Student No. 1133049584 | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Student No. 1133049584

Hi I'm student no. 1133049584 and I would like to be in your program.

121
Student No. 1133049584
Facebook

It really irks me whenever people worry about whether or not they will be accepted into an institution due to their "low" grades.

I know most of you will disagree and say that grades are equally as important as the other aspects of the application. And I know a number of you will say that you have heard the saying "You are not a number". And I'm not saying that you are wrong. I'm just saying that it irks me.

Currently, I am on the Pre-Medical route as are many of my friends. We just had our first chemistry exam today and my friend felt like she wouldn't be able to get into medical school because she might have failed today's exam. Yes, high grades provide a higher chance to attend the next step of these admissions but the grade doesn't completely define your overall chance of admissions. Now you might be thinking, "gee this person writing this article must be really dumb" or "she's one of those people". Well, I'm neither. I'm just my own person.

In high school, I applied to this program called Texas Academy of Math and Science. Also known as TAMS. TAMS was basically program that allowed you to take college courses as a high-schooler but also living on the campus. Now, I didn't want to apply to TAMS since I knew I had no chance of getting in. My grades were mediocre (at least compared to my other peers who were also applying), and I hadn't really seriously prepared for the SAT. My mediocre grades were in the 80s-70s region. I'm only sharing this information because high school is behind me now. There's really no reason to freak out about something that I can't change anymore. I received a copy-and-pasted email from TAMS telling me they would love to have me in their program. I applied (because I thought I was special for getting the email although my friends later told me that they received the same email but it was too late to turn back). I hurriedly took the SAT and received a decent score of 1200-1300. I typed my essay and submitted my application as soon as I could and waited. A few months later, I received an email inviting me to attend their interview. I was super surprised. Someone like me, who received low grades and a pretty low score for the SAT compared to the competition, was getting the chance to be interviewed? I told my parents and they were pretty excited for me too. My parents had no experience on preparation for the interview so I went in blindly. I personally feel like I wasn't myself in the interview and didn't respond to the questions as well as I could have. Long story short, I didn't make it into TAMS but I did gain valuable experience which I used to get into college.

A few years later, I talked to my friend who was wait-listed and then accepted into TAMS about the application process and he was so shocked about how my low grades and SAT score got me into the interview process. For me, I felt like my essay was my strongest aspect of my application. Sure, I might not be smart, but I have a personality.

For my college essay, I wrote about my application experience for TAMS and I received lots of positive feedback.

Sure, my grades weren't as good as the competition, but my essay was well written and portrayed some of my personality. It sparked the admissions attention. I'm not saying to slack off on your grades but don't get so locked down on it. If you try your best, and you still don't get high grades, it doesn't make you stupid. It just means you are more knowledgeable in other subjects. You might be good at socializing or surviving on your own. Nothing should force you to stop trying. If you want to go to medical school then attempt the application. If you want to apply for a job, then just try. Don't let one small aspect of the application stop you from trying at all. If I didn't attempt the application to TAMS, I would've lost the experience of college application and interview process. I'm glad I attempted even though I wasn't accepted. It just means they found a better fit from the pool of other students applying. Nothing I did was "wrong" or "stupid". I became a better student through these failures.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

164148
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

50581
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

45154
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments