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Extra Credit '25: What Happens if You Don't Get Into Your ED (Early Decision) School?
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A
When you're applying to college, you're only 17 and you're still trying to figure out your identity and what it is that you want in the future.
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B
Hey, CBMers, welcome back to College Bell Mentor, where we help you survive the college application process and beyond. We are your co hosts, Lisa, Abby and Stephanie, and today we are talking about early decision. What happens if you don't get into early decision school and how do you move forward in the application process? Regardless, now that all the early decision results are back, there are students who are elated because they got into their first choice. There's of course, students who are disappointed because they either got denied or they got deferred, which can sometimes put you in this very awkward state because you, you know, you're wondering, why didn't I get in and what could I have done for my application? And a lot of times the answer is you are absolutely. There's nothing that you could have done and you just have a really strong application. There's just too many applicants. So we thought it would be really helpful to go back and listen to one of our first interviews that we did with Zoe Schack, who was indeed denied from her first choice school last year, but instead saw it as an opportunity to focus in on what really mattered to her when it came to the college decision and where she was going to ultimately end up going. And I think it's really helpful to hear that, particularly if you're wondering how this is all going to pan out. So let's take a listen to Zoe's interview. Well, I'm very excited to have our first guest on the College Bound mentor on our podcast and I'm very excited that we have Zoe Schack here with us.
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A
Zoe.
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B
Zoe is a. Actually she's finished her senior year at Mount St. Mary Academy, which is an all girls Catholic high school in New Jersey. And she, it was top of her class. She was in top 10% of her class, which is pretty amazing. She's very involved in her community. I think of her as a community oriented, intellectually curious leader and an incredibly strong communicator. And I'm just delighted to have Zoe here. So welcome, Zoe.
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C
Hi.
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A
Thank you so much for having me.
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B
Why don't you start off before we talk about your early decision experience and also your overall college application journey, tell us a little bit about what you were involved in at high school.
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A
Sure. So throughout high school, I was really involved in mental health advocacy. After a fellowship program I participated in throughout my sophomore year, I started a mental health advocacy group with some of my best friends, and we were able to network with local legislators. We did a lot of work with changing high school lesson plans on mental health. And I was also able to give a talk at a TEDX convention, give a TED talk on the topic of mental health and activism among young people. From there, I also got involved with a lot of voting rights advocacy and voter registration work. I worked as the youngest paid member of a voter registration nonprofit called Voters of Tomorrow throughout my senior year and part of my junior year. I was involved in speech and debate as a captain. I was president of Junior State of America at my high school. And I was also really into music. I played drums for my school band and my church ensemble as well.
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B
Wonderful. So you were very busy, very engaged student, and I'm just wondering what got you interested in mental health advocacy.
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A
It was something that I was always passionate about from a psychology perspective. I love taking psych courses over the summer through Johns Hopkins CTY program. When I was starting out with high school, I was always really interested in reading about it and the way that patients were treated and how people were perceived based on certain conditions that they may or may not have. And once I got involved with this fellowship program, Civics Unplugged, I really started to notice that mental health is one of the issues that a lot of young people can reach a very clear consensus on when so many other issues divide us in this day and age. Because most of the people that I spoke with agreed that mental health is a real concern and something that should be discussed in schools and communities and classrooms. And from there, I was encouraged to create a project proposal. And I was one of five out of about 300 fellows to have their proposal selected. And my project was fully funded by the organization.
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B
That's amazing. And were you able to see the impact that your program had in your high school or in other high schools across country?
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A
Yes, definitely. There were so many kids in my high school, once I started working on some curriculum updates, who would actually approach me in the halls, whether they were my age or younger, and say things like, you're a role model. You inspire me. And that's really what pushed me to keep going, is because I realized that even these small actions that may be perceived as inconsequential because we're just kids doing these things, even those small actions can have a really big impact, and they can start these really important conversations in our communities and create that kind of ripple effect that encourages other young people to take a stance, whether it's for mental health or another cause.
