Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the college application process is waiting for the college admission decisions. Students in this state of limbo often have a lot on their minds, including feelings of dread in the event that they do not get accepted into their top choices. However, the college admission decisions process does not have to be a negative one.
Tip #1: Don’t Wait By the Mailbox
Focusing solely on waiting for the college admission letters to arrive in the mail is a surefire way to drive a student crazy. Once the college applications and paperwork have been sent, it is out of a student’s hands. Instead of making things more stressful by playing the waiting game, it is vital that students go on with their daily routine and engage in activities that will keep their minds occupied.
Tip #2: Parents, Know Your Role
It is important for parents to realize that their child is more than likely already putting pressure on themselves to get accepted into a good college or university. When the college admission letters do arrive in the mail, give your child some space and allow him/her to read the decisions on their own (instead of breathing down their neck in order to read over their shoulder). If it happens to be a letter of rejection, parents should first and foremost be positive and encouraging. Help your child see that rejection letters don’t equal “failure.” During this time, parents should serve as the cheering section instead of a firing squad. Make sure to avoid being overly critical as well, which never helps matters.
Tip #3: Be Prepared to Handle Rejection
This has nothing to do with negative thinking or automatically assuming you won’t get into the schools you’ve applied to. Rather, it is a realistic way to mentally and emotionally prepare yourself for either outcome. While it makes sense to cross your fingers and believe that you’ll get accepted, it’s also important to acknowledge that there is a chance that–for whatever reason–you may receive a rejection letter. Hoping for good news but preparing for possible bad news will take the initial sting away, should you get a letter of rejection from a college or university.
Tip #4: It’s All About Perspective
The best way to deal with rejection is to know that it isn’t a personal reflection on yourself. It simply means your application may not have met certain criteria the college admissions staff was looking for. Just because one school doesn’t accept you, doesn’t mean that none of them will.
Tip #5: Got Accepted? Then Celebrate BUT Also Begin Planning
Getting an acceptance letter is the ultimate goal for any college bound student. Needless to say, this calls for a huge celebration but don’t think that your work is done. After receiving the letter, you’ll be required to officially accept the offer. Been accepted to more than one school? Then you’ll have to do another process of elimination and make sure to choose the school that you know will best suit your academic needs.
