Urgent: Needing info about The University of Arizona!

[newbie]

Originally posted by AlphaChiGirl
...apply to U of A. You sound like you really like it, and it's four years of YOUR life, YOUR education, and although your parents may be paying, they're not doing the work, living the life, etc. Things will work out for the best.

U of A sounds like a great school for you! I came from an "academically competitive" high school too , so I understand the pressure to get into a "good school"--especially during Early Decision/Action time. Actually, for my class, it wasn't about going to the "best" school, it was about who could go the farthest to school. So, I understand why you don't want to go to a school where it's like a pressure cooker. I also understand the whole "school spirit thing". I was Spirit Coordinator my Senior Year, so having a school that rallied around its football team (I'm from Florida) was a HUGE deal for me. Luckily, I found what I consider the "best of both worlds"--a good school that's not overly competitive where the student body is spirited. I think you've found your match with U of A!

Have you ever mentioned to your parents that in most cases, where you went to school has very little bearing when you apply for your first job? No one "in the know" thinks U of A is a school for slouches, and it's possible you could get a "better" job out of U of A...there are tens of thousands of alumnae! (How small is your "safety"?)

Best of luck...and I'm upset for you...hang in there!

Hi AlphaChiGirl!! Thanks so much for your post...you are so sweet!! I go to an academic magnet school, so the pressure's really great here. A common thing you'll hear in the hallways here: "I'm so sad. I ONLY got a 1490! My GPA (4.6) doesn't matter! What am I gonna do? I'm too stupid now for Harvard." Gosh, I would die for a 1490. I would also die for a 4.6 GPA. Were there times for you too when you really thought about how you should have gone to another HS? Lately, and last year, I've thought about how I should have gone to this private school where I had been given a full-ride scholarship. They really nurture their students there, and many of them do very well. I'm just so sick of my high school sometimes. Haha ... probably no one will believe this, but I"m also a tour guide for my high school (yikes). My school probably wouldn't be too happy to hear this, but I do warn prospectives gently that they should be prepared to work hard in this competitive rat race. I do love being a tour guide though.

Spirit at my school is pretty much non-existent. People, sadly enough, are usually too tired or too jaded to give an ass about the school. When people from other schools are like, "Wow, you go to that school?!" We're like "It sucks. Be happy that you aren't a student here." (LOL, I'm sure our school's administration is proud of us students! haha)

I, too, think I have found a wonderful match with the U of A!! But, the problem is deifntely the parents. I don't know what to do. If they are so reluctant as to even let me apply (actually as of now they haven't even said OK to that), how am I gonna convince them that I want to GO?!!! In the lucky case that I get into my top schools, visit them and the U of A (if I get accepted), and decide I love the U of A better, my parents would be shocked and downright MAD. They'd be like "What the hell are you doing? You're damaging your future!!! Are you crazy?" Yep, that happened with high school too. Basically, I was, in a way, forced to go to my present HS after getting accepted.

The last paragraph that you wrote is what I'm trying to drill into my parents' heads (rather unsuccessfully, sadly)!! I keep on telling them, "Mom and Dad...the truth is, it doesn't matter as much as to WHERE you go to school, it's a matter of how well you do in that school and what you do THERE." They're like, "Yeah right. YOu mean to tell me that those who go to Harvard will be shoved aside in favor of someone from like San Jose State?" I said, "Well...if that person from Harvard got a 2.0 and the SJSU guy got a 3.8 who would you hire?" They laughed wickedly, and were like, "Duh, Harvard." Sigh. They don't get that my GPA would be adversely affected if I were to go to a school that I hate. They care so much about GPA and so they should heed to that fact. But they don't! Oh, the safety that I have right now, only has about 10,000 undergrads. Whereas the U of A I'm sure has undergrad numbers in the high 20,000s right, Shopgirl? You're definitely right about the alum connections there AlphaChiGirl!!

Thanks for being so supportive everybody!!

[juniorgrrl]

Newbie, this is all so unfair for you!

I kind of know what you're feeling though...When I decided to leave Tulane for LSU, my mom told me things that hurt me very much - that I peaked in High School, that I was too good for LSU and that I was wasting my college education, that I just went to be with my boyfriend and friends, if I had given Tulane another try, I would have learned to be happy there.

Even still, she tells people "yes, she goes to LSU. But she had a very good scholarship to Tulane." Same thing happens with my roomate who transferred to LSU from TCU. Her mom points out how she had scholarships to TCU, even though she goes to LSU now.

