Why Stanford REJECTED me, the "perfect" student

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  • čas pƙidĂĄn 16. 09. 2022
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Komentáƙe • 2,1K

  • @Nikblor
    @Nikblor Pƙed rokem +7488

    Colleges aren’t looking for over achievers. They are looking for people who are specialized and have actual interests

    • @kennethdavidson6508
      @kennethdavidson6508 Pƙed rokem +466

      Or check boxes.

    • @Nikblor
      @Nikblor Pƙed rokem +110

      @@kennethdavidson6508 Or that

    • @TickingEnum
      @TickingEnum Pƙed rokem +488

      To add onto what you said most of the stuff she did was just "busy work" to make her seem prestigious and not actually mastering something. In addition to that colleges like to see how you overcame struggles as it highlights that you persevered even though it was difficult.

    • @potatogaming7044
      @potatogaming7044 Pƙed rokem +82

      @@TickingEnum showing all the things you did makes it seem like it’s was easy for you, talking about the much needed sleep you didn’t get is better

    • @alyssa7974
      @alyssa7974 Pƙed rokem +13

      @@TickingEnum I agree.

  • @whoknows7415
    @whoknows7415 Pƙed rokem +7683

    My guess is that you did so much throughout your time in high school that you really didn't establish an identity for yourself. Stanford wants to know what makes you special, and while your resume is EXTREMELY impressive, I literally can't say anything about who you are other than the fact that you're a total over-achiever.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1542

      Agree. And they actually mention that’s pretty prevalent in first gen kids in the documentary! Highly recommend

    • @alricamon425
      @alricamon425 Pƙed rokem +22

      @@wamyy5 what documentary?

    • @unmotivatedandaverage7473
      @unmotivatedandaverage7473 Pƙed rokem +113

      @@alricamon425 I would assume the documentary Try Harder! showcased in the video.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +125

      @@alricamon425 Try Harder!

    • @michaeln.2383
      @michaeln.2383 Pƙed rokem +34

      I found out that you have to accomplishments that are different from everybody else's. That might be the reason.

  • @cjboffoli
    @cjboffoli Pƙed rokem +377

    I just wanted to chime in as a former development officer for Dartmouth College, with inside knowledge of the inner workings of the Admissions process at elite colleges. The truth is that you were clearly a very strong applicant who likely could have succeeded at Stanford. But is just comes down to a numbers game. Very simply, Stanford has only 2,000 or so seats (or fewer if you consider previous admits who defer and carry over from previous cycles) for incoming freshmen and cannot accommodate the 40,000 or so annual applicants. Elite colleges are seeking to assemble just the right class, much like putting together an intricate puzzle. They are laser focused on diversity. From there it's a certain amount of legacy, foreign students and a balance of representation from US regions. They are looking at just the right number of athletes, musicians, scientists, writers, artists, future CEOs, etc. Recent scandals aside, the Admissions process generally is conducted with a high level of integrity. Applications are read and rated multiple times, by different members of the Admissions office. Applicants are assigned a letter grade (A: for admit, P: for possible, R: for reject) and then a fraction, with the top number (on a scale of 1-10) a rating of academics and the bottom number a rating of extracurriculars. All of the possibles get discussed in committee. Your application was likely given a lot of thought and consideration. Admissions officers are looking for students who have not peaked in high school but who seem to be all potential. They are not looking for kids who have achieved a lot because they have had every advantage. The essays do matter. The alumni interviews matter. Recommendations matter. It is not enough to have a lot of AP classes. They need to be the "right" AP classes. Strong test scores are a must, clearly. The goal is to make each class better than the last. Bottom line, most of the exceptional applicants who apply to Stanford probably are qualified to attend. But they simply cannot accept everyone. Some excellent candidates sadly must be turned away. It is possible to do everything right, to work incredibly hard, and still not be able to overcome the odds. I'm sorry that you did not make the cut but I hope you will understand all of the above and not take it personally. I also hope that whatever school you matched with will be a great experience for you, despite this disappointment.

    • @kaylon7996
      @kaylon7996 Pƙed rokem +41

      Thank you for saying this. It’s really easy to get bitter and blame other hypothetical people for something out of your control, but this puts admissions in a more realistic light.

    • @lovely__dovely528
      @lovely__dovely528 Pƙed rokem +4

      I'd like to know what the admissions officers consider the most If you don't mind ofcourse

    • @MsPlasticJim
      @MsPlasticJim Pƙed rokem +12

      @@lovely__dovely528 it was answered in the post “laser focus on diversity “

    • @brandyraccoon1473
      @brandyraccoon1473 Pƙed 11 měsĂ­ci +24

      She didn't make it past round 1... due to the laser focus on diversity, her application (along with all her years of hard work) was wadded up and tossed immediately into the circular file (trash bin) after seeing "Asian math nerd". She just needed to identify as an African American Man-hating Lesbian with an exaggerated trauma essay and she be in like Flynn with the other accepted "diverse" applicants (despite sloppier grades and poorer test scores).

    • @mr2981
      @mr2981 Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci

      So, to summarize: you are not black and don't 'identify' as anything trendy, so no Stanford for you.

  • @jonathancohen2351
    @jonathancohen2351 Pƙed rokem +82

    It's amazing how competitive it is to get into these universities, when even you didn't get in. I am reminded of a friend who was rejected from Harvard, and was told that the reason was that she was so well prepared that she didn't need Harvard, and so they would rather have a bigger impact in someone else's life.
    That's why having your story based around a mission you are on is so important. You want the admissions committee to feel like they are helping you achieve that goal also.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +8

      Sounds very much like MBA applications as well!

    • @emptyempty4238
      @emptyempty4238 Pƙed rokem

      Ah, I believe there were many reasons she didn’t get in. She is clearly qualified, but her resume like she said is very much “passionless” in the sense there isn’t a strong focus or obvious one at least that implies she is dedicated to a field or change, etc. Second, there are some many people who dedicate their entire youth to accomplishments like hers and more that there simply is not enough space no matter how qualified she is. Big accomplishments is another.
      Finally, I agree with what you said- I don’t know if that is the case here, but that actually does apply to a lot including jobs! There is such a thing as a overqualified applicant. That’s why sometimes you won’t get the job, not because you weren’t good enough, but because you could do better and excel from the company or whatever you’re applying to that it might be a waste of their time.

  • @Pandora234able
    @Pandora234able Pƙed rokem +2274

    This is crazy. How is a 17 year old supposed to know exactly what they want to do in life much less know who THEY are?

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +337

      I know right! That’s exactly how I’m thinking about it at this current age


    • @Pandora234able
      @Pandora234able Pƙed rokem +99

      @@wamyy5 Yeah, I’m 25 and I’m an engineering PhD student but I had a crazy hard time. My GPA was 4.13 weighted with AP and I barely did well in school so 3,4, and 5 on those exams. Barely any extracurriculars either. I also didn’t even get into UT Austin the first time. (Didn’t even dare shoot for Ivy’s because I thought I was too dumb.)
      I switched majors three times. I dropped out of school once. It won’t be a perfectly linear journey BUT you may do better if you focus on your mental health so you’re more prepared for crappy people lol. You should have a support system but they may not always be there so family or high school friends is important too. I’m sure they feel the exact same way about the “achieving perfection” mantra as I can tell you probably surround yourself around hard working students like yourself.
      Just remember to balance those things and if you get setback, it’s not the end but a teachable moment for a better opportunity in life. It’s the same way with dating too. Everyone will make mistakes and hopefully grow for them.
      If anything, take away this: you didn’t know how to ride a bike when you were born on day 1 lol. That took time. So will cementing the adult you are now and how you will leave your mark on this world.

    • @Pandora234able
      @Pandora234able Pƙed rokem +15

      @El Mero Mero My friend, life changes on a dime. Especially in your 20’s. I promise you, you won’t be the same person or be absolutely sure what’s next but you’ll be more resilient and accepting of change.

    • @dajasper
      @dajasper Pƙed rokem +2

      That's what your parents are foe

    • @NuncNuncNuncNunc
      @NuncNuncNuncNunc Pƙed rokem +7

      Knowing who they are should not be that hard. They've lived with that person for 17 years. They are as equally qualifed as their competition with respect to what they want to do. Admissions look to see if the school is a match for the student. If the student is not clear on what they will bring to and take away from the school, they may lose a spot to someone who is clear in that respect.