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B
Yeah, that's amazing. And I. And I know that you are going to be an agent of change wherever you go because it's just, it's built into your DNA. And so.
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A
Thank you.
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B
You're welcome. And that's the thing that was, for me was really surprising. First of all, let's talk about where you decided to apply Early Decision and what drew you to that school.
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A
So for Early Decision, I applied to Swarthmore College, which is in Pennsylvania, right outside of Philly. And I was drawn to that school because of the sense of intellectual curiosity that it seemed to foster. I could tell the kids were really passionate about what they were studying and really willing to discuss these topics, whether it be in the lecture hall or classroom or even just among friends in their freedom. And that's something I really wanted to continue in college. And I really was drawn to the small, close knit environment. I think it had about 1600 students. I know it was under 2000 and there was no grad school. So it was definitely one of the smallest schools that I applied to. And I think that sense of familiarity is something that attracted me because my high school is only 300 kids or even fewer than that currently. So going to a medium to large college did seem kind of intimidating. And I was looking for something that had that familiarly close knit and kind of small welcoming vibe to it.
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B
Right. And it's also school that activism is a big part of it or impacting change. So that makes sense. So how did you feel when you first got denied?
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A
When I first got denied, I was really upset. Honestly, I was surprised because so many of the people that I had been talking to were so confident in me. I was unsure, but I was feeling optimistic. And when I got rejected, I was really disheartened because I wasn't sure what I did. That wasn't enough in their eyes initially. And I was really just wondering. Exactly. And before I kind of came to the realization that it's really not you most of the times that you get rejected and it comes down to the school itself and who they have a spot for, what they're looking for. I did kind of take it personally and I was wondering if it would affect my other decisions, if this is just the way things were going to go. And I wouldn't end up with many options in the end because of some perceived issue with my application. But after a while I was able to kind of realize that it wasn't the case. Even though initially I was really preoccupied with what I had done wrong, and if I was able to fix for my applications went out, and that's a.
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B
Really common idea is what did I do wrong? What was what? What could I have done differently? I was equally surprised when you didn't get into Swarthmore because you had such a strong application. You're an amazing writer. You had a really. You have a really strong point of view, and it was really clear who you were, and you communicated that really well. So I was also surprised, but I also had faith that it was just not where you went, where you were meant to go. How do you feel about it now?
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A
Now I kind of feel like it was a blessing in disguise because I feel like my perspective has changed a lot over this past year for a variety of reasons. A lot of different things that I had experienced and observed. And because of that, I'm kind of grateful that I had the opportunity to weigh all my options in the spring about a month ago and figure out what was the best fit for me based on the person that I had evolved into. Because when you're applying to college, you're only 17, and you're still trying to figure out your identity and what it is that you want in the future. So I think having those additional few months, even though it does seem like a trivial difference, really did make an impact for me because I was able to reflect on what is I wanted and how those wants kind of developed over the course of my senior year into something different.
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B
And what changed? What changed from what you wanted back In October, say, November 1st, when you made the decision, and then when. Because ultimately you had amazing options. You had so many amazing options, you got in almost everywhere else that you applied. Right. So what changed?
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A
For me, the main factor that changed was just the size and the overall nature of the school that I was looking for. Because initially, when I first started this process, you remember, I was exclusively looking at the small liberal arts schools, and everyone around me was kind of saying, you know, you should try to broaden your horizons, maybe look at some bigger universities in addition to these small colleges. And I wasn't really open to that. The first time that we drove by Villanova, as we were looking at all the other Philly schools, I just didn't even want to entertain the possibility. But I think as the year progressed, I realized that going to a really small high school does have its benefits academically, but it can also be a little bit challenging in some aspects to be in a small environment for someone like me, who is definitely a more extroverted person and likes to be involved and network with all different kinds of people and talk to a new person every day. And as I got older and kind of realized that this phase of my life as a high schooler in a very small high school was coming to an end, I was kind of grateful to have options from have referred with 1500 kids to a school like NYU with over 10,000 kids. And having that range of possibilities was really helpful for me because I'd realized that I didn't necessarily want to limit myself to only small schools or only schools in a certain location, or only liberal arts schools.
