Bad news for me...

[RuffianT21]

Well, I don't know how many of you know this, but I'm probably one of the youngest members on this board. I'm a senior in high school, and so I'm dealing with all the college issues these days. Well, I just found out that I didn't get into Princeton, which was my top choice.

One reason that Princeton was my top choice was that they have an equestrian team and I would've been able to keep up with my horseback riding. As it looks now, not only will I not be able to ride in college, but I'm probably going to have to sell my horse.

Needless to say, I'm feeling a little depressed right now, and I figured that this would be a place where people would understand at least the horse aspect of my disappointment.

[larrygene]

If this is going to be the biggest disappointment in your life, not getting into Princeton, then you ought to consider yourself the luckiest person in the world!!!!! Come on, there has to be other schools in this great country that has an equestrian team?? I bet if you applied to others you will be accepted!!! Betcha' a quarter!!

If you're going to give up this easy then I doubt if anyone would want you on their team. Get on the internet and find out who wants a person that has a horse and is willing to travel. Have Horse, Will Travel!!!

To get my first horse I had to beg my Dad every day for 4 years until he gave in and bought me my first horse, which was a registered QH. In 1963 that was a big deal where I came from!!!The first show I ever showed in I didn't even own a pair of western boots nor a show halter. I had to borrow a halter from my friend. I went into the ring with street shoes on and won 2nd place out of 52 entries. I thought I had won the Kentucky Derby!!! My mare went on to become an AQHA Champion.

Now if I can , you can! Quit the pity party and go to work!!!

Make it Happen!!!!!

Larrygene

[Lucy]

In addition to what Larrygene said - even if your heart's set on the Ivy League, Yale, Harvard & Tufts, at least, all have teams.

But even if you don't find a great school with an Equestrian team, you may not have to sell your horse. A few girls I went to school with couldn't bring their horses with them, so they arranged to lease them out during the school year. Just be careful and make sure you have everything in writing!

[dray33]

Nowadays I couldn't dream of getting into the college I graduated from. The BEST college is the one that looks at your qualifications and accepts YOU. The schools that pass on you will just have to forever be the school that misses out on your generous endowment when you make it huge. Oh well.

[RuffianT21]

Thank you guys for the kind responses...

I did get into Caltech, which is a pretty darn good school, so I can't complain too much! Plus, Caltech is about 10 minutes from Santa Anita.

My essay for Caltech was all about the math and science that goes into the various aspects of the horse racing industry, from breeding to handicapping, so thank you to all of you for everything I've learned from everyone on this board.

The last thing I'd ever do would be to give up on my various horse-related dreams. Caltech has no equestrian programs, but Pasadena has a few places I could go. I am definitely looking at leasing my horse as an option.

Now that the initial disappointment has worn off a bit, I can definitely see that I should be looking at everything wonderful about getting into Caltech, rather than what I'll be missing at Princeton.

Thank you all so much for listening to me vent and for responding.

[zinn21]

Rejected by Princeton only to be accepted by Caltech-Now that's my kind of disapointment.

You have high standards and that is great. Nice to see your passion for the game provided good source material for your essay. Good luck and enjoy your stay in California.

[Diane]

Flintridge is terrific if boarding cost is not an issue for you. If you are pressed for time you call ahead and the grooms will tack your horse for you, well they used to way back when...)
Pasadena is very nice. Congratulations.

[hpkingjr]

Univ. of Washington in Seattle has a great campus, Bill Gates as a trustee, and an equestrian program. Daughter Caroline's first class was boating around the Puget Sound looking at the whales etc. Lovely area, friendly people. Princeton may have been a little stiff for you.

I actually went to school in L.A.

(Lower Alabama) Larry Gene nailed it.

[Sysonby]

There's a number of stables around Pasadena including one in Arroyo Seco that's not far at all from Caltech. Flintridge is a beautiful facility but on the pricy side. From Pasadena, you'd also be about 10-15 minutes from the LAEC and backyard boarding in Burbank and Glendale. A lot will depend on your budget and what you want to do with your horse since every facility has a different atmosphere, focus and set of trainers.

Congratulations on getting into Caltech! That's a major accomplishment.

[mikec]

Well ; New Jersey ( my home ) or California. Hmmm ; let me think ! You lucky son of a gun - go for it. Princeton did you a monumental favor. Take it from a Rutgers Alum !!!

[madelyn]

Your disappointment must have been quite acute at the time. I recall once as a young gal I was expecting an engagement ring for my birthday and received a little gold anklet.. something like that?

