So the waiting begins! Usually you don’t hear from colleges until April. The waiting game is the worst. You’re so close to graduating and all you want to do is be assured that you have a vision of where you are heading. If your guidance counselor was helpful you would have applied to safety schools meaning you know there’s a large certainty you’ll be accepted. Of course this isn’t always true because college can be unpredictable. Although they ask for transcripts, recommendation, the SAT scores and the essay, it’s really up in the air. What they want is someone who fits the schools values, someone who can contribute to the academic and social life. So, in a few weeks you’ll probably go through a lot of stress dealing with letters that begin with congratulating you or regretting to inform you about your place in the school.
One of the things that happens whenever we want something, is we don’t get it. I wish it wasn’t so, but it’s true. Be prepared. I’m not saying have a box filled with tissues, chocolates and your favorite sad movies. I’m saying think about if the school is really right for you. Are you ok with the location, competitive feel, student life etc? Did you feel the sparks? If you feel like that is your school well work for it. Getting a college to notice you continues even after the letters are distributed. I know some people who were wait listed at my school who constantly wrote to the college letting them know about the new activities they were joining and mentioning how Swarthmore was the college for them. If you want something you work for it. On the other hand if you realize that the school wasn’t right for you then you probably feel better. Sometimes ruling things out is better than knowing what you actually want.
So early/mid April you’ll get stack of letters-some thick and others not. I guess I should mention the thick/ thin envelope doesn’t really tell you if you got in or not. I really believed this fallacy in high school (now I’m shaking my head). Most of my acceptance letters were thin and they wanted me to fill forms online. Anyways you’ll get acceptance letters and you should jump for joy, scream, and really celebrate because you earn it and you’re going places!
Now the deciding needs to take place!
Here’s what I learned. Sometimes people get the right school but the wrong major. Sometimes people get the right major and wrong school. My hope is you get both the right school and major. How to do it? Picking a college is something you do for you. Pick a college that really demonstrates and respects your beliefs. A place that will challenge you, support you, and make you want to wear your school’s name with pride. As for a major, I think if you do what you are good at then things unfold and you begin to excel and feel happy with all of your choices.
Get excited for April!