photo by lagirl5252
navigating the college admissions process is a long, difficult journey. through filling out applications, writing essays, and listening to college application advice from every student, parent, and counselor alike, it’s easy to feel drained. but luckily, the deadline is almost here, and your college decisions will be rolling in soon.
however, with all of your friends and classmates receiving their responses at the same time, it’s possible that you’ll wind up feeling a wide range of emotions, from happiness to jealousy, all the way to anger and sadness. how, exactly, should you be preparing for your college decisions?
if you’re accepted…
be happy! you did it – you got into college, and you’ll be headed off on a huge adventure. regardless of whether you got into your reach school or safety school, you’ve safely gotten in. don’t forget how much of an accomplishment it is just to get into college in the first place, so celebrate what you’ve achieved.
but don’t rub it in. especially if you’re opening emails at school, it’s easy to be overcome with happiness. but remember to be controlled – it’s likely that your friends and classmates didn’t get into the schools that they wanted, and the last thing you should do is rub your success in their faces. be supportive.
it ain’t over yet. once you’re finished celebrating, remember that the process isn’t over yet. aside from having to make big decisions on where to attend, you have to continue to focus on the rest of your senior year. grades still matter, as does having fun. you’ve earned relaxation, but the journey is just beginning.
if you’re rejected…
take a deep breath. this isn’t the end of the world, not by a long shot. didn’t get into your dream school? that’s okay too. with so many colleges out there, it’s unlikely that that was the only school that’s right for you. college is what you make of it, so it’s important to head to college with an open mind, even if it wasn’t where you expected to be.
don’t dwell on others. it’s a big day for everyone, so don’t get too upset if you find out that your friends and classmates got into your dream school. just as you should be supportive if you get in, you should be supportive if you don’t. also, don’t feel like you’re not good enough – with so many applicants applying to colleges these days, there might be thousands of capable students applying for just a few hundred spots.
look ahead. hopefully you have other schools to hear back from, so put one rejection behind you and focus on other schools. focus on the positives that other schools can offer, and look ahead to your other college decisions.
remember: no matter where you end up, it’s up to you to make the best of it. no matter if you’re headed to your dream school in the fall or you’re going to what you thought to be your safety school, you’ll have a great time.
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