anyone? any input at all? I would really appreciate it and and I will post my stats if you need more to evaluate the situation.

Thanks very much for the input! You might be right -- my marks were terrible when I applied! I had an 87 average at the beginning of the year, but now it's in the mid 90s. I really hope this is where I went wrong -- thank you so much for bringing it up!

I understand what's going through your mind right now, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

The first is that in any process like program or scholarship applications, there is a lot of luck. It can sometimes be hard to tell what your chances really are because it often depends on who is reading your application and what the competition is like that year.

Secondly, the criteria for these applications are all different, and the applications themselves are all different. Just because you didn't make it into Shad, does not mean you don't have a shot at Loran/TD. Apply! What do you have to lose? Apply, apply, apply and hope for the best. I understand it affects you psychologically, but try to forget the past and focus on putting your best foot forward in the future.

Thirdly, it's not just about your resume - it's also about how you present that in the application. It is probably worth reviewing your Shad application with say your guidance counsellor/family/friends to see where there might be room for improvement in the way you present things on paper.

Good luck, and keep your chin up :)