Finding my college

This is a mini-essay that I wrote for a scholarship entry.  Obviously, I have very little chance of winning the scholarship, but I kind of liked what I wrote, so I'm posting it here.

When I got rejected from MIT, I was devastated.  I kept saying to myself and my concerned parents and friends, "It's okay, it's okay.  It's not a big deal."  But it was a big deal.  It felt like everything I had worked for the past three years had been a waste.  What was the point of getting good grades and working hard in school if there was no MIT?  Where else in the world could I possibly be happy? 

Several days later, encouraged by my parents' and friends' support, I got out of this funk and, for the first time, started seriously considering the other schools that had accepted me.  Carnegie Mellon and University of Michigan have excellent engineering programs, and besides that, I used to live near Pittsburgh, and many of my friends would be going to Michigan.  But I wanted an adventure.  It sounds a little silly when I put it that way, but really, I just want to go somewhere new, to get out of my comfort zone, and to force myself to get out there and meet new people and see new things. 

So when I got an invitation to visit Cornell during its admitted student welcome sessions, I said, "Why not?" and drove eight hours with my family to Ithaca, New York.  Even though I kept hearing people talk about how gorgeous Cornell was, I was unprepared to find out how beautiful it really is.  The roaring waterfalls, the breathtaking gorges, the stunning view from the mountains -- all that, on top of the time I spent exploring and touring the campus and hearing about the school's engineering program, made up my mind. 

And so what if Cornell is not MIT?  Some time during this whole ordeal, I decided that the college I attend will not determine what I achieve and become.  No matter where I go, there is no guarantee that I will be successful or happy -- that is something I have to go out and get for myself, whether at MIT or Cornell, and even afterwards.