  • @Kaskaderka016
    @Kaskaderka016 Pƙed rokem +977

    I know it's life, but it feels so discouraging that there are way fewer places in good schools than students deserving these places

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +87

      Don’t worry too much! While the name of the school helps with “clout” and networking opportunities, it’s more about what you do at any school 😊

  • @arpitgoyal2035
    @arpitgoyal2035 Pƙed rokem +7

    I actually like the way you realize the mistake that you made and give your honest and sincere reason that were tragic for when you applied for Stanford. I think that your resume was extremely impressive and love to know how you made it. The video was so informative and have so many lessons for us. Love to have more such videos.❀❀❀❀

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      Aw yay I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my video and it was helpful! I explain in this video tips that helped me do so much in school: czcams.com/video/qT5CBfjEKyE/video.html

  • @seattlesunshine568
    @seattlesunshine568 Pƙed rokem +3

    Such a great video with in-depth analysis for the rejection, which makes total sense. You will shine anywhere anyway. Way to go, girl!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Thanks so much for your nice comment :)

  • @stardoesstuff5393
    @stardoesstuff5393 Pƙed rokem +607

    holy crap you literally did everything

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +121

      Yeah big mistake hahaha. Also ironic that I was literally trying to show how much I did by packing in as much info as I could!

    • @matthewvilaysack
      @matthewvilaysack Pƙed rokem +2

      @@wamyy5 i go here and let me know tell u this place is not what u think

    • @yourgrace3377
      @yourgrace3377 Pƙed rokem

      But get into Stanford 😂

    • @Savana-jy6fw5sf4i
      @Savana-jy6fw5sf4i Pƙed rokem

      @@matthewvilaysack how so?

  • @TheAvoong
    @TheAvoong Pƙed rokem +3507

    Amy, it’s sad to see you being rejected by Standford. You should apply to MIT for engineering major so you won’t feel regretted. Don’t let your self down, you are a bright and smart person regardless of being not admitted into the Stanford or not.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +362

      Thank you Al 😊 I am planning on matriculating to MIT’s MBA soon 😆

    • @ykgyadav8238
      @ykgyadav8238 Pƙed rokem +45

      @@wamyy5 yes omg mit is way better in my opinion

    • @famf6234
      @famf6234 Pƙed rokem +12

      @@wamyy5 You might encounter our son in MIT after his BSEE undergrad degree from ASU, he is currently a BARRETT, The Honors College student within ASU! He mentioned MIT, Stanford, & Caltech for his Master’s, but, we lean towards MIT or Stanford!

    • @famf6234
      @famf6234 Pƙed rokem +3

      @generic branding name Stanford is playing #1 & #2 top University in the nation between MIT in Engineering!

    • @ForzaMemories
      @ForzaMemories Pƙed rokem +6

      @@famf6234 who cares. your son will never make as much as a welder who didn't go to college.

  • @quinnedavis7707
    @quinnedavis7707 Pƙed rokem +8

    I genuinely thank you for being thoughtful enough to let others learn from your experiences. Stanford is my dream school as well, and while it is easier said than done, your advice truly encourages me to step back from the college rat-race and be myself.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      I’m glad this video is helpful to you! I do want to caveat that I was truly interested in the things I did - it’s just my personality to be very curious and excited to try everything, but that characteristic worked against me. I think you learn that it’s really hard to “win” either way because it’s hard to say whether colleges will like the “yourself” in “be yourself.” But we what we do know is that you need to be memorable / stand out and emphasize the impact you made. For example, I could’ve talked more about how I used my math skills to help other people and create that nonprofit. The conclusion that will help you is this: the college application is something that has to be curated since it’s a few pages of information on a multi-dimensional person where the admissions officer has limited time to spend on reading

  • @CAG_1337.
    @CAG_1337. Pƙed rokem +42

    Good grief! The things you have to go through to get in to an American university is truly shocking and saddening. I am really glad admissions in the UK (or Ireland) isn't anything like this or I would have gotten an ulcer from the stress by the time I was 16.

    • @mello-by
      @mello-by Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci +2

      These are just the top schools. Most schools are pretty straightforward

  • @patty9494
    @patty9494 Pƙed rokem +1018

    My daughter also has lifelong eczema that has impacted her life. She did write a whole essay about the challenge and how it has shaped her desire to pursue biology and her future. She did get into Stanford. From my understanding (and their input during Admit Weekend) they are really looking to learn more about applicants as a person. What motivates you, what are your passions, and how does that help you to serve others. They take a holistic approach to admissions and want to know who you are and I don't think beyond academics (as impressive as they are) that did not come through from what I can tell in this video.

    • @panda52785
      @panda52785 Pƙed rokem +39

      Wait actually? That’s crazy because I’m also writing my essay about my severe eczema and how it impacted me

    • @turnip8749
      @turnip8749 Pƙed rokem +12

      I'm planning on incorporating my ADHD into my essay, do you have any tips on talking about a medical condition without exploiting it or making it seem like an attempt for pity?

    • @johnsomn2148
      @johnsomn2148 Pƙed rokem +13

      @@panda52785 as a 74yr retired med tech and dentist, listen up explain đŸ€” how you've had to accept and teach others about how this condition has affected your life . Note that as you grow and go forth in your chosen career that there many be times that you may have to accept and alter yourself. Keep it simple 👌,

    • @jjthejet8447
      @jjthejet8447 Pƙed rokem +3

      My sister is there for her PhD in biology too. She definitely has her own identity and a true passion since she was little for biology.

    • @jjthejet8447
      @jjthejet8447 Pƙed rokem

      My sister is there for her PhD in biology too. She definitely has her own identity and a true passion since she was little for biology.

  • @or3nji928
    @or3nji928 Pƙed rokem +2381

    Forget them, it’s Stanfords loss not yours 😅

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +215

      Hehe thanks for the kind comment

    • @beezboop
      @beezboop Pƙed rokem +7

      frfr

    • @rck2214
      @rck2214 Pƙed rokem +12

      🧱

    • @DaBlueBird
      @DaBlueBird Pƙed rokem +27

      Well actually its quite the contrary.

    • @bush3126
      @bush3126 Pƙed rokem +5

      @@DaBlueBird based

  • @QuasarAficionado
    @QuasarAficionado Pƙed 6 měsĂ­ci +6

    I am about to submit my application to Stanford, along with a bunch of other ivies, and this video has been a massive help (and confidence boost) to me! There's so many posts online about "how I got into [school]", but seeing someone go over the reasons why they DIDN'T get in is super rare. Your profile is absolutely leagues above mine and anyone else in my school's, tbh, and it definitely also helps me sleep at night to know that even the "perfect student" can get rejected. Wishing you best of luck, wherever you go in the future!

  • @kusumagrawal4140
    @kusumagrawal4140 Pƙed rokem +1

    BIG BIG THANKS TO YOU, this is sure gonna be a great help in my journey through college applications

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Yay!! So happy to hear I can help :)

  • @sweetpeaces4206
    @sweetpeaces4206 Pƙed rokem +1606

    The fight never ends. Great to see young Asian women speaking up and never giving up. You are not alone.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +68

      Thanks for your comment :)

    • @raghuvenkatesan6792
      @raghuvenkatesan6792 Pƙed rokem +1

      Men make up the minority in college, they should speak up more.

    • @oliviahart531
      @oliviahart531 Pƙed rokem +12

      Affirmative Action helps ensure Diversity exists on campus and many people do not have the option of taking ALL AP/HONORS CLASSES.

    • @jeffpenpap
      @jeffpenpap Pƙed rokem +66

      @@oliviahart531 shouldn't they sort by how much income your parents make instead of race?

    • @liamnoah8207
      @liamnoah8207 Pƙed rokem +2

      Men should also be speaking up, they are the minority in colleges now

  • @ericchou3733
    @ericchou3733 Pƙed rokem +213

    It is good to be too Asian. Be yourself! Why let a school define you? You should define the school.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +53

      That’s a great point! I do think in the end, Caltech was more suitable for me - everything happens for a reason!

    • @ericchou3733
      @ericchou3733 Pƙed rokem +8

      @@wamyy5 Got the best fit school is more important.

    • @raaspider
      @raaspider Pƙed rokem +11

      but its not even being asian, I go to Columbia there are many asian students and none had perfect GPAs or SATS they just did fun things, their application was more interesting to read

  • @sun_flower8882
    @sun_flower8882 Pƙed rokem +3

    I gotta say... you have one HECK of an application right there! I wish I could have accomplished half of ANYTHING you did! Not done watching your video yet, but even though Stanford didn't accept you, everything you included on there is very impressive and I can't wrap my head around how on Earth you had time to do so many extracurricular activities AND have such flawless grades. You're awesome!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Ah thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement! I’m sure you’re doing awesome things. Best of luck and happy holidays!

