GREENSBORO, N.C. — College acceptance letters. They can be life-changing... for good or bad. Today, we focus on the high school seniors who didn't get the news they hoped for. The sting of rejection. The crushing disappointment. It's a familiar story for many graduating seniors. Dreams of a specific campus life are dashed in an email.
Many high school seniors have a common question about being rejected from colleges: "Why wasn't I good enough?" Feeling lost and questioning yourself is normal, particularly when you've worked hard to excel as a student. You might even wonder what was the point of working so hard to not get in where you wanted.
As a parent, you can help your high school senior realize that rejection to a particular college or university doesn't define them as students or people. It's a complex, poorly understood, and sometimes arbitrary process. A rejection letter doesn't determine their future. Life can throw many obstacles your way; sometimes, it doesn't make sense and seems unfair. What determines their future is how they bounce back from the rejection and persevere in finding a different direction to get where they want to go.
It's natural for high school seniors who have been rejected from their dream school to feel like other colleges or universities aren't good enough. Give them time to process the disappointment or anger. It's also important to help your student realize that there are other good colleges where they can study their major and earn their degree. Putting together a list of great qualities of the other colleges and universities and attending either virtual or in-person visits can help your student see the value. During these visits, encourage your student to connect with current students at the other schools to get a sense of what it's like.
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