Getting Behind the Ivy Covered Walls

Getting Into an Ivy League or Second-tier University

Standing out, getting noticed, applying and actually getting in.

For a fair-skinned, blue-eyed, white female, to get behind the Ivy covered walls of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. I need more then good grades and test scores... I need a 4.0 GPA(or better) and SAT scores somewhere between 1500-1600. But wait, that's not enough! I need to stand out, and yeah, extra-curriculars can put me over the top... But working at a hospital or homeless shelter won't cut it. All over the U.S. privileged students of wealthy families are paying a mere $5000+ to travel to Peru, or Ecuador, or Australia to teach kids English, or rebuild damaged ships, etc. But what does a white female do when she lives in poverty, eating the government's food and is striving to buy clothes at even Savers? You find something that makes you stand out... something original, but not impossible for you in your situation. No, a cure for cancer isn't in my list of options... I could write a novel, or start a business, or volunteer to go to Peru (with all of the money that I don't have)... but can I do it? Well, here's my plan. Yes, I would love to write a novel, but that takes time and dedication and it wouldn't be enough, so that's what I plan to do in my spare time, something I dream to accomplish. At this point in my life would I fly to Peru? Yes!, of course, but can I afford approx.. $6000 to do that? Nope, nadda, niet, NO! So, what to do, what to do...I am going to spend the last month of my eighth grade summer vacation spending as much time as possible learning how to design a website. I plan to design my website Bleedingvoice.com, and start a business all on my own. I do dream for it to be successful, but I will be honest, along with fulfilling a dream that I've had for a long time, I also hope it will fulfill another dream I've been (somewhat) secretly harboring for years, and that is to go to one of those top schools, and become someone successful. A journalist possibly, or maybe just take courses in business, that has not been decided, for I feel I am far too young to be sure. But I dream that one day I am happy, and can provide for a family that I would love to have. I know what I have to do, but the fact that I can't be sure of anything scares me more than I would like to admit. I know hoping for the best won't cut it, so I have to spend the next four years of my life working torward a goal, and that will take extreme amounts of effort on my part. But if I work hard enough, the reward could be worth each moment I spend searching for scholarships and grants that will be almost as important as my acceptance letters. Live for today and live each day of your life to it's fullest. I do not wish to take credit away of those two famous phrases, but I would like to add bit on. Live for today and live each day of your life to it's fullest, but never lose sight of your goals, dreams and aspirations. That is what I live my life by, I hope my theory proves worthy of the time you took to read it, and I wouldn't mind I it helped me through life a bit.

By Mandi Marie

August 9th, 2006

Do not copy without my permission(includes copying and calling your own, posting on website or blog, etc.).