    • @sun_flower8882
      @sun_flower8882 Pƙed rokem

      @@wamyy5 You're so welcome! Thank you very much and happy holidays to you as well!

  • @chelseaalwell6443
    @chelseaalwell6443 Pƙed rokem +2

    Thank you so much for making this video. A lot of people make videos about how they got in but sometimes we learn more from someone who didn't get in

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Glad it’s helpful! Totally agree because everyone also has different experiences and opportunities available to them, so “how I got in” videos can only help so much

    • @chelseaalwell6443
      @chelseaalwell6443 Pƙed rokem

      @@wamyy5 do you have any advice for me as I want start a passion project or something that cane help my community but I don't know where to start. I school in the UK btw

  • @andrewjackson7970
    @andrewjackson7970 Pƙed rokem +233

    Awesome video, it takes a lot of confidence to publicly discuss a rejection. Respect!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +27

      Hahaha yeah the pain has subsided after 4 years. Thanks for watching!

  • @selku3973
    @selku3973 Pƙed rokem +1591

    I'm an Indian and I wrote a national level exam scored high but still couldn't get into the institution I wanted but now looking back I think everything happened for a reason and the med school I'm now studying in is better suitable to me than my previous dream insti

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +94

      So glad to hear everything worked out for you! 😊

    • @kaptongaming6659
      @kaptongaming6659 Pƙed rokem +18

      brother everyone writes NATIONAL EXAM, point is you should get a rank

    • @benj0088
      @benj0088 Pƙed rokem +1

      gg

    • @pchawdhry12
      @pchawdhry12 Pƙed rokem +20

      @@kaptongaming6659 If the meaning of rank is top 50 out of 18 lac aspirants, I think you might wanna reconsider. Because those are the opening and closing ranks of India's top med college.

    • @oliviahart531
      @oliviahart531 Pƙed rokem

      Which FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED Tribe, or from INDIA? First generation, or do your parents hold degrees

  • @ydavidzhu
    @ydavidzhu Pƙed rokem +12

    I've sat on the admissions committee for my graduate school and know that the process can be quite stochastic and subjective. Admissions is becoming more and more "holistic" which means that it's more about having the story you tell in your essays resonate with your reviewers than any test scores or GPA. Nonetheless, keep up the good work! College is just the beginning if you're serious about your intellectual development and one day, when you get to my age, you'll see that the specific school you go to doesn't really matter all that much. It's more about the reputational tier of the school.

  • @m.e.2286
    @m.e.2286 Pƙed 8 měsĂ­ci

    You are amazing, inspirational &
    RESILENT. Thank you for sharing your stories to help others.❀
    Things usually work out for the better.....

  • @MarcioNYC
    @MarcioNYC Pƙed rokem +34

    Thanks for posting this. Kudos for the candor and ability to analyze your shortcomings. This is quite hard to do. Keep in ming that you can always go to Stanford as a graduate student. Do the best you can on your undergrad.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Thanks for taking the time to write your comment! I’m very glad I can share my mistakes to help students avoid making the same ones so they get better chances 😊 thanks for the encouragement as well!

  • @akrambenghanem1490
    @akrambenghanem1490 Pƙed rokem +52

    I saw your video by accident and watched to the end even though I'm already in college and the topic doesn't totally follow my interests, my point is that you are so talented that Standford can handle your gifts and skills!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +3

      Glad you stumbled upon my video, and so grateful for your kind comment! 😊 Thank you for watching!

  • @dwalldwall
    @dwalldwall Pƙed rokem +56

    My advice to anyone who does not get into their dream school is to not waste any more of your time on that school. You will likely never learn why you were rejected. Move on. There are many other equally great schools. I am retired now and my experience is that success in a career has very little correlation to the school you attended. I have friends that are incredibly wealthy (and happy) who were average students at average schools. The workplace is the great equalizer!

    • @giantsbane8439
      @giantsbane8439 Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci +3

      Warren Buffet famously stated the economics degree he got at a community college was just as good as the ivy league crap he got later

  • @sahassingh4321
    @sahassingh4321 Pƙed rokem +2

    wow
    also your editing and small details are so flawless - so seamless
    go on!

  • @manhduongtuan1468
    @manhduongtuan1468 Pƙed rokem +388

    I admire you a lot for how u can balance your study plan and social activities while still at your school. I'm also an international student from Vietnam, and now I'm on my way to applying to colleges in the Us. All things are good but there are also some problems I have to face daily. But honestly, I find your journey so impressive and it left me with many lessons. Thank you so much for this video and hope to see you continue to thrive to become a better person in the future. Wish you the best!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +14

      Hi Manh, thanks so much for your kind words! I’m glad I can be a source of inspiration for your own journey. I wish you the best in your college process. Let me know if there’s any particular content I can share that would be helpful to you 😊

  • @kresnerfesta.rosa-abueg6991
    @kresnerfesta.rosa-abueg6991 Pƙed rokem +538

    Mannn, honestly, I find your journey way more impressive and inspirational than the Stanford CZcamsrs. Also, Caltech and UCLA in my opinion are "more" impressive hihi.
    I wish you the best! Looking forward to more videos đŸ„ł

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +24

      Ahhh thanks so much for your kind words! I hope that I can share more of my journey and learnings to inspire others through CZcams :) Hahaha thank you - at least, Caltech is definitely harder to survive since it's all STEM majors!
      Thanks again for the support, and feel free to comment what videos you'd like to see! :)

    • @yourgrace3377
      @yourgrace3377 Pƙed rokem +3

      You’re showing your ignorance. Lol

  • @ellam246
    @ellam246 Pƙed rokem +407

    I got into an ivy league school with an incredibly low acceptance rate even though I don’t have nearly as many academic or extracurricular accomplishments as you put on your application and wasn’t top of my class, and I’m like 95% sure my personal essay is what made them accept me. I’m a very confident essay writer and I made sure to give them a strong sense of who I am as a person. I think the writing skill I demonstrated in the essay also showcased my academic strengths a lot more than any awards or accolades would have (especially since I intend to major in english). Ultimately high tier colleges are looking for people who they think will succeed in life after graduation, and showing drive, talent and passion in your area of interest will convince them of that more than anything.

    • @Suggaz
      @Suggaz Pƙed rokem +18

      Wow, an essay is required for college over there in America? Only our grades count here in the Caribbean, lol- just show them your grades, and if it's good enough they'll let us in.

    • @ellam246
      @ellam246 Pƙed rokem +33

      @@Suggaz I’m actually an international student (from Ireland) and our grades are the only thing that count here as well. In fact our system is completely automated and a real person grades your exams but a computer algorithm assigns you a place in college based on how many “points” you got. It was definitely a shock to the system seeing how complicated and personal the US application process is

    • @lollipop_xandii
      @lollipop_xandii Pƙed rokem +3

      @@ellam246 Exactly, it's so straightforward here. The only things that are hard to get into is of course, law and medical school. On the other hand, it's smooth sailing since most persons gravitate towards business and finance đŸ€·â€â™€ïž

    • @EP-nk5wm
      @EP-nk5wm Pƙed rokem +16

      It’s not that simple here, and I’m thankful for that. The US system has to account for the institutional challenges that minorities face, so we have to assess more than just grades. If the education you receive is equitable in comparison to the majority, then meritocracy is feasible. If not, which is the case in the US, we have to use other measures to gauge the likelihood of success after postsecondary education.

    • @ellam246
      @ellam246 Pƙed rokem +1

      @@EP-nk5wm there are systems in place that benefit students without access to the same resources or quality of education, or students with learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder to succeed in traditional academic environments. They usually consist of lower barriers of entry to college courses (i.e. not needing as many points as a student from a more privileged background would need to receive a place in the same college course). It’s true that we don’t have the exact same racial politics as the US but institutional inequality exists everywhere, it’s just dealt with in different ways

  • @gretq-1234
    @gretq-1234 Pƙed rokem +99

    Me seeing this thumbnail: There is no “perfect student”.
    Me watching the video: *This woman is the perfect student.*
    Love your channel!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +8

      Hahaha I meant it a little as click-bait and added quotation marks but thank you!

    • @fdsyu
      @fdsyu Pƙed rokem

      @@wamyy5 is Ap calc bc harder than the AP you have chosen?