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B
Right. So you brought in your expectation and, or your desires or what you felt like you could handle and what you would do well. And one of the things I was wondering is when you got over that initial just disappointment and you had to change your mindset, what was helpful to you to be able to do that? Because you did have some early action schools that you got into pretty closely after you got that denial. So you can talk about that. And how did that help change your mindset or at least make you feel a little bit weighed by the experience?
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A
I think having those early action schools from the get go was definitely something that made me feel a lot more confident in the possibilities or opportunities for me. Because Seton hall was the first school that I heard back from in October, which was a lot earlier than any other. I got in, I received a scholarship, I got into the honors program, and I was able to just kind of take that deep breath and say, I know I'm going to college somewhere. And it was a good option that I did like and resonate with. So I figured that having that would be a great option no matter what else happens. And then from there I got into some other schools like Fordham, Rutgers, Villanova. And from there, even though I wasn't really sure what I was leaning towards because I wasn't sure what other possibilities might be out there, it felt really good just to have those options no matter what, and to start researching those schools in depth from a different perspective since I had gotten in. Because I feel like there is kind of a shift between looking at a school as a prospective applicant and as someone who's been admitted and is looking for different aspects of student life and not just worrying, you know, are my scores high enough for me to get into a school like this?
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B
Right.
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A
So having those schools having that safety net was really helpful.
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B
And you bring up a really good point, because when you're looking at a school as an applicant and trying to Understand, if you are admissible, there's a very different mindset than when you're looking at a school that you've been accepted to and you recognize that. Now I'm in the driver's seat. Now I get to really think about what it is that I want from a school. How did that change for you? And what were some of the. The things that you. Size was one that you talked about, but what else changed? And how did you weigh your options when you had it, and what schools did it narrow down to when you were making your final decision?
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A
I think, for me, a factor that became less and less important throughout the process was honestly the perceived prestige or reputation of the school. Because obviously, I love Villanova, and I think it's a great place, but I definitely don't think it's perceived as academic as some of the other schools like NYU that I was admitted to or. I know a lot of people have that mindset. Or Haverford. Exactly right.
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B
Which was very similar to Swarthmore. Right?
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A
Yes. And that's definitely one thing that drew me into Swarthmore in the first place, was that level of name and the things that it's associated with when you say that name. So that's definitely something I was super worried about at first. But throughout the process, I kind of shifted from saying I have to just go to the school with the lowest acceptance rate out of everywhere I was admitted to, to figuring out, where will I be happy? Where can I see myself living? Because as that reality kind of approached, I started thinking about, you know, where am I going to wake up in a dorm and feel happy? Where will I be able to get involved in the way that's the most suitable to me as an individual? Where will I be able to appreciate the campus and the location and all that has to offer? So I think that's something that changed for me. And as I was considering schools after regular decision came out, I'd say my main options were Villanova, Fordham, Haverford, and nyu. I'd say those were the main four. And as I continued to consider each option, I've really started looking more at the student life aspect and some of the more aspects, some of the aspects beyond academics and name reputation, because I realized there's a lot more to college than just what other people see, because it's also about how you'll enjoy the experience and how you'll be able to make the most of it, regardless of that name.
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B
Right. And you got into the Honors College at Villanova.
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A
Yes.
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B
Right. And did that sway it at all for you because you were in that.
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A
Yeah, definitely. I vividly remember opening the letter in school. I just for some reason felt the need to check my portal again for Villanova. That day when I was sitting in class and I saw this big alert that I had an update to my application. I wasn't really sure what. I clicked on it and then there was all this confetti and there was a notification that I was admitted to the Honors College, which I honestly did not even know existed when I was applying. So I was really surprised about that. I was really excited because initially I was very happy to be admitted, but it wasn't exactly a front runner because I was concerned about the size and the prevalence of Greek life and a lot of aspects that kind of deterred me from other similar schools. But once I got into the Honors College and I started looking online at some of the students and some of the things that it could offer to me, I've realized that it would provide a lot of opportunities and I'd be able to find my people even in a bigger school. Because they always say you can make a big school small, but you can't always make a small school big. And I figured I could kind of get the best of both worlds with that small, close knit academic environment that I'd always been looking for and a bigger social environment with sports and a larger population of, you know, 7,000 undergrads instead of 2,000, which is something that had kind of changed throughout the year with respect to my preferences on school size.
