DREAM, DREAM, DREAM
Since freshman year, my motivation for doing well in school has been the promise of attending a prestigious college in the near future. And all superficial humbleness aside, I believe I have done extremely well in that respect. Everything I did was for the sake of that beautiful acceptance letter. Colleges would love to see this class on my transcript, this club on my application, this GPA on my report card. They'd love it. I'll do it.
And since I've started thinking seriously about college, Columbia University has always been at the very top of my list. When I first received that postcard in the mail junior year, I fell in love. I loved the beauty of the campus, the intimacy of the Core, the impeccable location, and - of course - the prestige. Without hesitation, I labeled Columbia as my "dream school."
On December 8, 2005, my dream came true.
But now, things are starting to change. The veil of "getting into college" has been lifted; I'm beginning to see the reality of it all. The $43,000 sticker price isn't just there for decoration, and that money needs to come from somewhere. Even with grants, loans, and work-study, my family needs to come up with $27,000 in order for that dream to be fully realized.
I thought I was done with it all, all the pressure and stress of the college application process. I couldn't be further from the truth. College applications have only been replaced with scholarship applications; SATs and GPA are no longer as important as CSS and the FAFSA. With every schoalrship form filled out and every hour worked at Peet's, the number "27,000" looms in the back of my mind. And because of the complexity of college financial aid, I'd have to raise more than $6,000 in scholarships before any of that money starts going towards my family contribution. I know there's no way in hell my family will be able to shell out $27,000 for my education.
Which makes me wonder about my "dream school" in the first place. Was it a selfish dream? What if my dream school had been Berkeley or UCLA? Both are prestigious in their own right, yet both are considerably less expensive. Had I chosen a school with a smaller sticker price, I wouldn't be in such a bad situation. I can't help but to think that what I want comes at the expense of everyone else.
Dream big, but make sure your wallet is even bigger.
And since I've started thinking seriously about college, Columbia University has always been at the very top of my list. When I first received that postcard in the mail junior year, I fell in love. I loved the beauty of the campus, the intimacy of the Core, the impeccable location, and - of course - the prestige. Without hesitation, I labeled Columbia as my "dream school."
On December 8, 2005, my dream came true.
But now, things are starting to change. The veil of "getting into college" has been lifted; I'm beginning to see the reality of it all. The $43,000 sticker price isn't just there for decoration, and that money needs to come from somewhere. Even with grants, loans, and work-study, my family needs to come up with $27,000 in order for that dream to be fully realized.
I thought I was done with it all, all the pressure and stress of the college application process. I couldn't be further from the truth. College applications have only been replaced with scholarship applications; SATs and GPA are no longer as important as CSS and the FAFSA. With every schoalrship form filled out and every hour worked at Peet's, the number "27,000" looms in the back of my mind. And because of the complexity of college financial aid, I'd have to raise more than $6,000 in scholarships before any of that money starts going towards my family contribution. I know there's no way in hell my family will be able to shell out $27,000 for my education.
Which makes me wonder about my "dream school" in the first place. Was it a selfish dream? What if my dream school had been Berkeley or UCLA? Both are prestigious in their own right, yet both are considerably less expensive. Had I chosen a school with a smaller sticker price, I wouldn't be in such a bad situation. I can't help but to think that what I want comes at the expense of everyone else.
Dream big, but make sure your wallet is even bigger.