  • @raiderjkwong
    @raiderjkwong Pƙed rokem +71

    I am retired but I have met very impressive students from Stanford to Harvard in my profession. All of my family members are currently attending or have graduated from college. My son currently is earning his PhD at Princeton, my daughter graduated from UC San Diego, my niece is currently earning her medical degree at Stanford and my other niece earned her master's degree at Yale. Your background and resume is very impressive. That said, hearing you recite your many accomplishments reminds me of all the top college football players that are not drafted in the NFL. Not every top football player makes it in the NFL and not every top student get selected to every school. There is no magic formula or reason that explains these results. Some get in and some don't. Luck and fate is as important as your ACT score or GPA. At the end of the day, it won't matter, you and all the outstanding students who want to succeed will no matter what school or profession you enter. Just my two cents as a retired, old guy.

  • @simonesharmaa
    @simonesharmaa Pƙed rokem +14

    Amy ur my new fav youtuber. I was not planning on doing Stanford but after reading why they rejected you, i felt like most of what you hadn't put in your app for Stanford, is actually all here in mine! ill def apply there and see where life unfolds haha thank you!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +3

      Simone, thanks so much for taking the time to write this kind comment 😊 I’m glad I could be a positive impact to you! Glad to hear you’re doing amazing things, and good luck đŸ”„

  • @WorldClassThief
    @WorldClassThief Pƙed rokem

    Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed the video, wishing you good luck with your future endeavors!

  • @michaels8980
    @michaels8980 Pƙed rokem +14

    Smart people don't necessarily change the world. You need to show that you want to and that you have already started doing so.

  • @bats9218
    @bats9218 Pƙed rokem +75

    I feel like this is told every year tbh, but people tend to forget that grades aren't everything. And that's really on our school systems prioritizing numbers over actual growth in character, and whether we're applying the skills we've learned.

  • @roronoa876
    @roronoa876 Pƙed rokem +119

    I think the main reason you didn't get in is because of the way you write. The roommate one i imagine some officer finding the "im anything but boring" and having "philosophical conversations" pretentious. And the excema short essay, the first line was kind of pretentious too. i also think it has to do with ur essays and interests not really being unique

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +33

      Quite possible! Someone might find it pretentious. This is why it's so important to have several essay reviewers from different backgrounds, since writing is so subjective, and you want to decrease any chance of anything not coming across the way you want it to. I think with my current level of maturity, I would have erred on the more careful side in terms of word choice. The roommate essay was also wayyyy too packed, and I'll read it in an upcoming video :)

    • @tikdoe7563
      @tikdoe7563 Pƙed rokem +1

      @@wamyy5
      Wouldn't multiple opinions just confuse you? Since you said these essays are subjective & everyone has their own preferences & tastes?

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +4

      @@tikdoe7563 Just have enough readers so they can catch things that others might not have. For example, none of my proofreaders (English teachers, counselors) got the sense that anything could sound pretentious.

    • @RandomPersonzzz
      @RandomPersonzzz Pƙed rokem +9

      @@wamyy5 I don't mean to be rude but when I read the part about "I'm quirky" that was a big uh oh. And then u said "you're not boring" which could imply u don't like "boring" people/don't view it rly well
      Reading your resume didn't feel.... exactly substantial tbh, like it was rly good but it felt like a pumpkin - it's great, it's sturdy and solid, but the inside wasn't really filled (if that makes sense)
      And I truly meant no offense but your application gave me "tryhard" vibes. I think that could be why they didn't accept you. Like your resume already solidified your excellence as a student and academically, they want to know stuff personal to you.
      Like don't get me wrong, harry potter and the maze runner are great books. But u can bet that a bunch of people are gonna put that down on their application yk
      This is just my view since u asked in the video. Hope it helps!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +8

      @@RandomPersonzzzGreat points! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, the try-hard thing I tried to convey using the documentary clips where it’s ironic that Stanford actually selects AGAINST students who appear TOO studious with many AP classes, etc. It’s a difficult concept to grasp though since all our lives, we are told to work hard and be the best in school, but when we actually do, it’s not treated as an asset. I tried to stand out from other applicants by trying super hard and adding a resume. Those books were genuine and personal to me, so then it’s also kind of ironic that people ask for those to stand out when other books aren’t truthful.

  • @shmevanriceballz2857
    @shmevanriceballz2857 Pƙed rokem +14

    That’s the problem with college. Unless you know what you want already (by middle school/freshman year), and your parents know how the college app system works, you’ll be far behind by your junior/senior years of high school.

  • @Qichar
    @Qichar Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci +1

    You have decent post action analysis. I wanted to become a doctor when I was in high school, and I volunteered at hospitals to try and figure out if I would really like a career in medicine. I believe this helped me get into a 7-year program at a medical school (extremely competitive, only a handful of spots), even while I was waitlisted at my first choice in 4 year universities. Your actions demonstrate sincerity: rather than pack your resume, show the ability to identify goals and move towards them. This is true in school, this is true in work, no matter the career or subject area.
    Employers and professors want people who can get stuff done, and the more history of getting stuff done one has, the better the candidate's chances. And you mentioned the person who made their own app. Building working prototypes is an excellent example of being able to finish projects. Most people can make ambitious plans, but few can see them through to completion.

  • @driftingthroughthisplace5898
    @driftingthroughthisplace5898 Pƙed rokem +754

    this might be on the saddest college entrance videos I've ever seen. You can practically see it in the girls eyes that she regrets spending her entire youth dedicating herself to a school that really doesn't give a shit about her and honestly it's depressing that this vid even exists forreal like she's rlly trying to delve into why she didn't get into the most prestigious institution in the world even though there's thousands of insane students just like her who also didn't get in. then you figure out at the end that she just got into the other most prestigious school in the world and yet she still feels the need to self reflect and make this type of video. I can't imagine being so absorbed into this academic bubble that you're at a point where you feel like "you fucked up" just because you weren't admitted to a school where the entrance just comes down to pure luck since so many ultra mega insane students are applying. Im happy that you got into Caltech, but I really hope the process didn't cost you absolutely all of your self esteem and that you maybe surround yourself with less academic people in pasadena just so you can try to escape the matrix and love yourself more. hope all is well

    • @astico5456
      @astico5456 Pƙed rokem +101

      Great points! The difference between A- and A+ is hours of work but in real life its 0.
      Not to insult their hard work and dedication but these kind of people are usually shallow and robotic-like and obvious that they do it for external factors and not out of passion.
      THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN ENJOY SO MANY THINGS AT ONCE. Its obvious ppl like this do a lot of this stuff for uni applications or for their ego I guess. Thats why theyll come across as shallow as fuck bcs they have no personality except ,,omg another first letter of the alphabet on a piece of paper".

    • @diamia
      @diamia Pƙed rokem +57

      @dotdotdot2 you’re not thinking deep enough

    • @minnow1337
      @minnow1337 Pƙed rokem +48

      this is harsh but true. She’s only a kid tho and I’m sure everyone in her life has reinforced this idea so it’s hard to blame her. Everything about education in America is totally effed up, I don’t even know where to start lol

    • @samu-chan
      @samu-chan Pƙed rokem +9

      she needed the humbling.

    • @brandyraccoon1473
      @brandyraccoon1473 Pƙed 11 měsĂ­ci +24

      @@samu-chan Wow, congrats! This is the stupidest comment I have ever seen. Someone has a dream and works super incredibly hard to pursue their dream. Dream snatched away by unfair system. And that's your comment? Would you say the same to Riley Gaines?

  • @kelliosborne98
    @kelliosborne98 Pƙed rokem +16

    I admire your crazy amount of accomplishments!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +2

      Thank you! And thanks for watching :)

  • @HappyMathDad
    @HappyMathDad Pƙed rokem

    Thank you, this is very useful information and very reasonable. It's much better for a student to hear it directly from another student than from an older professional.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      So glad to hear I can be helpful :)

  • @SebastianSaiki
    @SebastianSaiki Pƙed rokem +22

    To everyone freaking out. I got into UCI by writing about LEGO. I only took 2 AP's and focused mainly on my passions. I Eagled in Boy Scouts and got all the Merit-badges. I also explored my passion towards medicine by volunteering at UCSD. My best advice is to focus on what you love and be yourself. Writing about something completely different will make you stand out. My GPA was only 3.77 unweighted 4.1 weighted. I've seen people who checklist not get into anywhere while party kids who write about their life stories get into Harvard and UCLA.

    • @eirdonne_
      @eirdonne_ Pƙed rokem

      hahha thats lovely, i wanna be able to find my passion soon

    • @sd.sophie6337
      @sd.sophie6337 Pƙed 6 měsĂ­ci

      which ucsd program did you volunteer for? i was interested in doing a med internship and I'm also trying to get all of the merit badges. how did that go for you? was it difficult?

