- Give it Time: Give yourself time to deal with and embrace the disappointment; be it ice cream or Netflix, indulge in your favorite activity to process what you feel. It’s okay to feel sad but recognize and focus on other paths open for you!
- Don’t Take It Personally: Remind yourself that admissions committees are simply aiming to create a balanced incoming class that takes into account factors beyond students’ academic strengths. Try to allow yourself to feel sad without seeing the rejection as a judgment against you or your abilities.
- Get Excited about Other Schools: Rejections are a part and parcel of college applications, but so are acceptances. Invest time and energy into getting excited about schools that did admit you. Don’t dwell on the bad. Pay attention to the victories–the acceptance letters.
- Strategize Your Next Steps: Continue to focus on the aspects of the admissions process that are within your control: Are you waiting to hear back from other schools? Did you already get in somewhere else? Have you covered bases with enough safety school options? Have you applied to schools with rolling admissions?
- Reach Out to the University: Email the admissions office to ask for reasons for the rejection. Their responses might offer valuable insight to help re-evaluate any future applications.
- Know you are not alone: College rejections are a tough pill to swallow. The pain of rejection is real, and you’re not alone, though it might seem like you’re only hearing about acceptances on social media. Reach out to friends and family to rejuvenate and re-adjust your focus.
How to College
How to Cope With Rejections from College
30
May
May