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B
Right. And that's a really good point. And I think a lot of people overlook the honors Colleges as really good options if you want that small school experience or you want. And even though 7,000 is a medium sized school, it's compared to your high school, it's still quite big. But it does give you that opportunity to have that intellectual rigor and those small conversations and seminar style classes within a larger environment. Looking back, if you had to do it all over again, God forbid. Right. Would you think that smarthra would have been a good fit for you?
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A
I think it would have been a good fit. I think I would have, you know, been fine and found my people, found my place academically. But I don't necessarily think it would have been the best fit out of all the schools that I was looking at and was admitted to. Because like I said, I feel like I changed a lot and evolved a lot throughout the year with respect to what I was looking for and the kind of things I was hoping to get out of my college experience. And for that reason, I was really lucky to have the opportunity to choose from so many schools rather than simply having one from December onwards and not being able to weigh my other options or even see my other options, because I would have had to withdraw from all those other schools I got into.
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B
Yeah, it's true. It's sometimes it's really is a all for the best. Things always happen for a reason. In hindsight, what advice would you give? Because to rising seniors who are just about to go through the process, or even younger students who are perhaps juniors looking, starting to put their lists together.
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A
This is one thing I was actually just talking about with my friend who's a junior, is that you should obviously consider the aspects of this that are important to you, like academics, the name, the alumni network. But really the most important thing in retrospect to me is whether you'll be happy there and whether you'll feel like you have a place as part of that school community. Because as much as you're worried about the name and the way people will react to where you're going, they're not the ones that are going to have to wake up in that school every morning and go through that routine and be part of that community. And once you get to college, from what I've heard at least, and once you choose a college, you're not going to think about all the other schools that either rejected you or the schools that you turned down because you're going to be so excited for all that there is ahead of you.
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B
That is such great advice. I'm going to package that and send it out to all of my rising seniors and sophomores as they go through this process. So that's great. Is there anything else you want to add just at the end? Anything else that we didn't cover that you wish I'd asked you?
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A
I guess another thing I would want to talk about is just the ways that you can kind of engage with a college once you've gotten into different places and how you can make that decision. Because for me, I really enjoyed looking at the different Instagram pages that are out there for the admitted students and previous classes where you can kind of see what kind of students attend that school and what their interests are and whether they resonate with you and are the type of people that you could see yourself, you know, being friends with and spending time with. Because as much as academics are important and were a big factor for me, as well as, you know, size, location, opportunities for internship, service, it is really important that you're able to find your people and find your niche, whatever that may be, depending on your interests and who you are. So I think looking online at different resources, whether that be for your specific major's department, if they have a website or social media, if there's a page for admitted students, if there's a website for your honors college or a specific scholarship program that you were admitted to, looking at the smaller details rather than the school at large will probably give you a more accurate view of what your experience would be like. Depending on the kind of offer you've gotten or the kind of ways that you plan to engage with the school once you get there.
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B
Yeah, that's really good advice. Was there anything that you saw on those medium that you felt now that's not for me? Or when you were down to those four schools between nyu, Fordham, Haverford and Villanova, because they're quite different schools, you know, and they. And they attract quite a different student. So was there something that either clinched it for Villanova or was it. Or was there something that. Where you thought, those aren't my people?