  • @rule2169
    @rule2169 Pƙed rokem +97

    I’m only a Freshmen in high school, and always thought I was ahead of the game when it comes to college resumes. I’m in some advanced classes, but when I heard you read off that list, like WHAT
    I mean WTF? How much dedication and work you put in to school. Holy crap. Hats off to you.

    • @hey9603
      @hey9603 Pƙed rokem +33

      please just find 1-3 passions that you really love. if you truly love them enough and excel in 1-3 things and get good grades like a 4.0. get a good sat/ act above 1450. i am impressed with her resume but she simply is an overachiever

    • @jayd0n-_-
      @jayd0n-_- Pƙed rokem +9

      @@hey9603 fr im a freshman in hs as well and ive already given up on going to an ivy league school bc i dont want to put that work into academics. i do have a good gpa of 4.5 as of now, but i want to focus on soccer and i want to go d1 hopefully

    • @hey9603
      @hey9603 Pƙed rokem +9

      @@jayd0n-_- good! it's ur decision and honestly, some ivy league schools arent even that good. Brown and dartmouth are pretty mid ngl. Colleges like uchicago, MIT, stanford are great schools. but dont give up yet. dont make any plans yet. just go with the flow of life. that's what my brother says. he's in yale. he's just a normal kid. all he did was high school tennis, math team stuff, but he had a good gpa and an SAT score. he also wrote good essays.

    • @oliviahart531
      @oliviahart531 Pƙed rokem +5

      @@hey9603 4.0 is unrealistic for most students
      Who wants PERFECTION...

    • @hey9603
      @hey9603 Pƙed rokem +2

      @@oliviahart531 it's not perfection. it's called hard work and brainly

  • @vanityyyyy
    @vanityyyyy Pƙed rokem +229

    I need your time management skills omg
    Also, I know not getting into Stanford may seem terrible because you worked tremendously hard, but know that no school needs to give you academic validation. You accomplished a lot already.
    I was one of the top students at my high school and I was really devoted to art and volunteering too (usually related to art and storytelling) and while I got into the schools I wanted to (I didn't apply for ivy though lol) I couldn't attend because of the high prices.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +12

      Hi Brie, thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement! I’m sorry that you couldn’t attend the places you wanted to. Hope everything worked out for you in the end though?

    • @vanityyyyy
      @vanityyyyy Pƙed rokem +3

      @@wamyy5 I'm applying this year and will hopefully get into a university next year! I did some college but it just wasn't mentally stimulating enough tbh.
      You're doing so well and you really bring my hopes up, so never lose that sparkle lol!

  • @tylin168
    @tylin168 Pƙed 11 měsĂ­ci

    I just finished watching the documentary you mentioned. oddly, I felt sad (for some of the students that were featured). thanks for the rec, I enjoyed watching the documentary. 😊

  • @harris977
    @harris977 Pƙed rokem

    As Lowell Alumni, yes to Essay! Congrats and thank you for the great content!

  • @arshveersinghdhanoa
    @arshveersinghdhanoa Pƙed rokem +34

    Hi 
. Another great composition
 thanks for highlighting the need of Society or community driven ECs,,, I guess I’m gonna direct my ECs towards it. Another amazing thing u shared was that ECs should have started early like grade 10 or 11. Really interested and n ur Stanford essay. Hope u come up with that. Have a great day đŸ‘đŸ»c if u can make any vid for International students especially South Asians. Thank u

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +4

      Yes, I’m so glad you took away those important points and can now be more successful in your application process! I’ll definitely share my essays 😊 Regarding international student advice, I don’t have firsthand experience but I’ll see if I can pull together some information, maybe from my friends, later!

  • @gabrielgarcia7554
    @gabrielgarcia7554 Pƙed rokem +71

    I’m going to be completely honest, you absolutely could have qualified to enter Stanford. The reason you didn’t I think is less about you and just more about their admission’s process. So much of it is due to luck it is insane. There are people there who got in (and aren’t legacy students) who are dumb and lazy. I mean have you met some Stanford alumni? Not everyone there is this bright entrepreneurial scholar.
    There are so many people such as yourself that got rejected and ultimately due to no fault of their own. There are only so many open spots its crazy. You are enough and you tried your best and that is what matters. It really is the luck of the draw as much as we don’t want to admit it. Most of our lives are really due to circumstances beyond our control, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that we’re not academic enough, or entrepreneurial enough, or anything. Someone has to be rejected, and ultimately you were one of the many.
    Statistically, this was more likely than you being accepted into Stanford regardless of your strong application. I would not be surprised if having a “strong” application only reduces your chances of rejection by like 5% or less. So now you have an 89% chance of rejection compared to the previous 94%. The odds are still against you. And it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try or just give up; you have every right to be proud to at least try. Some people don’t even attempt to at least apply, and you did.
    You still did all of the things you listed and had those experiences which taught you a lot. No one can take that away from you.
    You are a good person and have every reason to be proud of your achievements even if this random group of faceless individuals who decide the fate and futures of random (mostly) high school seniors thought otherwise. Your life is much much much more important than their opinion.
    You really didn’t do anything wrong or could have done anything different. It really is just dumb luck. Honestly if you created fake profiles with more or less the same information, one of them would have been accepted haha. It’s just fortune.
    Stanford is not going anywhere any time soon, if you are completely convinced that living in Palo Alto and this school is for you, transferring is a lot easier than the normal application process. But I suspect that you will get into an academic institution that will value you immediately and that (hopefully) will be a better fit for you. You got this! Never doubt yourself or think of yourself as lower than what you truly are, you did nothing wrong. It really is just fate in the end.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +17

      Whoa, I'm blown away by your comment. I wish EVERYONE watching this video would read your words!
      Thank you for taking the time to write this thoughtful and encouraging message! Yes, I know that a lot of chance goes into the process - I just wanted to share some things that I genuinely believe I could have done better that would've increased that chance of getting in. At my current age, I don't blame my past self because it's so hard for a 17-year-old to have the maturity to see everything I analyzed while maintaining high grades and many extracurriculars.
      I agree with your point about fate as well. That's why I said it was "that fateful day." I'm actually glad I got rejected so my life could be on the path it is now :) Thanks again, and I hope you take care.

    • @m.e.2286
      @m.e.2286 Pƙed 8 měsĂ­ci

      You are amazing, inspirational &
      RESILENT. Thank you for sharing your stories to help others.❀

  • @GymnasticsIsLife333
    @GymnasticsIsLife333 Pƙed 5 měsĂ­ci +7

    To be honest, it’s sad to hear you didn’t get in. Personally, I think the biggest thing was you had SO many achievements that they kind of blurred together. It may have seemed like it was a checklist, and that it was for show. I think they maybe thought there wasn’t enough passion. I wish you got in though. Good luck at Caltech!

  • @trishahoward6369
    @trishahoward6369 Pƙed rokem +1

    Wow, you’re pretty darn incredible! You’ll do amazing at any university! :)

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Thank you :) happy Thanksgiving!

  • @mirukuun
    @mirukuun Pƙed rokem +178

    How did you not go insane doing all of this? 😭

  • @jacksonmadison9994
    @jacksonmadison9994 Pƙed rokem +236

    Another reason; maybe there just wasn’t enough space. Top schools eventually have to reject qualified students even if they do believe they are worthy of acceptance. There’s just not enough room to accept everyone that is qualified.

    • @EP-nk5wm
      @EP-nk5wm Pƙed rokem +17

      Exactly. Just apply for the next cycle if it means that much to you.

    • @mr2981
      @mr2981 Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci

      Nah, guarantee that dozens if not hundreds of lower achieving but 'more diverse' students got in. They'll 'fix' it by removing objective testing altogether so they can eliminate the pesky 'achievement' part altogether. After all, if you don't want to know something, don't test for it.

    • @jjw3046
      @jjw3046 Pƙed 8 měsĂ­ci

      "Not enough space" seems kind of silly to me, the Stanford campus is enormous and they have all the ability to attract and hire additional faculty if they wanted to keep the teacher-student ratio ideal
      Seems like they just want to keep their student body artificially small for prestige lol

    • @loosilu
      @loosilu Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci +3

      @@jjw3046 They have 2000 seats and 40,000 applicants. They don't have space.

    • @chey6073
      @chey6073 Pƙed 5 měsĂ­ci

      @@jjw3046They have so many student applicants and hiring more teachers is not a simple and easy process or a quick fix-all.