If you can just get over the hurdle of picking a school, I think your parents will be happy if they see you happy. I hope so. When I was at Tulane, I cried every day. After some time at LSU, I became a much happier, well-adjusted person. And my mom saw that and is happy that I feel good about myself. Yeah, I know I kinda sold out for an easier school, that I could have gone Ivy if I would have wanted to leave the state, but overall, it was a good choice.

Would a school like UCLA be a good comprimise for you and them? Is there ANY place that ya'll could comprimise on? How about taking a visit to U of A to see their campus, talk with a career counsellor there.

Every school is ranked highly on SOMETHING. LSU isnt' tops in a lot of things with the US News crowd, but our Business school got named in the top 10 by a business journal. So there's gotta be some statistics and rankings out there by some less-well-known publication that can work in your favor.

Good luck. I hope this helps some.

[amycat412]

Newbie-
What if everyone here who has had experiences like juniorgrrl were to write you an email telling you about how they listened to their parents instead of their hearts and it turned out poorly.

It would be important for everyone to state their school, school they left or school they wanted to attend, year, GPA, and age. I think it will especially hit home from those of us who are a bit older....

?????
Honey, I am so sorry your parents are being such buttheads. I can't even imagine how infuriating this must be for you. Its YOUR life, and YOU'VE got to live it. Find a way to apply to U of A (can you borrow $$ from someone to do it?) and then wait and see. Maybe SC will give you a full scholarship. Maybe Uof A will, and then you'll have your answer and you won't have to worry about parents paying...? Sigh.

Hang in there, and please, if you need me you know how to find me...

Amy

[newbie]

Thanks Aimee! (Did I spell it right? I hope so!)

Yes, I think definitely your Mom felt the same way my parents are feeling right now. It's understandable...I know they want the best for us, but it's so frustrating at the same time!

I would hope that they would be happy if they saw me happy, but I'm afraid that they won't even give me the chance to be.

I know they also think I'm "selling" out for a lesser-known school. But c'mon, what's more important: happiness or being absolutely miserable at a good school? I think, who gives a rat's ass about if you went to the Berkeleys of the world, if you're so unhappy that you bring others down with your sad demeanor? And I'm so glad that you transferred to LSU, Aimee . You're such a good role model for that cliched but absolutely true idea of how important happiness is.

Do you all know how I can check out which schools are strong for psych (as in actual concrete ratings)? I'm hoping that the U of A is up there , so I can prove something to them. As you all know, they thrive on rankings. And even then, it prolly doesn't matter to them tho , since they don't even like psych and the idea of me majoring in psych anyway! UGHH. I hope I can apply to the U of A. I really hope so.

Pray for me!! That I can apply there, and end up extremely happy at some school. Whether it be the U of A or another school!!!

[amycat412]

I haven't found psych rankings, or general rankings--

But Undergrad business programs (your favorite! ha ha)

In a ranking of , like the top 200 schools--
12. University of Southern California
23. University of Arizona

Neither UCI nor UCSB is anywhere on the list.

[newbie]

Originally posted by amycat412
Newbie-
What if everyone here who has had experiences like juniorgrrl were to write you an email telling you about how they listened to their parents instead of their hearts and it turned out poorly.

It would be important for everyone to state their school, school they left or school they wanted to attend, year, GPA, and age. I think it will especially hit home from those of us who are a bit older....

?????
Honey, I am so sorry your parents are being such buttheads. I can't even imagine how infuriating this must be for you. Its YOUR life, and YOU'VE got to live it. Find a way to apply to U of A (can you borrow $$ from someone to do it?) and then wait and see. Maybe SC will give you a full scholarship. Maybe Uof A will, and then you'll have your answer and you won't have to worry about parents paying...? Sigh.

Hang in there, and please, if you need me you know how to find me...

Amy

Thanks Amy !! You are awesome, you know that?! You make 'SC proud, I'm sure! Full scholarship. Eh, I don't think so, hehe. I wish I could have one, but my grades are just not that great so to deserve a full-ride! I definitely have the money to pay for the app fee myself. But, I think that applying to the U of A requires a credit card or a check (though I think I remember it's the former). I don't have either, so that IS a problem, and of course, if my parents won't even let me apply, how are they gonna let me go? That's what I'm most worried about. I definitely can apply some way, I think, but what if I decide I really want to go? Today, I had some kind of revelation in English class. (LOL...I was sitting there listening to someone read from Much Ado About Nothing, and then I was like...damn...the U of A has everything I want - or nearly everything I want! ) Then I talked to some teachers who know me and get along well with me, and they were like, "APPLY!!! You will regret if you don't...you'll always be wondering what could have been if in fact you end up somewhere you don't like. It seems to fit everything you're searching for in a college." I was like, "Yeah, you're right!" And so, now I suddenly am thinking all things U of A. It's rather scary. Because I don't think I have much say in my future. Now, that's the scariest and most horrifying part!!!

