College Applicants Stressing Over Admissions
57 posts across 8 communities in the last 30 days; 68% from r/ApplyingToCollege.
“Rn I got into Texas tech, Texas state, Texas A&M, and university of Colorado Denver. I’m in Denver right now for the first time and it’s beautiful. I love the scenery, the people, it feels so welcoming and homely. Yet, there’s Texas A&M, a good school but much more conservative…”
“why do people think that its easy to get into NYU (non Stern) just by applying ed and being full pay in spite of mediocre stats? CAS for example is pretty competitive...”
“I was admitted last year, took a gap year after graduating hs and now thinking about not going to BC at all. I feel like i have a better shot this year with better sat(1460->1560) and ecs. And I think i’ll write better essays, which will result in a better application in…”
Numerous posts express anxiety and uncertainty surrounding college applications, out-of-state admissions, legacy status, program selection (like GBU), and the overall application process. Students are grappling with school rankings, financial concerns, and navigating complex choices like Early Decision.
SOURCES (60)
“Hey guys! Correct me if I am wrong, but Northeastern has a 43% acceptance rate across ED I and ED II. Is that rate for Boston Campus only or does it include other campuses as well? I plan to apply ED I in Northeastern. What's…”
“I am proud of this score but i don’t want to submit if it will HURT my app. edit: northeastern** submitted by /u/FuturePause2736 [link] [comments]”
“Texas resident Early decision to Boston university early action to UGA UNC and UT and then submitted a and m in october 12th BU UT and UNC -philosophy A&M UGA- engineering Rank 152/897 ~17% SAT:1430 Gpa UW:3.97 W: 5.41 16 aps -ap physics C, Ap physics 1, Ap Calc Bc, Ap bio, Ap chem Slightly above Average ECS 4 sport var athlete Good essay submitted by /u/WindProfessional7451 [link] [comments]”
“Just a post to show that a game of admission is unknown, so hang in there guys! Long story short, I applied last cycle and got into Stern, Cornell among $$$$ at some T20. For personal reasons, I defer. But I figure while waiting I might throw in one more school this year too, which is Oxford (I also got into Cambridge and LBS, if that matters). Got invited to interview 5 days after the R1 deadline. Personally, I felt like it went super well, and I think I nailed all the questions. But I got ding”
“If one has good stats gpa and sats. Is northeastern a real reach? People in another thread were flaming it submitted by /u/Similar_Advisor_5849 [link] [comments]”
“Rn I got into Texas tech, Texas state, Texas A&M, and university of Colorado Denver. I’m in Denver right now for the first time and it’s beautiful. I love the scenery, the people, it feels so welcoming and homely. Yet, there’s Texas A&M, a good school but much more conservative. 😭 I always thought “oh well I’ll just go to Texas A&M” but when you start to have choices it feels damn near impossible to figure out which one you want to make. I don’t want to make the wrong one, which sca”
“Im trying to find any good colleges on the East Coast, kinda specifically in D.C., NJ, or New York for poly sci apart from the ones im applying to rn. I got Rutgers, George Washington, American, and Georgetown nothing crazy like Princeton just respectable schools if anyones got suggestions lmk. submitted by /u/GM_Cooldust [link] [comments]”
“Good day everyone, I am very confused and stressed out. I recently applied to NYU as a transfer and I am in the process of sending and completing my application. I applied as a Film and TV BFA, so more stress for me lol. I wanted to know if I can upload a scanned version of my transcript or does it have to be emailed? Because I know if I try and upload it, it might get considered as unofficial. Please let me know, thank you I appreciate anyone who will respond to this. submitted by /”
“Does anyone have any recommendations on east coast colleges to transfer to from a California community college? submitted by /u/Tough-Passenger8978 [link] [comments]”
“hi everyone, im a current senior applying to college and i am caught in a mental battle in deciding where to ED. i have two top choice schools that appeal to me for different reasons as listed below school A-highly prestigious, around 90 med school acceptance rate in qualified applicants, fits most of my criteria, but didnt rlly wow me and allegedly lacks a sense of community on campus school B-felt instantly “right” when i visited, the only college i can picture myself at, yet is not as prestig”
“I know many people will try to dissuade me from this, but I think if you knew me personally it would make more sense. My mental health is not in a good place right now and I think it is only going to get worse in this environment. I would appreciate if people could help me with this specific question, as opposed to trying to convince me to stay (which I may do anyways idk). Some colleges I'd be curious about would be schools like Boston College, Wake Forest, Michigan, CU Boulder, Wisco, etc.”