I'm pretty old now and here's one thing I can truly assure you, eventually it will not matter one teensy tiny speck WHERE you got your degree, provided the degree itself is in the field the employer wants. There are quite a number of colleges now that have equestrian teams. Good luck.

[jellac]

Ruffian -

From my perspective at age of a half century +, dray (above) had it right when counseling you thus:

Nowadays I couldn't dream of getting into the college I graduated from. The BEST college is the one that looks at your qualifications and accepts YOU. The schools that pass on you will just have to forever be the school that misses out on your generous endowment when you make it huge.

I could easily say the same thing about the university I graduated from. Today when it comes up in a conversation people seem to be very impressed I went there BUT it simply wasn't that selective a school 'back then'! No matter - I get to ride on the shoulders of all the work that was done to improve it's rankings and people's opinions/perceptions of the programs taught there now. I only try not to change those perceptions so now I'm in the position of trying to live up to my alma mater's reputation and my somewhat underserved benefit from that. Who knew that was going to happen?!

I say "Hurray for you in getting accepted to CalTech - WOW! Absolutely top notch school and in a great location. The best school - though you may not believe it now - is the one that accepts you. The people reveiwing (and re-reviewing) all those college applications take a great deal of time and effort to find the right match among all the 'perfectly acceptable' candidates with their university's culture and campus life - not just the candidates with the highest grade points or test scores. Think of it this way: CalTech was creative enough to like your outside the box approach to/application of math and science to horse racing as expressed on your essay while Princeton may not have found that approach to their liking. Now, wouldn't you rather be attending a school where that kind of thinking is allowed and encouraged?

And Sysonby is right about the many nearby places to keep your horse so check them out and find one that is right for you and your horse. I've actually visited the one in the Arroyo Seco and it was like you were in another world even as Greater L.A. and Pasadena zoomed around above you.

One word of warning, though: you may be surprised at how little time you're going to have for your horse once you're in college at a school with such a rigorous program......

Here's hoping you can do both and do both well but remember that ol' saying that 'when you find yourself up to your arse in alligators it's sometimes hard to remember that the original purpose was to drain the swamp'. You're main purpose going forward for at least the next four years is to get the best education you can in a subject(s) that you are fully intrigued with/challenged by!

[RuffianT21]

Does anyone know of a website for any of these stables? I do realize that I won't have much time for riding, but I can't imagine cutting it completely out of my life. I can't really afford to bring my horse with me, and he deserves to be somewhere where he can be ridden properly by someone who has time for him. I like the lease idea for this reason and also because I know that he'll be a tough sell. He's a wonderful horse who took me from pre-children's hunters up through children's hunter, equitation, and now jumpers, but he's getting up there in years. He also has bad allergies w/ a pretty bad recurring cough. I love him to death, but I know realistically that he'll be hard to market. I think it might be easier to find someone to lease him for those reasons.

CA is definitely an upside for Caltech! What an absolutely beautiful location... I'm planning on going into mathematics; as I've mentioned on other threads, I'm a big math and stats geek. I'll be visiting this weekend for a pre-frosh weekend, so hopefully I'll find that it's perfect for me. Hpkingjr may be right in saying that Princeton would've been too stiff. I did get the impression that Princeton might take itself a bit too seriously.

Thanks again for all the advice!

[Nerd]

I did get into Caltech, which is a pretty darn good school, so I can't complain too much! P

Hey RuffianT21,

Congrats on your admission! In my unapologetically biased opinion, Caltech is a far superior school to Princeton. It's a cultural gem. You'll see what I mean when you visit (you will visit, won't you ?). Depending on what major you choose, the academics can give quite the beating, so make sure that your decision is based on how much you really really really love math and science instead of equine programs and/or proximity to barns and tracks (although for the record, Tech is easy biking distance from Santa Anita and I think there's a bus you can take if you don't have a car--I used to walk there from campus, actually)

Now that I've graduated, I can confidently say that going to Tech was the best decision I ever made and I really miss it, but there were some times while I was there when I sure #*^% regretted it.

I'd be more than happy to answer any specific questions you may have--PM me.

ETA--haha, I guess you are visiting. Have lots of fun, meet as many students as you can, and don't waste your time sleeping !!!

[RuffianT21]

Nerd- wow, how coincidental to find someone who actually went there! I'm leaving tomorrow for the pre-frosh weekend, but when I get back, you will definitely have a PM...