I DEFINITELY know how important it is to go to a school that you like. Cuz college is all about growing, finding more about who you are as a person, and simply - living life. How will I do those things if I'm at somewhere I hate? Now if only the 'rents understood that...

Thanks girls who have posted, you guys are GREAT!!!!!! Hugs to you all for making me feel better!!!

[amycat412]

From the Fiske Guide to Colleges:


The University of Arizona offers a wide variety of academic opportunities and enough diversions to make it no place for those who need coddling or individual guidance. Sciences are unquestionably the school's forte - the astronomy department is among the nation's best. Students have access not only to leading astronomers but also to the most up-to-date equipment. Eager shutterbugs can pore through photographer Ansel Adams's personal collection, and the Center for Creative Photography offers one of the leading photographic collections in the world. The University Honors Center offers one of the nation's largest and most selective honors programs. In addition to offering 200 honors courses per year, the center features smaller classes, personalized advising, special library privileges, and great research opportunities.

Despite the high percentage of off-campus residents, students stream back onto campus on weekends for parties, sports, and cultural events. Fifteen percent of the men and 14 percent of the women belong to fraternities or sororities. One of UA's most time-honored traditions is Spring Fling, described as the largest student-run carnival in the country. As for the spectacular weather, prospectives are warned to honestly evaluate how it will affect their ability to concentrate. UA is the place to go to engage in the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and a good tan.

[newbie]

Originally posted by amycat412
From the Fiske Guide to Colleges:


The University of Arizona offers a wide variety of academic opportunities and enough diversions to make it no place for those who need coddling or individual guidance. Sciences are unquestionably the school's forte - the astronomy department is among the nation's best. Students have access not only to leading astronomers but also to the most up-to-date equipment. Eager shutterbugs can pore through photographer Ansel Adams's personal collection, and the Center for Creative Photography offers one of the leading photographic collections in the world. The University Honors Center offers one of the nation's largest and most selective honors programs. In addition to offering 200 honors courses per year, the center features smaller classes, personalized advising, special library privileges, and great research opportunities.

Despite the high percentage of off-campus residents, students stream back onto campus on weekends for parties, sports, and cultural events. Fifteen percent of the men and 14 percent of the women belong to fraternities or sororities. One of UA's most time-honored traditions is Spring Fling, described as the largest student-run carnival in the country. As for the spectacular weather, prospectives are warned to honestly evaluate how it will affect their ability to concentrate. UA is the place to go to engage in the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and a good tan.

Hehee, THANKS AMY, you are such a sweetheart!!!! Actually, I have the Fiske Guide at home...I checked it out from the Career Center at my school two days ago. They actually have a lot more written about the U of A in the book, and it seems like the U of A is a great school for both work and play - which is sooo important for me. I don't want a nerd school but I don't like schools that only party. The Fiske Guide makes the U of A seem very promising. In fact the profile made me like the U of A more!!

Thanks Amy for looking that up for me!!! I am blessed to be a GC member - you all are so sweet!!

P.S. Amy, I had emailed you a few days ago, but don't know if you got it? I'm gonna email you now so to tell you which schools!

[shopgirl]

Hi Newbie

I just want to say that I'm sorry that you're having a hard time right now. Things will work out. It was awesome that Amy found those rankings for you. Perhaps you should show them to your parents.

Keep us updated. I would love to know if you end up at the U of A. If so, we could get together. It would be awesome to meet you.


Christina

[newbie]

Originally posted by shopgirl
Hi Newbie

I just want to say that I'm sorry that you're having a hard time right now. Things will work out. It was awesome that Amy found those rankings for you. Perhaps you should show them to your parents.

Keep us updated. I would love to know if you end up at the U of A. If so, we could get together. It would be awesome to meet you.


Christina

Christina, of course!!!! I would love to meet you too . Right now, I really don't see the U of A as my safety. I see it as a school where I would love to attend. And that is so awesome, because really, the schools that you apply to are ones that you're supposed to like. OK, now the hurdle is actually getting my parents to agree with me...