  • @mmaranta785
    @mmaranta785 Pƙed rokem +18

    Sometimes emotional intelligence can get you farther in life than pure intellect.

  • @LK-fl5xr
    @LK-fl5xr Pƙed rokem

    Thank you for making/uploading this video. Wish you all the best! 🙏 :)

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Thanks for watching! :) You as well! Happy holidays!

  • @benmelillo5119
    @benmelillo5119 Pƙed rokem +40

    Me sitting here with a 3.5 GPA and a D in calculus last year:
    All jokes aside this video was very informative, and I’m glad you explained it in the way you did. It is extremely interesting to see the college progress broken down and how colleges look at students.

  • @denshaSai
    @denshaSai Pƙed rokem +36

    Probably being Asian plays a big part, but as you said you need a focus or hook. But in all honesty Caltech training will be much better for stem major :)

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +4

      Yes! There are definitely things I would do better if I could go back in time :) Haha, yeah Caltech kicked my butt!

  • @andyyang2333
    @andyyang2333 Pƙed rokem

    Holy shit all 5 for all of your AP classes!!! I was happy that I can get 3 for those classes in the past.

  • @joshuahering2041
    @joshuahering2041 Pƙed 11 měsĂ­ci

    I'm STUNNED! You are probably the smartest student I have seen. I was procrastinating and ran Into this video... I guess CZcams is telling me to go back to MCAT preparations LOL

  • @skotskot3379
    @skotskot3379 Pƙed rokem +13

    this was a meaningful lesson, no one can be perfect.

  • @philliphernandez780
    @philliphernandez780 Pƙed rokem +528

    I will say your resume is very impressive, way WAY better than mine. I got accepted into Harvard without even submitting my SAT scores or having any distinctions other than being the too student but I still didnt go because of financial aid. You're resume is impressive but I for a lot of these colleges, since a majority of these applicants are top students, it comes down to whether or not you fit in to the school social or emotionally or mentally, and I feel like maybe Stanford didn't felt like they knew who you were as a person outside the world of academia. I'm saying this because my essay was about why I love walgreens and that somehow got me accepted into college. For many admissions, its about presenting yourself more than just an amazing student.

    • @whatsonhermindblog123
      @whatsonhermindblog123 Pƙed rokem +47

      troll

    • @estrelletapolar
      @estrelletapolar Pƙed rokem +103

      @@whatsonhermindblog123 I second that ^^ Pretty obvious since Harvard offers financial aid to all students who need it
      "If your family's income is less than $75,000, you'll pay nothing. Families who earn more than $150,000 may still qualify for financial aid. For more than ninety percent of American families, Harvard costs less than a public university. All students receive the same aid regardless of nationality or citizenship." Harvard College *Affordability sec

    • @ahuman32478
      @ahuman32478 Pƙed rokem +29

      @@estrelletapolar I know right? When researching top colleges, I was surprised to find out how "cheap" (cheap for a college) they were

    • @oliviahart531
      @oliviahart531 Pƙed rokem +22

      BINGO...HAVING A PERSONALITY...your grades do not make you WHO YOU ARE.

    • @vIcToRiA-jn5mv
      @vIcToRiA-jn5mv Pƙed rokem +23

      @@estrelletapolar However, if the person is international, which is very possible judging by their surname, there are families that are not "poor" and don't qualify for financial aid, and if you can get into harvard as an international student chances are your family isn't that poor. But there is a gray zone between being not rich and poor. So it might exceed family budget.

  • @isabellejho
    @isabellejho Pƙed rokem +5

    Hi Amy, I'm 15 this year (in 10th grade) and I'm from Singapore. Last year I visited Stanford and fell in love with the campus; one of the students gave me an informal tour and I really loved it, so I'm aiming to get there someday. I'm currently in one of the top high schools in my country and I'm taking the SATs next month.
    However, I'll be taking the GCE A-levels (I'm in a 6-year Integrated Programme, which is more locally recognised) instead of taking IB or AP. I'm thinking about going to a school with the IB curriculum instead as the school I'm in has a much heavier focus on academics, and I'd like to be able to dedicate more time to extracurriculars and community service. I also think I'll thrive in the IB system as it has more project-based learning. Unfortunately, the IB schools here are not rated as highly as my current school.
    I just wanted to get your advice -- if I want to go to Stanford or a school of similar calibre, should I consider switching to an IB system or stay in my current school?

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      Hi! I’m happy you seek my advice, but unfortunately, I wouldn’t understand your situation as well as you or your school counselor, so I suggest you find someone closer who can advise you. Good luck!

  • @chee-youngkim-ku9nu
    @chee-youngkim-ku9nu Pƙed rokem

    Thank you so much for your honesty and transparency. You have just proven that you are not defined by your college acceptance.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      Thank you for watching and I really appreciate your comment 😊

  • @estherl.3688
    @estherl.3688 Pƙed rokem +691

    I'm definitely no expert but I think the reason you didn't get accepted was because it sounded like you were trying to rack up achievements almost, like check off a checklist. The resume seemed almost robotic, like you had such amazing achievements but they were all achievements that you were collecting almost just to put on your college apps. The second reason could be your application didn't really have anything outside of your academic studies. You showed how you go to math competitions and such but you didn't really dive deep into who you were or what you did for fun outside of math. If you had maybe showed a passion outside of schoolwork then you probably would've gotten in

    • @deadpirateroberts9937
      @deadpirateroberts9937 Pƙed rokem +38

      Why does their personality matter? You want a doctor to mess up your heart surgery and its fine as long as he's friendly?

    • @deadpirateroberts9937
      @deadpirateroberts9937 Pƙed rokem

      @Brandon Ha
      I know all that. But all that is just cover so they can discriminate against asians, theres proof for it. They always consistently rate blaks with higher personalities without even meeting them.
      Its not some conspiracy theory, theres proof.

    • @deadpirateroberts9937
      @deadpirateroberts9937 Pƙed rokem

      @Brandon Ha
      I dont want a dum blak doctor to fail my heart surgery and kil me. People use all this personality stuff to justify discrimination.

    • @deadpirateroberts9937
      @deadpirateroberts9937 Pƙed rokem +11

      @Brandon Ha
      Sports shouldnt matter anyway. So what if you can kick a ball around a field? How does that make you a better worker. And these shee ple fell hook line and sinker for the whole “diveristy is good” mantra and use it to justify also.

    • @deadpirateroberts9937
      @deadpirateroberts9937 Pƙed rokem +4

      @Brandon Ha they discriminate against anyone who is not blak, including wites

  • @shereenareeya7442
    @shereenareeya7442 Pƙed rokem +211

    I read somewhere that some universities don't accept your application because they know you are too good for them and better schools will select you. That might have been one of the reasons you were not selected for stanford.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +97

      That’s quite interesting - I’ve heard that too! But then you run the risk of a hardworking, qualified student not getting accepted anywhere. A couple friends who are smarter than me didn’t even get into T20 schools 🙁

    • @bobisverygood3652
      @bobisverygood3652 Pƙed rokem +138

      The problem with this is that stanford is the top. Or at least one of the tops so not accepting her because she was too good doesn't make sense.

    • @Dakers11
      @Dakers11 Pƙed rokem +1

      @Evanthecarspotter In Physics? Cal Tech with 17 Nobel Prize winners. Harvard has the most Nobel winners with 161 over all. UC Berkeley has Nobel Laureats in 5 different categories. Stanford has 84 Nobel Winners. But, I'm just bitter because a girl from Stanford dumped me after she discovered I was a Trojan.

  • @manuelvalencia9407
    @manuelvalencia9407 Pƙed rokem

    You are very special and an original. Don't give up. If anything, I have 3 beautiful American Japanese daughters and I know you are the perfect inspiration and role model for them and others like them. You'll success!

  • @alexanderwaite9403
    @alexanderwaite9403 Pƙed rokem +4

    You have a very impressive resume. You have packed a lot of life into a short amount of time. It is Stanford's loss that they did not accept you to attend Standford. Best of luck to you in your life!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      Thanks for the kind words and encouragement! Hope you have a great week.

  • @markus_park
    @markus_park Pƙed rokem +3

    Wow! So useful! Thanks!

  • @upscaleavenue
    @upscaleavenue Pƙed rokem +15

    Colleges meticulously craft their incoming freshmen classes. The decision to accept or reject is made on how good a fit they think you are in the class they are creating. It's hardly about grades or standardized test scores, or about how many extracurricular activities you are able to include on your resume. If you are rejected, it's not personal. It usually just means their class vision, for whatever reason, didn't align with your profile.

