Why I say "Apply to your dream schools even if you're not allowed to go there"

So there is no overprotectiveness in the world like the parents of a Muslim Saudi girl... And that is what I am. Based on that, you can imagine how my parents were about my university situation. Until a year ago, it was "no college outside Saudi"... Then after I was selected to participate in MIT's RSI program last summer, it turned into "McGill is ok cause your brother is there"... Then AUS in the UAE was added to the "okay" list...

But I didn't get to go to RSI... Because after I did all my applications (having of course passed the test we had to pass and such) they decided to take girls out of the Saudi RSI equation... As you can imagine, I was devastated, and quite upset with the government. So I went to UPenn's summer program instead (I applied to Harvard's, JHU's, Yale's and Penn's).

After the summer, I applied to MIT, and my parents tried to talk me out of it... Dad said if I got in I'd want to go and I know it isn't okay with him, and that the SATIIs and the essays I was doing were all a waste of my time... I said I wanted to know if I could get in and went ahead with it...

Let me just say my essay was about how I was robbed the chance to go to MIT because I was a Saudi girl, and that I was more adamant than ever to prove to myself than I can get in to MIT again (to give myself the chance I deserve, or something like that)... And to show other females (especially Arabs) that we can make it in this world even if we have to work harder than our male peers (my arguments were a little stronger than my actual beliefs). I think that essay closing was the reason I was accepted to MIT lol.

Next thing I know, MIT accepts me!!! Dad, being the great person he is, sits me down and says "although I still prefer you go to McGill, and I think it would be easier for you to adjust, seeing as your brother is there and we have an apartment, I cannot stop you from going to MIT, so it is your choice". Anywhere else in the US was still off limits, but dad loves Boston, and MIT is MIT...

At that point I was still 99% on McGill... Until everyone starting telling me all about how great MIT is, and how much better it would be for me, and how it was the opportunity of a lifetime... So I kept thinking about it (McGill hadn't made their decision yet, but I was expecting an acceptance for sure)...

By time is was April 25th, I was 95% MIT 5% McGill... Then what do you know? McGill wait list me!! I took that as my sign (considering I prayed that if I should go to MIT McGill should reject me) and said "That's it, Im going to MIT!!" =D

So, I had not thought of going, I was talked out of it, and it was off limits... Then I get the okay, and get the wait listing from the school I was supposed to be going to (imagine if I had not applied to MIT... I wouldn't know what I would be doing now... Well maybe going to the AUS... But really: AUS over MIT?!?!)

So reach for the stars, work hard, and you will get to do what you want to(well not all the time, but for the most part).

Good luck to everyone on your quests to find the perfect place for you!

P.S. Yes this is partly procrastinating studying for finals lol... But also partly because a friend asked me about it a minute ago, and I had the urge to share it with everyone to once again prove the point I made in my essay: we CAN make it!!!