Accepting rejection- Staff Editorial
Throughout the college application process, seniors have experienced more stress and anxiety than ever before. The majority of this stems from the fact that so much of the decision-making process is completely out of our hands. However, there are a number of things to learn and take away from this experience.
When we were younger, we thought we had everything figured out. We had preconceived notions of who we would be when we grew up, what we would do with our lives, and where we would go to school. However, for many of us, the ways we saw ourselves earlier in life are monumentally different from how we see ourselves now. High school is meant to be a time for both physical and mental development.
This is shown most prominently through evolution and growth of thought. For instance, as children, many of us saw ourselves going off to illustrious universities for superficial reasons, without fully knowing what we wanted in a school or out of the college experience. Yet as we grew as young adults, we each learned that picking a college is an individual process. Aside from the holistic process that most universities advertise, there is one other deciding factor that is sometimes overlooked: fit.
Colleges strategically and systematically search for and narrow down all students who fit their “mold.” In other words, having perfect grades and being involved inside and outside of school are important. Yet these are not always the deciding factors. To colleges, fitting their mold is also a crucial component, and this factor is something prospective students should not overlook.
We have learned that the college application process is as uncertain as it is individual. What causes a student to be rejected from one school, may be the same reason for her acceptance at another university.
College deferrals, rejections, and waitlists may seem unsympathetic and unnecessary, but we promise that they reap certain benefits. For one thing, our character has been strengthened and we have learned how to deal with rejection. We have learned how to speak fluidly about ourselves in college interviews, embrace and foster our strengths, and accept our weaknesses. Through application deadlines and strict scheduling, we have strengthened our time management skills and learned the importance of punctuality.
Additionally, we now understand that the process is objective, and for the most part, once you click submit, the decision is completely out of your control. Most importantly, this experience has taught us how to adapt, move on and look forward to the future instead of dwelling on the past.
– Senior Editorial Board