But no matter what happens, Christina, I will always be a fan of the Wildcats!! BEAR DOWN!!!!

[ladybug1116]

Newbie, I just wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts. I have my own experience about persuading my parents (dad especially) about letting me go to my number #1 choice. I am too tired right now to type it out, but I would gladly e-mail it or post it if it might help in some way.
I sent you a PM the other day...I don't know if you got it

Good luck with everything...and please stay strong. I know everything feels out of control at the moment, but things will work out for you.

Melissa

[greeklawgirl]

Car,

I am just delighted that you are seriously considering Arizona! And if you go there and ever have a jones for a good home-cooked meal...I will just have to give you directions to my parents' house! They love to feed my friends--especially when my friends are starving undergraduates! lol.

[CA theta]

Hey sweetie,

I'm sorry that you're going thru tons of shit right now. I'll be pulling for you, girl! You seem like such a sweetie. By the way, Arizona is an excellent school and I am sure you'll enjoy it there. Also, since you want to go Greek, I must give a plug for my sisters at the UA! The Thetas there are classy, sweet, and beautiful -- inside and out! Maybe you'll go Theta at the UA?

Best of luck to you,

[newbie]

Hi you guys!!!!

Well, I have pretty great news...my mother let me apply to the U of A!!!!!!! I felt so awesome when she finally relented. Finally I can apply to the U of A, and I am so glad b/c then in my future I will either have less regrets or pure happiness that I applied here...depends if I end up a Wildcat or elsewhere. Tonight after I got home I kept on telling her how I soo wanna go here (and why), how I'll pay the app fee myself, how I will have so many regrets if I don't apply, etc. etc. Basically, I made her feel guilty, haha. She still keeps on talking about how if I were to go there I would call home and go, " MOM, it's too hot! I'm dying here!" (Because, I had told her that if I end up at my present safety i would hate it so much that I would call home every day crying and would end up transferring. Yep, I totally revved up the dramatic side of me! ) So she is definitely not a fan of the U of A but hey, at least now I can apply!

I will have to work on my parents though to be more accepting of the U of A. I don't know how though . As of now they still think it's a bunch of baloney - my interest in the school. I don't know how to drill it into them that I love the school. It's not a passing interest. I've liked them every since sophomore year. These past days I've realized that actually I've been putting U of A as my #2 choice on my mental list of colleges... USC is still my first though! But the U of A has moved up ahead of UCSB and UCI, to my parent's dismay and shock. But I really like the school as of now, but I know a visit to the school would be in order. And, I would hope that I could visit the U of A along with my other top three choices in April to decide where to go (that would be the fabulous scenario.... happy sigh).

I just wanted to say thank you girls, you guys are simply amazing and I'm so glad that I can count on you guys to just listen, give advice, etc.!!

And, I'm gonna keep this thread going anyways to keep you guys updated on the whole app process. And probably to vent my worries away, LOL.

Melissa, you sent me a PM? Hmm I will have to check into that. I'm so sorry, I haven't yet noticed one but I'll tell you later if I see it or not! Thanks, you're such a sweetie! And I wuld love to hear your story if you don't mind!

Maria, thanks SO much . You are so nice and generous and I would love to meet you one day !! Thank you so much for offering, I can't say how honored I feel that you posted that!!

CA theta, hi! I'm sure the UA Thetas are great. My best friend is a Theta and all her chapter sisters are awesome too. I do like Kappa Alpha Theta a ton! Thanks for your post!!

Oh, btw everyone...I wont' be able to come onto GCanymore until Wednesday...Monday, Tues, and Wed. are my hardest finals, grr. But after that, I'll be so happy b/c it's senioritis time!! hahahaha .

PS Sorry if some of what i typed didn't make sense, it's late and my brain's feeling very wired from studying from most of the day!

[prospectiverushee]

I'm so glad that your mom finally loosen up a little. Maybe you can make a deal with your parents....like you'll give U of A a year and if you're miserable after the year,you'll transfer back home or something along those lines. But from what I've read, it sounds like you'll be extremly happy at U of A. Your excitiment about U of A is starting to rub off on me LOL! Just reading about how excitied you are about U of A, is making wanna apply there for grad school

I look forward to hearing how everything is going for you. I'm glad your parents are giving you a chance to see what happens. There's nothing worse then wondering what if......?

Good luck on your finals. You sound like such a sweetie and I will definitely be keeping you in my thoughts