  • @user-zl8vs1vf8j
    @user-zl8vs1vf8j Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci +2

    You did so well in highschool. Your grades are amazing. You look sad and stressed in the video. You got into one of the best engineering schools, Caltech, your amazing. With all your extracurricular and activities, did you really have time for yourself because they are alot. Just remember your the best .

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci

      Appreciate it! :)

  • @xyzoopsie7804
    @xyzoopsie7804 Pƙed rokem +1

    I appreciate you making this video and I hope whatever university you end up with will provide you with the resources to shine! I do believe that passion matters more than the university, but it really sucks how life is so much easier once you get into these elite universities. You build so many connections and people take your ideas seriously. It also feels like the ppl driving the field, the academia, are always from the ivys. I'm from India and most textbooks we've here are by authors who've graduated from ivy leagues in US. I believe this is because of all the networks they form in publishing along with their passion for the subject. I have a typical under-achiever CV and I know I'll never get into these elite universities but I wish the birth place and university mattered less in determining success.

  • @127phobic
    @127phobic Pƙed rokem +13

    i feel like this is the common problem around the smart kids.. they focus too much on their accomplishments that they forget to show their fun side.

  • @zephiris
    @zephiris Pƙed rokem +122

    As a person who also got waitlisted and finally rejected from Stanford the same year you applied, I would imagine Stanford probably looks for uniqueness to differentiate any given applicant from the rest of the crowd. There will be thousands of students who are strong in academics, and hundreds of thousands who aren’t. Your on-paper achievements certainly put you close to admission, but I would imagine to cross that finish line, you’d need to tell Stanford your plan, and show how Stanford can help you along with it. From which of my friends got admitted to Stanford and which didn’t, it seemed like those who were passionate about one area of study were the ones who got admitted. I would imagine that Stanford would rather admit a person who has a specific field of study ready to peruse because that is just the academic culture at Stanford.
    I’m sure you’ll love your time at caltech, and I’m equally sure you would have enjoyed your time at Stanford less. Admissions officers at top schools ultimately check for fit to ensure that the students end up in the place which best suits them. From what I learned of Caltech, it seemed focused on a culture of nerdiness and geeking out over math, science, and technology which seems to fit you perfectly. From what I learned of Stanford, it seemed focused on climbing the corporate hierarchy and goal-driven success. I personally am happy Stanford rejected me because I found myself very happy at the school which fit me best. After all, for every door that closes, another opens.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +9

      Thanks for your thoughtful comment! Yes, everything happens for a reason and it works out in the end :)

    • @bt6875
      @bt6875 Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci

      Stanford University is over rated. Do what you love that make happy everyday is true happiness. Remember “Dust in the winds” at the end of our journey.

  • @user-se2gg4rc8t
    @user-se2gg4rc8t Pƙed 5 měsĂ­ci

    I think its amazing you can talk about this rejection calmly. If i were you, i would be bawling out my eyes and screaming while trying to explain.

  • @shinebright3789
    @shinebright3789 Pƙed rokem +3

    Hey, just watched the video and I'm super proud of you. Just know that the few people who are saying you are an "over-achiever" are jealous of you because there's no line to decide what is more and what is less in achieving.
    And yes. Some of us can do so much and have multiple skills. It's just that many of the work and university degrees require a certain niche and what you have to do is, you have to follow a unique route.you are unique and you can't do things that commoners do because you are born extraordinary. Enjoy the journey. It will be hard but keep going. You will have to do multiple jobs in multiple fields and trust me, you will have a magnificent life. All the best ♡

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +2

      Hi Ama, thanks so much for your kind words. Don’t worry - I am glad I worked hard, because that’s one of the few things we can control! Thanks for your encouragement and take care 😊

  • @fionalu83
    @fionalu83 Pƙed rokem +386

    hi! i’m a senior in high school and i’m looking to apply to stanford this year. thank you for your college advice- all these videos and videos like these are very helpful in seeing how older students navigated the process. im also asian american so i can see sentiments against affirmative action, but i think that telling students that you were rejected because you were asian is a harmful and discouraging narrative to paint. diversity efforts such as these are only in place because certain demographics have more educational resources and opportunities to begin with, and a lot of other students of color don’t even have the time or capacity to commit themselves to schools or ecs because they struggle w systemic racism, school to prison pipeline, low socioeconomic backgrounds. documentaries like that are extremely detrimental bc it undermines the equitable practices that school and work spaces are trying to develop as a result of trying to bridge the opportunity gap.

    • @fionalu83
      @fionalu83 Pƙed rokem +58

      also im not trying to be mean at all! i just want to point this out bc it’s also def smt i struggled w but i’m hoping that a broader and more considerate perspective can be taken on this topic instead

    • @andrewjackson7970
      @andrewjackson7970 Pƙed rokem +56

      Agreed, the video is great and informative, but that last bit about affirmative action seems poorly researched đŸ€·â€â™‚

    • @boy.erased
      @boy.erased Pƙed rokem +8

      very well said! thank you for saying this

    • @sakinahowens
      @sakinahowens Pƙed rokem

      Very well said! It is especially harmful because affirmative action may be gutted next year depending on what the Supreme Court decides

    • @annonymous6827
      @annonymous6827 Pƙed rokem +22

      College is an opportunity and an outcome of a childhood of hard work. People's life of hard work shouldn't be rejected because of their skin color. Think about it that way.

  • @alyssa7974
    @alyssa7974 Pƙed rokem +24

    Hearing you read everything earlier made me almost confused. You had such an impressive resume but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what you were. At the end all I remembered was that you were a top student and liked math. I think that's what happened with the admissions officers because though very impressive, it was forgettable. I didn't know who you were, a person passionate for stem, a person passionate to help others in health or a person passionate in tech. It was all over the place😅 What I was sure of was that you were an over-achiever.

  • @Rr0gu3_5uture
    @Rr0gu3_5uture Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci +1

    I had a Chinese best friend who faced a similar situation as you decades ago. He was laser-focused on achieving his academic goals, disregarding everything else he considered irrelevant. I advised him that while studies were important, they shouldn't define his entire life. He also felt frustrated because he couldn't seem to please anyone, regardless of his efforts. I suggested that in life, shit isn't rational, and people's beliefs and choices rarely make sense. I encouraged him to relax, reflect on his true identity and desires beyond academia, and avoid being a mere people pleaser who provides others, especially people he doesn't even know, with answers he thinks they want to hear. Honestly, I'm as dumb as a bag of rocks and just improvised a vague response to boost his morale. Surprisingly, it had an extremely positive impact on him.

  • @Washer-dryer.combo5239
    @Washer-dryer.combo5239 Pƙed rokem +1

    I got into my dream school Georgia Tech. I thought my resume was impressive yours blows me out of the water 😂. I wouldn't worry too much about not getting into Stanford. Sometimes we really just never know why. But personally, I think Stanford just wanted to see more of “you”. Whatever you plan to do your be great at it.

  • @geaninatudose4063
    @geaninatudose4063 Pƙed rokem +12

    It is actually these college's fault. in the past, they insisted on students doing a variety of things, nowadays, they changed the tune, be focused on one or two. Who knows what's next?
    You are incredible, best of luck to you!

  • @nacho6311
    @nacho6311 Pƙed rokem +6

    Def the essays mainly cuz they aren't rly all that unique in terms if style and expressing who you are.

  • @jchan9761
    @jchan9761 Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci

    Great video. Will try to remember to watch with my kids when they are older.
    9:18 I agree and this stood out. It was a long list of disparate things.
    Also, great insight re entrepreneurial spirit.

  • @cosette8570
    @cosette8570 Pƙed rokem

    Ammmmmmmy you are awesome đŸ„°đŸ„°Stanford missed out on you and I’m glad Caltech didn’t 😉 also congrats on blowing up hahaha.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      Awww hehe thank you Cosette!! Really appreciate your kind words and support đŸ„°

  • @TactlessGuy
    @TactlessGuy Pƙed rokem +3

    Ol' Occam's Razor - People make a lot of arguments for why they were/weren't accepted into a school or program, but the most important reasons are often completely unrelated to our resume and skills. Your luck played a huge role in this, Amy. Many other schools would accept you, but for some circumstances (mostly) beyond your control, Stanford overlooked you. The people who review applicants have to look over tens of thousands every year, and although they try their best, they're also flawed human beings and their time is budgeted. Put yourself in their positions and you'll easily see how you can pass up many great students while letting in unqualified students simply due to minor lapses in judgement or even their mood.
    Luck really can make the difference sometimes, which is why people should always apply to as many places as they can instead of trying to shoot for one specific school or program.

