Those who did not get into any college - what did you do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

This is amazing. I’ve seen that documentary. 🤣

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

How ‘bout them apples?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

Interesting. Please tell us more.

You are not serious...are you?

These kinds of things happen all the time. I also know a homeless man that was pulled off the streets by one of the top Philadelphia trading firms and ended up becoming one of their star employees. He made a fortune in commodities trading...specifically, frozen orange juice contracts (and pork bellies to some extent).

Merry New Year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

So obnoxious and entitled, can't believe they rewarded a stunt like that.

+1
That would only emphasize that the rejection was the right decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

Interesting. Please tell us more.

You are not serious...are you?

These kinds of things happen all the time. I also know a homeless man that was pulled off the streets by one of the top Philadelphia trading firms and ended up becoming one of their star employees. He made a fortune in commodities trading...specifically, frozen orange juice contracts (and pork bellies to some extent).

I know of a family that used to be really wealthy, but suffered from embezzlement by their financial manager. Fortunately, they’d bought a town for one of their kids when he was a teenager, so they had someone to live. Anyway, it turned out their adult daughter had not graduated from high school, so she went back to high school and then graduated from some college. She was well-meaning but not exceptionally bright.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

I saw a documentary about that. How do you like *them* apples?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

Did he get merit aid or need-based aid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

How many years ago? 70? 80? This is urban legend. Please correct me with a link to the source.

https://nypost.com/2016/02/07/former-yale-admissions-officer-reveals-secrets-of-who-gets-in/

FYI, that was a ridiculously easy Google search.

Thanks. It was even easier to wait for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

Interesting. Please tell us more.

You are not serious...are you?

These kinds of things happen all the time. I also know a homeless man that was pulled off the streets by one of the top Philadelphia trading firms and ended up becoming one of their star employees. He made a fortune in commodities trading...specifically, frozen orange juice contracts (and pork bellies to some extent).

LOL. Trading Places is still hysterical. Completely inappropriate by 2023 standards, but hysterical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

Interesting. Please tell us more.

You are not serious...are you?

These kinds of things happen all the time. I also know a homeless man that was pulled off the streets by one of the top Philadelphia trading firms and ended up becoming one of their star employees. He made a fortune in commodities trading...specifically, frozen orange juice contracts (and pork bellies to some extent).

Hahahahaha. I heard he knows Jamie Lee Curtis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

Interesting. Please tell us more.

You are not serious...are you?

These kinds of things happen all the time. I also know a homeless man that was pulled off the streets by one of the top Philadelphia trading firms and ended up becoming one of their star employees. He made a fortune in commodities trading...specifically, frozen orange juice contracts (and pork bellies to some extent).

I know of a family that used to be really wealthy, but suffered from embezzlement by their financial manager. Fortunately, they’d bought a town for one of their kids when he was a teenager, so they had someone to live. Anyway, it turned out their adult daughter had not graduated from high school, so she went back to high school and then graduated from some college. She was well-meaning but not exceptionally bright.

I know a bunch of guys who were smart and got in, but then were socially excluded in the university culture. So, they started their own fraternity, not out of revenge, but for self-empowerment. True success story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The key concept that's missing here is customized essays. All other things being equal, admissions officers have a harder time refusing someone who can express enthusiasm with particular courses/professors, or something specific about that college. It's cheaper than a visit and a lot more powerful. Also, keep in mind that the Common App allows this: since you click submit for each college separately, you can tweak your personal statement each time.

Please stop posting about this - you show up on every thread recommending standardized essays. Many, many people have told you it's not necessary and virtually every kid gets into schools without doing this. Your kids are probably the only ones in the entire DMV that DID do this. It's a waste of time. If schools want customized essays, they include supplemental essays as part of their applications.

Your anger is a bit concerning, PP. Why would you have a problem with others doing this? Your kids got in, right, so it's not your battle, isn't it? Given the number of agonized parents and seniors who are waiting to get out of deferment hell, and posters who are desperately wondering what could help their future seniors, I think this suggestion is noteworthy. If the applicant decides it's too much work, then no big deal - as long as they've correctly assessed their safeties, targets and reaches, they'll get in somewhere, as you say. There is no reason for you to be so hell-bent on sinking this idea...

...unless you're trying to dampen the competition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

I heard of a janitor at MIT that solved highly complex math problems that none of the students could solve. Believe he was admitted directly into their graduate program.

Interesting. Please tell us more.

You are not serious...are you?

These kinds of things happen all the time. I also know a homeless man that was pulled off the streets by one of the top Philadelphia trading firms and ended up becoming one of their star employees. He made a fortune in commodities trading...specifically, frozen orange juice contracts (and pork bellies to some extent).

I know of a family that used to be really wealthy, but suffered from embezzlement by their financial manager. Fortunately, they’d bought a town for one of their kids when he was a teenager, so they had someone to live. Anyway, it turned out their adult daughter had not graduated from high school, so she went back to high school and then graduated from some college. She was well-meaning but not exceptionally bright.

I know a bunch of guys who were smart and got in, but then were socially excluded in the university culture. So, they started their own fraternity, not out of revenge, but for self-empowerment. True success story.

We could do this all day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, an applicant who was denied admission to his first choice school (Yale University), pitched a tent outside of the admissions office demanding that he be admitted. Garnered student support & national publicity & he was admitted to Yale.

How many years ago? 70? 80? This is urban legend. Please correct me with a link to the source.

https://nypost.com/2016/02/07/former-yale-admissions-officer-reveals-secrets-of-who-gets-in/

FYI, that was a ridiculously easy Google search.

Thanks. It was even easier to wait for you.

Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When people say they didn't get in anywhere, this is not what they mean. Usually with some digging you find they got into their state school (maybe not the flagship) or some safety.

This happened to a friend's son, he had a great high school record, went to a magnet did great on standardized tests (pre-covid). So he applied to every fancy engineering school with good need based aid. He was differed then rejected at MIT (an athlete from his HS with lower but very good stats was accepted at MIT), waitlisted at Harvey Mudd, and flat out rejected absolutely everywhere else. However, he did apply to his state engineering school, and went there. The next caveat is he's now completed an EE degree, perfect grades, but along the way was never selected for any internships or REUs he applied to, or even took a summer job (some were covid years). He's now doing a gap year and applying to grad schools, he's currently working with a former professor, and has nothing else on his resume. We'll see how grad school apps go, but even though he's clearly a smart, capable kid, I suspect he's the sort that will always be passed over. The undergrad rejections could happen to anyone with great stats, it is a lottery and the odds are not independent, but in his case, seems it was not a fluke.

“The sort that will always be passed over?” Quite horrible to make this judgment about a very young man.