An Open Letter to Lawrenceville

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>Dear Lawrenceville (or rather, the Lawrenceville Admissions Office),
Hi. You probably don’t know me. I was rejected from your school on March 9, after so many hours working on your essays, preparing for your interviews, and most of all, worrying. In fact, I was sitting in this very spot, at my couch right now, when I got rejected. Memories, memories. But instead of writing a jealousy-induced message about how I should have gotten in, I would like to write you a thank you letter. </p>

<p>After January 16 and up until March 9 at 9:59 AM, Lawrenceville had been my dream. Big financial endowment, located near Princeton, great swim team, nice people, Harkness tables, and a feeling of eruditeness I hadn’t felt since I moved from NYC a few faithful years ago. My interview went great, I worked tremendously hard on my essays, I wrote thank you notes that I never got a response to, I got an alumni and swim coach recommendation, I studied SOOOO hard for my SSATS, I worked- I cannot stress this enough- so, so hard. I worked hard because I knew my ethnicity and my financial status would set me back, I worked hard because I knew Lawrenceville was the place for me. But I got a rejection. And I’m not angry, not at all actually; I’d just like to thank you. Your rejection gave me what I really needed then- a reality check. I harbor no bad feelings for you, my sweet Lawrenceville. I understand how hard it is trying to pick students, and I wish well to the lucky new Lawrentiens in the fall (sorry if I spelled that wrong). Thank you, Lawrenceville, for teaching me what you could not have with an acceptance- sometimes, life isn’t fair. You just have to move on.
Ala Viva,
Blahblahblah424</p>

2

<p>@blahblahblah: it’s indeed not easy getting the fat package as a FA applicant, and sometimes I feel this whole process isn’t particularly fair. Wherever you end up next year, nonetheless, you should be proud of yourself; at least you gave it a try.</p>

3

<p>This open letter breaks my heart. blahblahblah424, highschool is not an end in and of itself. Its only a beginning. You will do great in life, no doubt about it, since you are obviously goal oriented and a hard worker. Sometimes we don’t see what’s best for us. Things work out in a way in which we do not expect and we are not quite ready. I have no doubt that your hard work and your persistence will set you apart from other students at your high school and you will be successful in your college matriculations, which is really what this process is all about. Or, is it, because then there is graduate school. There are many ways to get to where you want to be. I have no doubt you will get there.</p>