10 Tips To Overcome College Rejection
Applying to colleges is fun and exciting, but when receiving college rejections it can put a damper on the whole process. Your dreams don’t have to be crushed, turning college rejection into motivation is a great way to turn that frown upside down. College rejection is only a setback, and your life is not over. Let these tips stay in the back of your mind for when you are applying. It can be hard to stay positive on your own! Keep reading to discover 10 tips to overcoming college rejection.
1. Allow Yourself Some Time To Feel Disappointed
It’s completely normal to feel disappointed and self loathe. Finding out you were rejected from a school you were looking forward to can be crushing. Everyone goes through some type of rejection so it’s important to allow yourself to understand it and take it in. Don’t let it ruin you for a week or more, but take a day or two to take a step back and breathe. Staying in a sad state can affect how you handle the rest of the application process so its important to stay positive.
2. Don’t Take It Personally
Receiving your college rejection letter can seem personal, but the decision process is competitive and complex so don’t take it to heart. Many times schools can only accept a certain amount of students and they weren’t able to accept every good applicant. Taking the rejection personally will only make getting over it harder, ease the difficulty as much as you can and understand it’s just part of the school’s process.
3. Reach Out For Support
Your friends and family can be great support systems because they know you best and will comfort you in your times of need. Reach out to the people who love you for support and advice. College rejection can be hard, but your friends may also be in the same boat so you can discuss it with each other. Along with your friends, your parents or family have been through it already so they can give you some valuable advice. Knowing you’re not the only one can make things easier.
4. Speak With Your Counselor Or Teacher At School
After receiving college rejections it is important to reach out to your school counselor or even a teacher to discuss your feelings and options. Your counselor may help you deal with your feelings and even help improve your application. Discussing with your counselor or teacher what your options are can also be helpful. Sometimes receiving an opinion that’s not from family or friends can be a fresh voice.
5. Figure Out Your Next Move
You still have lots of choices so it’s important to try to plan out your next steps. College rejection can make you feel like you want to give up and not apply to any more schools, but this is only the beginning. It is important to look into different schools and find one that fits your goals. You’ll be spending at least 4 years at the school you chose, so it’s important to research what you want. You may even surprise yourself and find a school you like better.
6. Focus On A Good Experience, Not The ‘Best Schools’
It can be overwhelming when trying to find a school to go to. Put your focus into where you think you’d be most happy and not the school that has the best reputation. Finding a good school is important too, but it shouldn’t be your only focus. The next chapter of your life will be spent at the school of your choice, so you want to make sure you’ll be happy there. Definitely make sure to check out the campuses to your top choices and feel free to reach out to students who are there currently, and ask about their experiences.
7. Understand College Isn’t For Everyone
Attending college seems to be pushed now more than ever, but that doesn’t mean you have to go. College isn’t for everyone and there are still other ways to build a life and career that don’t involve college. Studying abroad, mentorships, internships and apprenticeships are all ways to gain an education without being in the college setting. Even taking a gap year to figure out what you need and want to do can be really beneficial.
8. Consider Attending A Two Year College, Or A Community College
This can be a great way to save money and build some academic success. These colleges offer many opportunities as larger schools, but at a cheaper price. Many community colleges or two-year colleges make it easy for you to transfer over to a four-year college after completion. Even if you don’t plan on transferring then you can still get your associates at most colleges. If you need to build up a better track record for your grades, or just aren’t sure what you want to do yet then this could be for you.
9. Keep A Positive Outlook
Turning your frustration into motivation to keep applying to new places is a great mentality. Reevaluate your application and see if there is anywhere you could improve. Don’t dwell in the rejection process, but take it as the school’s loss. Staying positive throughout this process can really ease the situation and make applying to college something to look forward to again.
10. Appeal Your Rejection
You can appeal your rejection and ask the school to reconsider, although this is very rare for the school to reverse their decision. You can try to write to them a letter with persuasive reasons why the school should reconsider and accept you. Whether or not they accept you, at least you’ll know you did everything you could.