“thanks for your perspective! a lot of comments have been saying the co-op program is good so right now i’m favoring NU [re: Boston University Vs. Northeastern for accounting undergrad?]”
“I see some people on the internet who are applying to literally 20+ colleges. I mean, how's that even possible??? Do they usually have any application fee waiver or something? The app fee alone will cost a fortune if they are not eligible for fee waiver... How are they even writing all the supplemental questions? I'm only applying to like 5 😂 I feel like I'm doing too little. Is applying to 20+ or nearly 20 colleges normal in American college admissions? It makes sense in terms of i”
“Hi all! I was aiming to apply for 2028 start, but now I’m considering on throwing in some applications to see if I can get into any of my target schools for 2027 start. I really hope to get into NYU or CBS since I live nearby but also targeting Cornell, Tuck, and Georgetown. I have 1 year experience in management consulting at a boutique in NYC and 2 years now in private wealth advisory. I must warn you however, my grades were not the strongest. I was an Econ major with a 3.2GPA and a 320 GRE sc”
“Context: I am applying to a Jesuit Christian college, and I have chosen their first supplemental (it's about how I am ready to embrace the diverse perspectives of New York or something). Well, something that really connected me to various perspectives in my own life was religion and spirituality. Is it bad to talk about how I think all religions are equal and that opened up new unbiased and welcoming pathways to spirituality and heavy research about ancient folk witchcraft practices, like ho”
“I’m looking at two programs and I really did like one better than the other, but I’m worried that going here may make it more difficult to find a job after graduating. The programs are very similar cost wise and PANCE pass rate wise. The only difference is that one is apart of a large academic medical center, while the other has rotations all over near the school. On top of this the program is small Christian college, which I am indifferent about but unsure if that changes perception. Both schoo”
“I’m at college student at UGA right now. I transferred from Kennesaw state this semester and am debating on it I should return because I was not accepted into the business school here at UGA this fall. Technically I can reapply next semester by increasing my test scores since they look at SAT and accounting entrance exams. I have a 4.0 currently and I just feel this place has knocked me down over and over again. I just want to study accounting and get a job at a big 4. The Terry college of busin”
“I live in GA and I am currently a freshman at UNG, Dahlonega. At first I was super excited to go here because I love the mountains. The school seemed super appealing on my tour. However, I have some issues with it now. First off, I have to commute an hour to the Gainesville campus for my film classes (I am a film and digital media major). Second, I haven’t really clicked with the people here and I am bored out of my mind after classes. It’s a very small school so the friend pool isn’t big at all”
“Hey y'all, I will be applying this upcoming May for the 2027-2028 cycle. Now I reside in Texas and of course will prioritize Texas Schools, but I also want to apply OOS. How did y'all select what schools to apply to OOS? submitted by /u/Brief_Board_6974 [link] [comments]”
“I am applying to eight colleges. submitted by /u/ASeriesOfGoodEvents [link] [comments]”
“me and this other girl are applying ed1 to nyu. same major, same school, my ecs are better than hers, but her grades better. how do schools like nyu determine how many to admit from one school? the matriculation at my school is pretty good, many ivy + t20 acceptances. whats the process for determining how many they can take from a school? is it likely theyd accept 2 applicants interested in the same topics / have coinciding ecs? the only thing that might be different is that id be full pay ed1 t”
“Hi! I am a senior looking to apply to Boston Uni test optional. I have strong ECs and grades, but was wondering if someone could provide me with either tips or sources for the supplemental essays and how to structure ECs and awards in a way that will make my application stand out. Thanks!! submitted by /u/Quirky_Age729 [link] [comments]”
“Since maybe soph year of HS I wanted to major in business at a top business school like Berkely Haas or Wharton. But rn my extracurriculars look a lot like public policy (I did internships at nonprofits and conducted research on education policy). So I thought applying directly to the business school isn’t the best option and instead applying as an econ or public policy major then internally transferring later. But I still do have some solid business extracurriculars as well as strong supplement”
“also, would you say nyu is prestigious? submitted by /u/ten_thingsIhateabtu [link] [comments]”
“yeah thats it i was also wondering abt the financial aid and if they respect other religions so yeah. submitted by /u/CloakofSorrow [link] [comments]”
“question for the “average” applicants applying to top schools: how do you stay motivated applying to these schools, even if you know chances of acceptance are almost none?” i have no hooks nor spikes, my ec’s are no where as impressive as common ones on this sub (no research, internships, national awards). but I have great grades and test scores. and because of that my parents want me to apply to top universities. on one hand I agree with their reasoning; why not try? YOLO, apply, you never know”
