Just last summer, we were researching colleges, perusing the US News & World Report rankings, and wading through the stacks of glossy brochures that stuffed our mailboxes. We sat through the ACT, some of us more than once. We’ve gone through all the motions—requesting recommendations, ordering transcripts, and agonizing over the essay. Then we waited. And waited. And now, finally, the letters are starting to arrive.
“Congratulations!”
There’s nothing quite like receiving a college admissions decision. For many, it’s an experience— gauging the envelope’s weight, breaking the seal, and quickly scanning the letter for those magic words: “We are honored to inform you of your admission to…”
An acceptance can seem like the culmination of all the hard work in high school. It’s a validation of countless hours spent doing homework, composing essays, and studying late into the night.
“I knew I’d finally done it,” said senior Elise Eidson, who was accepted to all six colleges she applied to and is still deciding between Texas Christian University, Purdue, and Creighton.
An acceptance is a relief. Whether the decision comes from a safety school or a student’s first choice, many find it reassuring. They’ve gotten in somewhere, and a college education is in their future.
“I’ve applied to other places, but I know I’m definitely going to get into college. I’m going to go where I want, it’s got all the things I need, and it feels great,” said senior Ellie Brannaman, who plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Others feel that much of the pressure attached to striving for perfect grades and ACT scores has lifted.
“I guess you just have this huge weight off your shoulders…I got into a college, there’s someone somewhere who will accept me even if I don’t get in everywhere else, and my parents can stop nagging me now or at least until it’s time to start applying for financial aid,” said senior Meghan Maddock, who’s been accepted to Brigham Young University’s Idaho campus but is still waiting for a decision from the university’s Provo campus, her first choice.
“I am sorry to inform you...”
Whether a student receives an electronic notification, which may include little more than “Admissions decision: Denied,” or a thin envelope in the mail, rejection hurts.
When she was in high school, third-year English teacher Mary Kate Polzin was rejected from her top choice, Notre Dame University.
“I think the worst part was being disappointed in myself. And I also felt I was kind of letting my family down too,” said Polzin.
But she still ended up with a college experience that she wouldn’t change.
“I think it was really over time that I came to terms with it. Once I went to Illinois Wesleyan University, I realized that I belonged there and I was really grateful for the experience I had there.”
Seniors still smarting from a rejection will recover and gain perspective with time.
“It’s okay to have that time of grieving. For some students it is a letdown or disappointment, and often times for seniors it’s the first time you’re really judged by someone. It can be really hard,” said CRC counselor Amy Belstra. “I would encourage students to pick themselves up and remember that there are many schools where they can be successful. There are colleges out there for everyone.”
Welcome to Limbo
Some colleges can’t give some of their applicants a definite answer right away. Such students are placed on a waitlist, the college admissions equivalent of purgatory. Waitlisted seniors are left in a state of limbo--they’re not in, but they’re not out.
“I know people say it’s not supposed to be so bad because it’s not a rejection, but it still feels negative…You’re on the fence so you don’t know if you’re good or bad,” said Brannaman. She recieved a deferral from the Ohio State University (meaning the admissions office has put off making a decision on her early action application until they consider the regular decision applicant pool), but she’s been accepted to her first choice, the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Ten out of 11 of senior Rashi Taneja’s notifications have been acceptances, but she was waitlisted by her top choice, University of Colombia.
“I’ve worked three and a half years to get where I am today. The one school I want to get into, like my ultimate school, I got waitlisted at…It’s a sad feeling,” said Taneja.
The unfortunate reality is that most applicants who are put on a wait list never actually get accepted into the college. According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, as a national average, a student’s chance of being accepted off a wait list is roughly one in five. Those on the list decide if they want to risk rejection and attempt to market themselves to the admissions office or move on and enroll in another college.
“Now they’re making me wait for however long. It’s like I have to put my life on standstill. I don’t know if I’m ready to wait for that long,” said Taneja.
Decision Time
Once a senior has obtained a few acceptances, the next step is deciding where to go.
For those who’ve had a top college from the beginning, the choice is clear.
“I only applied to two and I know which one I want,” said Maddock. “I didn’t want too many choices. It’s too much stress when you get accepted and you have to actually choose.”
Others without an obvious first choice face the difficult task of considering each factor, deciding what’s important, and narrowing down the list.
“It’s going to be a really difficult choice because…you have to weigh what each school gives you with the education you’d be getting there and then whether you like the campus, if you can see yourself spending four years there,” said senior Milly Fotso.
Some will end up adjusting their rankings as the importance of certain factors fluctuate.
“I’ve changed my mind so many times. A lot of factors affect me. I think [deciding] is going to be a lot harder than I think it is,” said Taneja.
As May 1, the deadline for accepting an offer of admission approaches, others are considering how much distance they want to put between themselves and their families.
“At first I thought TCU was really nice because it was really warm, but now that it’s coming closer I don’t know if I’ll be able to go that far away from my family because I’m the oldest and the first one to go to college and it would be hard,” said Eidson.
For seniors who already have a career path in mind, a school’s programs in a particular area could be a deciding factor.
“I really, really liked [Purdue’s] campus, but they don’t have a dedicated architecture program. I’d rather go to a school that has a dedicated program so I wouldn’t have to go to a different school for a masters,” said senior Sarah Fahey.
Fotso, who plans on majoring in international relations, is searching for a college that will prepare her for a career in international law.
“The programs at college, especially the study abroad, internships, and the career services in general [are important] because majoring in international relations, you’re expected abroad and obviously I don’t want that cost to be a burden.”
Choosing a school will be a difficult decision, but once we pick, we can go through the remaining months with graduation and college to look forward to.
Photo courtesy of Google images