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?)
Hi Katie! Just found your blog recently and I LOVE your posts! This one in particular really moved me to comment having recently gone through a transfer myself.
I just finished my freshman year, the first semester at University of Wisconsin-Madison, the second at Iowa State. But I didn’t transfer out of UW because it didn’t feel right… I was recruited to swim there (along with Indiana University, Michigan, and UVa) I chose UW because I completely fell in LOVE with the campus. The city, the lakes, the people. Plus they have a huge farmers market that goes around the entire capitol building every saturday… that really got me 🙂
Anyways, I had some major issues with the coach that led to a hospitalization… which led to a search for other options. I ended up agreeing to go to ISU. I’m majoring in Biological/pre-medical illustration – a major unique to ISU and something I’ve been interested in since high school. But I still don’t feel quite right there. It’s nothing like Madison and I miss all the wonderful people I met there. So who knows there may be a major lifestyle change (i.e nix the collegiate swimming), and possibly ANOTHER transfer in the future. It’s a major dilemma I’m facing and dealing with by attempting not to think about it… which isn’t going too well :/
What made you decide to take the jump?
Leena,
Just like you, I kept feeling like “something isn’t right.” It was only my freshman year, and I knew other people who were transferring as well, so I figured I’d cut my losses and just do it! I’m really glad I did! 🙂
I loved this post Katie 🙂 And not because of your college plans (because that must have been hard), but because it’s personal. I only applied to 5 schools and I considered VT one of my “backup schools.” I honestly didn’t think I was going to get rejected from my top 4…and it upset me. But going to VT turned out to be one of the best things that’s ever happened to me 😀
Looking forward to part 2!
I loved reading your college story Katie – I was always curious. I ended up Auburn…not sure why (Well, one reason is b/c I didn’t get into Northwestern). It wasn’t a good fit for me, but I stayed. However, I did spend my junior year abroad, and I am so grateful for that experience…may not have happened if I didn’t go to Auburn in the first place.
I cannot even fathom paying that kind of money per course for school. $5000 per course would be enough for a full year of courses at school here! WTF?!
Originally when I went to school, I knew it was going to be one of the 2 universities in the Vancouver area, and I chose SFU because it was the closest to my house. Knowing I would have many labs (being in sciences and all), I didn’t want to have the commute out to UBC every day. Then I chose to go to another school on the island after I had graduated and lived abroad to study fisheries, then ended up with a job. Once I decided to make the career change to dietetics, UBC was the obvious choice, since it’s the only school in BC that offers the program. Plus I could live back at home for free 🙂 Although, turns out I ended up with that long ass commute after all.
I chose mine based on location, because I went back to college a little late and my employer paid my tuition (as long as I got all A’s). I ended up at a small private liberal arts college a little outside of Hershey, PA called Lebanon Valley College. I LOVED it! I wouldn’t trade the education I got there for anything. It was tough to work full-time and go to college full-time, but I did it, and got my tuition paid! Woohoo!
i chose my school because it was the only one that sent me stuff in the mail and actually seemed interested in me. hahaha 🙂
it was the only one i applied to so i’m very glad i got in… otherwise i don’t know what i would be doing!
I was also rejected from Penn.. which was really frustrating because I was TOTALLY qualified and they only accepted the legacies who applied from my high school. I’m still bitter about it!
Rachel,
Can we go visit together and throw tomatoes at them? No, scratch that. They’re not worth the tomatoes!! 😉
Great college story! I’m glad you found a college where you feel like you belong. My college story seems pretty different than most because I actually hated graduating from high school and didn’t want to go to college. Even though I am one of those overachiever, straight-As type people (it seems like a lot of bloggers are), my parents had to pressure me to visit and apply to colleges. Basically I was terrified of leaving home. It was a really hard choice for me, but I ended up going to a college (Truman State) that my friends were going to instead of the one that I preferred. As it turns out, there were was no need to be so worried and I love college now. I sort of regret not looking at other schools, particularly the big, prestigious ones that I had a chance of getting into, but what happened happened and I’m happy with where I am now.
I had everything all lined up to go to my dream school, Warren Wilson College. Then the economy crashed. My college fund was in stocks. Now I’m trying to make the besot of one of the shittiest state schools around. I’m the smartest kid in all my classes by a LOT. I hate it. I don’t feel challenged….
For my undergrad I went to the University of Oregon- and I was so annoyed- I was smart! Why did my parents make me go there?!?!?! Well, cause it’s cheap!!! Haha! But, I worked my tail off and got into Teach For America my senior year and I’ve applied for grad school- I got in at Columbia and waitlisted at Harvard- but now that I know I CAN get in, I don’t really care… life is funny that way isn’t it? What I have learned through all of this is that hard work and a good attitude will get you anywhere you want to go 🙂