard to move and didn’t want my classes to not count for anything. I went to CU in Boulder, CO. I only applied to one school and I went there. It wasn’t perfect for me (way too big and liberal) – but I DID meet my husband there, got a degree, and now have a job doing what I want to do, so it all worked out. 🙂
I had a good friend that went to SMU! I always thought it sounded like a good place to be!
katie!!!
thank you so much for sharing. that was so brave. sharing rejection stories are always hard. for me, i never want to show anyone that i’m less than perfect, so i can really appreciate how much courage it takes to write something like you did. i STILL don’t tell people what colleges didn’t accept me! but in your case (and mine too) it is just a case of too many kids who are worthy, and the luckier ones, not the “better” ones get to go.
Perfect SAT scores?!?
I knew you were smart, and it shows through your post, but OMG!!!
Haha, bows to CCV 🙂
Oh, Katie. You are so much wiser than I was … I followed a guy to college (to the University of Tennessee, not exactly a prestigious school). The guy and I broke up before I even started freshman year, but UT turned out to be a great place for me. It is a great school for Nuclear Engineering; they let me very easily pursue a second major, minor, honors degree (pretty much anything I want); it’s a big school with a great party atmosphere and a great study atmosphere, if you know where to look. It’s also secretly one of the best schools for what I studied in grad school and hope to do for a living someday (empirical modeling for system health monitoring). I ended up staying at UT for nine years (well, technically I’m still there as a post-doc right now), and I think it was probably the best decision I could have made. You’ve inspired me to maybe do a post soon about how I ended up at my college and in my field. Can’t wait to see how yours turned out 🙂
radioactivegan,
I wish I’d gone to UT originally! Most of my friends went there, and they had an amazing time. Plus, with warm weather AND a fun atmosphere, you can’t get much better than Austin!
Hey Katie,
It would be great if you could do a post on eating healthy on vacation, especially how you deal with when you first arrive and haven’t had time to go grocery shopping yet. I always struggle with that! And working out too. Love your blog by the way!
omg katie you better finish that story!!!! i loved it so far. you wrote it so well and i’m curious for more! 🙂
u are beautiful! and i love your outfit!