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A
Yeah, I think for the side of those aren't my people or this isn't my school, I think seeing different photos and videos just on the websites or social media of the schools and seeing what the day to day life of some of those schools really look like was very helpful to me. Because, for instance, NYU is a school that I really wanted to apply to, but I never visited for some reason and I never really researched from a critical standpoint of evaluating the pros and cons. And I think honestly one of the reasons I was so excited about getting in was because it was the quote unquote, best name out of the schools that I had been accepted to. And I was happy about that. I ended up actually getting a Presidential Scholars offer. And I was just really happy that I had gone in. But once I started looking at them and some of the other schools that I had been accepted to, their YouTube channels, for instance, and videos of the students just going through their routine, seeing the location and the lifestyle, I realized this doesn't really resonate with me in the same way that the lifestyle and the campus at Villanova does. And I think one thing that really helped me kind of seal the deal with Villanova was Administrative Students Day, because there was one speech from a current student and they said, a lot of schools will say, you know, you would be honored to go to a school like this, but at Villanova, it feels like they would be honored to have you and have you contribute to their community. And that was something that really excited me because I'd been speaking to so many students. I'd been figuring out, you know, the classes I would take and the clubs I would join and how I would kind of make an impact starting on my college campus and hopefully beyond after that, whether that be grad school or the workforce. And I really saw myself kind of fitting into that puzzle and being able to contribute and have my perspective valued there. So definitely what helped me decide.
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B
That's amazing. Yeah. And I can't wait to see what you do there, because I know you're going to make a huge impact there, and I can't wait to maybe have you back after you've gone through some more experiences at Villanova and see how great that was. Well, thank you so much. This has been so helpful, and I think students will really resonate with this as they are going through the process. So thank you.
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C
All right.
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A
Thank you so much.
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B
Thank you so much, Zoe. That was a great interview, and I hope you guys learned as much as I did about the whole process. Before we say goodbye, let's go into our fun facts about college. Abby, what was a fun fact that you learned last week about colleges?
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D
So, last week, I learned that University of Wisconsin has an appeal process. So that's meant for. If you don't get into the school, you can appeal the decision, and there are a bunch of schools that have it. You know, this is not something that works, generally speaking. But a family came to me who I hadn't worked with. They asked me to review their daughter's application to see if I had any insight into why she didn't get into Wisconsin.
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C
And.
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D
And after I looked at her application, I had no answers for them. I thought she was a fantastic candidate. Not overqualified. Perfectly qualified would have been a great fit. So I recommended that they try the appeal process. And, yeah, it worked. Yeah, it was crazy.
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A
Only a few days later.
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C
A few days later.
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B
So that's awesome.
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D
She didn't get any feedback as to why they reversed their decision, but I don't know. Sometimes if. If you have that feeling, it might be worth pursuing.
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B
Yeah, no, you never know. You never know. What about you, Seth?
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C
My fun fact has nothing to do with this, but I am talking about it way too much. We went to an ICA conference last week in Connecticut, and we visited a bunch of Connecticut colleges. And I learned University of Florida was there. And I learned. And this is a big deal. My husband's going to be very proud because he's a gator. He went to uf. He's from Florida. You might have, you know, many opinions of that state, but it's a wonderful university. And I learned, and this is new in the past year, that if you have a grandparent and his mom is a resident there, so if you have a grandparent who's a resident of Florida, that you get to pay. And if you get admitted to uf, which is Gainesville, or, or any of the Florida public universities, which is not an easy feat, especially, especially some of them, you get to pay in state tuition. There are some caveats. I think there's only about 350 waivers throughout all of the schools, so about 50 to 60 waivers for each college. And there are a few requirements like sat, ACT scores, gpa. But again, that just really excited me, and I thought that's really awesome that a public university would give that opportunity to add upstate.
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B
Yeah. Smart. It's really smart.
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C
Wow.
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B
And I think the woman said that we met with, she said you have to get in really early. You have to get your application in as early as you can because they get swept up. So that's a wonderful, wonderful piece of news for anyone who has any grandparents living in Florida. Well, I want to thank Zoe again for coming on to College Bell Mentor. It was a great interview, and we really appreciated what you had to say. And thank you, CBMers, for tuning in to catch more episodes of College Bail Mentor. Make sure to follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and tell a fellow parent or student about the podcast. To learn more, visit collegeboundmentor.com until next time. You got this.