  • @toughnut31
    @toughnut31 Pƙed rokem +4

    You are such an accomplished person. Your all-round achievements are just awesome. Stanford missed out on a bright spark. Focus at your age is overrated. With so much capability focus can come anytime later.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      Wow I love your last point. Thank you so much for the positive and thoughtful messages.

  • @EP-nk5wm
    @EP-nk5wm Pƙed rokem

    I understand your frustration. Apply for the next admissions cycle if it means that much to you. In the meantime work on strengthening your application and get some relevant experience under your belt. It wouldn’t hurt, and it would demonstrate your commitment to receiving your education from this particular institution. Also, affirmative action isn’t the culprit when we consider the weight ethnicity holds in the admissions process. That energy should be directed towards legacy policies. That’s the issue. Best of luck to you. I’m certain you’ll be great wherever you decide to go.

  • @RedRockz
    @RedRockz Pƙed rokem

    Something I could never do! Amazing!

  • @sleepydreamer4175
    @sleepydreamer4175 Pƙed rokem +51

    Whoa, you literally did everything. I feel like it’s important to note along side with everyone else’s advice, is that you don’t need the university the university needs you. The school isn’t what makes you who you are, it’s you that does that. It’s you that’s gotten you this far and it will be you that gets you farther!

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +7

      I appreciate your kind words :) I agree, and all college applicants should keep in mind what you said!

  • @mariacurtis9247
    @mariacurtis9247 Pƙed rokem +3

    Sometimes I think simplifying achievements helps. Also make everything link by keeping things consistent. Don't babble to much - when you write an essay it can end up feeling like there are no breaks with the speaking and it can go on and on. I had a colleague who asked me to review a university application profile introduction and I had to tell them that when I was reading it, it felt like it was wrote in a rush (their response how did you pick up on that), I also said less of the I can, I like, me, me,me attitude. What most places are after is how much what you do will influence their exposure and what can you bring to the place.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem

      Great advice! I think that’s why many students don’t enjoy the college essay - it feels weird to write so much about yourself. And exactly, better to write 2 things so the reader remembers them vs 10 and have the reader remember none!

  • @nm93932
    @nm93932 Pƙed rokem

    I've helped many teens with their college applications and some are under achievers...not the top of their class, no AP classes, none to very few club activities, and so on. I always try to learn more about them before we do the applications...what are your hobbies...outside of school what are extra curriculum activies? Do you work, are in your church choir, are you in a band, are you involved in your community, boys and girls club...so on. We talk about why they were not able to get a higher grade in school, why they were not involved in clubs, and so on. Like this I can learn about any learning disabilities, any financial problems, an life changing event, and so on. Then we look at goals...what are their educational goals? What might be the blocking stones? What will be the motivation to overcome those blocking stones? Then we start our application...knowing more about yourself, your motivations, your issues, your values, your interests, and so on can help you be more authentic in your answers. Schools are not looking just over achievers....they are also looking for people that have a drive. One kid didn't do any clubs and wasn't very active at school, he didn't do any AP classes, and his grades were not top notch...but he had to work after school every single day to help his family, since his mom had an injury that had left her unable to work for an extended time. He wanted to go into buisness, so we connected that experience as the motivation, and as the experience that might help him see things from a different perspective. I feel that Universities should a have a good mix of over and under achievers, as they see things from different perspectives and can learn from each other when interacting with each other.

  • @Sturussia1
    @Sturussia1 Pƙed rokem

    Just watched the video...I studied at Engineering at New South Wales Institute of Technology in Sydney back in the 80's and while in 5th year of a 6 year B of Eng course, yes 6 years we were visited by Professor's from MIT and CalTech and they blown away and said to us if the we wanted to do a Masters or Doctorate just knock on the door. Happy you went to CalTech and did real Engineering subjects!

  • @Bnelen
    @Bnelen Pƙed rokem +7

    Makes sense. Your case is interesting in that it is so very extreme. Most people would never accomplish what you did. Although all these accomplishments are indications of your ability, they also indicate, to say the least, that you've bought heavily into the system, which is ultimately silly. We know that being the best at a test isn't necessarily the same as being the most capable. A really intelligent person would probably not find all that to be worth their time, not that they wont work doing something they think is worth their time.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      Totally agree with the point about buying into the system. It’s clear to me after reading MJ DeMarco’s books, but it’s difficult to have that level of maturity and awareness as a high schooler with Asian immigrant parents. Our backgrounds shape us a lot, and I am still trying to break away from the mindset that I need to conform to what society tells us we need to do. But hard work is not wasted and I’m glad I got to go to a good college in the end!

    • @Bnelen
      @Bnelen Pƙed rokem

      You're absolutely right. And honestly, there is no right answer is there? It's all relative to time, environment and culture. You have the ability to develop multiple perspectives.
      Being from Scandinavia, I do not have personal experience with the American system. But since your system is/could be so impactful, I like to develop some level of opinion about it. This opinion is speculative, but...
      Your strategy would have probably done better a few years ago, it's good for a lot of places still. But now it's too obvious, the people have caught onto it, so it's not differentiated. At Stanford, they can't determine your fitness with absolute certainty, but they can make an educated guess. Your application lacked differentiation, distinct identity, an issue which you seem to understand very well. Perhaps that's true. But is this actually a new phenomenon? More fundamentally, and this is just me guessing, it's not about differentiation as much as it is about demonstrating critical thinking. Conformance is to some extent antithetical to that, but not always.
      It's tricky because conforming to society is not necessarily wrong. It depends on how that system is working in general. But we should decide that for ourselves. One should be able to look at things critically, something you've probably heard a lot, but it's an inescapable fact. Our society takes a lot of talented people and makes them disappear into professional obscurity inside the system, whether that's academia or the corporate world or something else. However, let's say that system is working, people are making great contributions and living fulfilled professional lives, then you might be happy to conform.
      For the past decades the system has been largely about rewarding excellence, doing things right. But it's not well-suited for processing challenges to its message. You can quasi-challenge what you're taught, but not really - if you want the grades, if you want to go to a good college. At the same time, the effectiveness of the system has gone down, you could also say the incentives for society, students and faculty, have become perverted. Not to say everything is in ruins, but it's less than ideal. Hence, places like Stanford are taking action. I believe Stanford is unique, even at the level of the Ivies, in that they really pride themselves on being critical thinkers. Your experience supports that view - to an extent. Maybe this is just stating the obvious, but it's what comes to my mind.
      Also, since I got so deep into it, let me just add that being Asian might mean that they just REALLY want to see this from you.

  • @machikr
    @machikr Pƙed rokem +39

    They value opinion by roommate. If I were your roommate, I would frankly feel intimidated by your resume's sheer number of pages.

    • @justrandomthoughtslolbye5385
      @justrandomthoughtslolbye5385 Pƙed rokem

      Wdym they “value opinion by roommate”?

    • @machikr
      @machikr Pƙed rokem

      @@justrandomthoughtslolbye5385 I understand one of their main essays' topic is a letter to your roommate. Apparently they are keen on what type of roommate you will be.

  • @storieswizard
    @storieswizard Pƙed rokem

    You are so smart and should be proud. Few people are that brilliant.

    • @wamyy5
      @wamyy5  Pƙed rokem +1

      I appreciate that a lot, David! I want to show students they can accomplish almost anything with effective hard work.

  • @irinaandreeva6313
    @irinaandreeva6313 Pƙed rokem

    Thank you for sharing!

  • @andresramirez4469
    @andresramirez4469 Pƙed rokem +6

    Stanford is a great college. Honestly, I don't know much about it other than the fact that its hard to get into and that its an ivy league institution. There are more places you can go that are better.

  • @alondramariasantiagobermud1730

    Bro
. If i was a college i would definitely let you in a sec
 i wish i could have a resume like yours
 you are so lucky 🍀

    • @psx20072010
      @psx20072010 Pƙed rokem +14

      not really luck bc she worked for all of it

  • @alanjiang7967
    @alanjiang7967 Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci

    This video is motivating me to fix my application 3 days before EA is due.

  • @sbose1826
    @sbose1826 Pƙed rokem

    CZcams algorithm so smart showing me this in my soph year of college lol. Actually though, super helpful video for those still in high school. There’s another thing in ur application that may have changed everything: Listing engineering as your intended major instead of math. You had a ton of math related activities in your application but not a lot of engineering projects. Also I think that a higher gpa than ~4.3 doesn’t matter much.