“For context both me, and this other girl want to ED to the same school. It’s really competitive too, and she has a better SAT/GPA than I do (even if our ecs are comparable). My school doesn’t rank, but if they did I’m sure she’d be like 3 or 4 out of my whole class. She’s insane. I am well above average for my school, but definitely not as cracked as her, and I’m kind of scared that we both have the same dream school and are both applying ED, I feel like AOs will take one look at her and reject”
“As GT Reddit doesn’t allow application questions for unknown reasons, I am trying my luck here… could any current students/parents or recent alumni please kindly help clarify these questions… Thanks!! Does GT mostly defer its EAs (as mentioned by multiple counselors on social media?) Any EA success experience? Do most international students rlly self pay 100K+ for GT everything each year? If so, what other prestigious schools worth fully self pay at par with GT? Are international students”
“Okay so my application is honestly a little odd. My gpa is 3.2 but i have great research, around 3 papers published and 4 under review and 2 patents. Now i am conflicted whether my application is viable to top schools. My field is mechanical engineering/ materials engineering. submitted by /u/Consistent-Stay-3203 [link] [comments]”
“This sub appears to mostly be questions from students applying to college. Is there a sub for the parents/guardians who are going through their own journey? submitted by /u/private_lisa_999 [link] [comments]”
“why do people think that its easy to get into NYU (non Stern) just by applying ed and being full pay in spite of mediocre stats? CAS for example is pretty competitive... submitted by /u/_Tyronefr [link] [comments]”
“Title. I've got a few direct admission offers from my state. I'm wondering if I should even bother applying through the Common App and filling out stuff for that. I'm just really overwhelmed, and I'm not even halfway through the application process. Doing the direct admission will cut off a lot of what I need to do. I got an offer from one of my target colleges, and I plan to just do that. But before I do, is there any advantage to just applying with my SAT scores, rec letters, a”
“Let's stop talking about the Ivies for a second. What are the extracurriculars like of the average students admitted to BU, Tufts, The George Washington University, Case Western, ect.? How many leadership roles do these kids usually have, and how much impact do applicants really need to show to get admitted into these places? submitted by /u/Sarah_Bluebarry_28 [link] [comments]”
“I’m a senior this year. My dream school is Columbia University in NY. I’m thinking of applying early decision, but I’ve been feeling really iffy about it. I’m a super anxious person, and with flight anxiety, making a trip across the country seems really terrifying. I also don’t know how I would handle myself in a big city like Manhattan. I don’t know anyone in NY, and I won’t even be 18 when I begin my first year of college. But, I don’t want my anxiety to stop me from possibly getting accepted”
“Hi everyone! I just really need some advice right now on what to do on my application to Tufts. On one hand, I'm legacy and applying ED and getting a letter of recommendation from the professor from my dual enrollment I did with Tufts this past summer. But on the other hand, I have a pretty low GPA and I'm applying test-optional. Does anyone have any general advice on what I should do to stand out? Thanks!! submitted by /u/a1ex4ndr4 [link] [comments]”
“Hello, I'm applying to graduate school for political science, and I just wanted to get opinions on if my profile is competitive enough. Ill leave below my credentials and the schools I'm applying too. Any feedback is appreciated, especially if some of the schools I'm looking at are far to out of my range. I don't go to a high ranking university in my state, id probably classify it as middle or lower tier. GPA: 3.9, I'm also graduating as a member of my schools honors college”
“I was admitted as an international student and I am grateful for the opportunities that followed my admission. I remember scouring online forums looking for insights into what US college applications entails. I hope some of my advices here will be useful to you all as well. submitted by /u/Minimum_Rain_3542 [link] [comments]”
“For context im from nc. My GPA is admittedly not the greatest. I was doing research and it seems like state schools tend to be more lenient. The state schools in nc are fine. And at first I wanted to stay in nc. But the more I think about it the more I do want to leave. The schools im looking at are SUNY Morrisville, University of Arkansas at Monticello, Metropolitan State University of Denver, AND Virginia Union University I think it will take some convincing to have my mom let me out to an out”
“Hey ya’ll. I am a recruited athlete from Texas. I am posting because I want to get some insight on the colleges that have offered me. I want to major in Economics and branch into Finance Heres my quick bio: 2027 Football Recruit 1220 SAT 25 ACT 4.12/4.0 Weighted GPA AP Honor with Distinction Honor Roll 100+ Verifiable Community Service Hours Tutor for children with learning disabilities So far I have received positive pre-reads and offers from these schools: Amherst College WashU St Louis Trinit”
