April is the season of acceptance letters and of course, rejection letters from colleges. For many kids, a rejection letter from their dream college can be crushing. If they planned well, they should have at least one acceptance to another college, which they might have deemed their "safety school". College admissions is more competitive than ever so rejection letters are expected. The New York Post recently published an article suggesting that parents can take the rejection just as hard as their kids. Parents can drive themselves crazy thinking about what they could have done differently. Where did they go wrong? Should they have paid for an SAT prep class? Did they make a mistake by having their kid take AP Calc instead of AP US History? What about that internship? Second guessing could go on forever and it will do no good.
We've worked with many families where students have taken the rejection letters better than their parents. Students are preparing themselves for the rejection, even if they don't seem like it. They know that there is a chance that they could not get in. Parents, on the other hand, feel like they've done everything they can to make sure kid will get into the best, most prestigious college and when that doesn't happen, they can take that rejection personally. How could a college not totally fall in love with your baby? How could they reject your talented, smart, witty kid? Take comfort in the knowledge that you and your child did everything you could and college admissions is complex. It is not just about grades or community service. It is more than what is on a student's transcript or application. Admissions officers have complicated and secretive processes for accepting and rejecting an applicant. Riley College Advising can help you and your child navigate the college admissions process. We will help your child create a well thought out college list, making sure to include a variety of schools that fit your child's personal, academic, and financial interests. We will help your family celebrate the many college acceptance letters he or she will surely receive but we will also help if a rejection letter makes its way to your mailbox.
We've worked with many families where students have taken the rejection letters better than their parents. Students are preparing themselves for the rejection, even if they don't seem like it. They know that there is a chance that they could not get in. Parents, on the other hand, feel like they've done everything they can to make sure kid will get into the best, most prestigious college and when that doesn't happen, they can take that rejection personally. How could a college not totally fall in love with your baby? How could they reject your talented, smart, witty kid? Take comfort in the knowledge that you and your child did everything you could and college admissions is complex. It is not just about grades or community service. It is more than what is on a student's transcript or application. Admissions officers have complicated and secretive processes for accepting and rejecting an applicant. Riley College Advising can help you and your child navigate the college admissions process. We will help your child create a well thought out college list, making sure to include a variety of schools that fit your child's personal, academic, and financial interests. We will help your family celebrate the many college acceptance letters he or she will surely receive but we will also help if a rejection letter makes its way to your mailbox.