“just got an ii for quinnipiac! any advice? is it true they have a high post ii acceptance rate? submitted by /u/NoMaterial8053 [link] [comments]”
“Hey y’all! I am working on my rank list and I am struggling to place a few schools. Any advice or personal input would be much appreciated! I am from the DFW area but not close enough to live at home for any of these schools or their rotations so that doesn’t matter much to me! TIA Schools: McGovern A&M U of H TJFFCOM TCOM SHSU Also, not counting on a prematch by any means, but does anyone know when these schools tend to start sending theirs? (and how much of their class is pre matched?) ”
“I was admitted last year, took a gap year after graduating hs and now thinking about not going to BC at all. I feel like i have a better shot this year with better sat(1460->1560) and ecs. And I think i’ll write better essays, which will result in a better application in general. Main issue with BC is its tuition(paying full price!!) and the fact that it’s a semi target for investment banking. I’ll first have to declare to BC that I will not attend before I apply to different colleges this ye”
“Hello! I am applying to Northeastern soon (Nov 1 deadline) and was wondering if anyone has any advice on making my application stand out? I participate in horseback riding, a police cadet program, a youth leadership program, and have been captain of the varsity cheer team for 4 years. I am planning on majoring in criminology but would like to create a combined majoring of criminology and cybersecurity. Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/Independent-Deer-314 [link] [comments]”
“I’ve heard about schools that are unfriendly to out of state students, but if you have strong ties, you should consider applying. I was wondering how that works? Like, do they consider you an in state applicant? Or maybe they view you slightly more favorably? How might that work for a state as large and OOS unfriendly as California. I was born and raised in California, and moved away when I was 14. My entire family lives there. Would that make it worth it to apply to Cali schools, or is that jus”
“Yo what if i apply to an ivy league without even taking the SATs? also how do i study for an ivy league collage?????? it would be crazy to tell my parents i got accepted into a prestigious school so i do wanna lock in n try to make it happen just dont know where to start. Edit: i am a senior in high school forgot to mention that✌️ submitted by /u/Indra2kewl [link] [comments]”
“Hello!! I am currently on the hunt for the right school to go to. I have a 3.55 gpa, 29 ACT, and I’d prefer to be on the northeast. I have plenty of EC’s (bands, jobs, clubs, etc) and my essay I feel is decent so far. I want to go into either advertising (more business) or graphic design (more art) or maybe a mix of both. I’m looking into Quinnipiac and schools like it, but I’m not sure if that’s the best fit for my program. If anyone has any recs or comments lmk! submitted by /u/Abj”
“Hey, so I’m struggling to pin down a list. I’m a senior right now. My application is weird, I initially went to my local catholic school, I loved the school and was very involved, I was in a lot of top classes, think mostly honors, APHUG as a freshman (4), and was very involved, I did model UN freshman year, was a rower and made varsity as a sophomore and did marching band both years. However my grades were not good, I got a D freshman year and a bunch sophomore year, ended up with 8 semester Ds”
“Hi guys, I’m a sophomore at UMiami and I plan on transferring next year. I would love any thoughts or advice on good colleges to apply to. - I don’t love the stuck up, wannabe influencer vibe of the student body at UM. I also am missing a more typical college town experience. (Not trying to shit on UM, but those are the main reasons I want to leave.) - I would probably not prefer to go somewhere in the middle of nowhere and would love to have a city (even kinda) close by. - I’m currently studyin”
“Hi everyone I am deciding between ED-ing to BC vs BU for their business schools and am unable to decide. Which one has relatively more prestige? Thanks! submitted by /u/robints_ [link] [comments]”
“So I have an issue: I am wrapping up my college application essay, letters of recommendation, etc and yet. I still don’t know if I have a dream college/one that would suit me. At least one I have a viable option of getting into. I recently discovered Swathmore and think that is the kind of place I would thrive in. Vanderbilt’s MHS program is also a dream come true for me. Like, a mix of humanities and medicine? That’s me as a person. Anyways, I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions on pl”
“Hello! So I'm thinking of applying to the following Universities, and I've narrowed down my options to around 5-6. I wanted to get opinions from people who have actually BEEN to these colleges to hopefully get a few answers. If you've been to Wheaton, Whitman, Richmond, Kenyon, or Trinity, please feel free to answer. You don't have to answer everything either :) How progressive/conservative is the campus/faculty? Not the biggest deal in the world, but I would Did you find it easy”