Wait of minute, this idea has potential. Maybe OP can send himself a batch of ‘break-up’ emails in anticipation of when he/she gets dumped. And another batch of rejection letters from companies that he/she will someday apply to and get ‘thank you for your interest but’ letters. And a bunch of fun communications from the IRS expressing it’s desire to look into his/her financials up close and personal. And some phone calls from various medical professionals with test results that require ‘further study.’
Okay, point made. OP, the way to get perspective here is remind yourself that you are not your admissions to college. They are not a measure of your self-worth, a judgement on your success in high school, proof of intelligence, or anything else. Now go do something less morbid with your time.
I would have said that the best “preparation” is to apply early to some matches and safeties with either rolling admissions or non-binding early action, so that you could have some acceptances in the bag before you receive any disappointing notifications.
I should have clarified earlier. I have a multitude of schools I am applying to all with varying acceptance rates. My worry isn’t that I won’t be accepted anywhere, but rather that I am not going to be accepted to “THE” school. I understand that it is important to have options, but I realized that I have fallen in love with a “hail mary pass” if you will. I have obsessing about this school for so long that all others on my list pale significantly in comparison. I knew going into this process that my chances were slim but having read more about the types of people they accept I realize I am not one of them. It has been hard for me to come to terms with that fact - so I reached out to people on college confidential for advice on how to cushion the blow.
It is very common that kids that don’t get into their first-choice college report a year later that they are very happy to be at the (second, third, … choice) college that they are attending, and can’t imagine being anywhere else. In all probability, this will also describe your experience a year from now, if you aren’t accepted to your extreme reach. So, don’t fret in advance about the rejection letter. Realize that there are many colleges at which you can be happy and thrive… This is what I am telling my kid, in anticipation of the “early” decisions next month.
@ballsohard2020 , if you’re worried about being hurt, I think you have to go with the fact that even though it feels personal, it’s not. You just didn’t fit the profile they were looking for at the particular time they picked up your application, and it’s their loss.
The harder thing is when you feel as if only one school is a perfect match for YOU. As in – all of the other schools have lesser dorms, programs, campuses, not as nice people, etc. I’ve been working really hard to keep my kids from that feeling with their ED schools, but I think I’m failing. Add that to the fact that they’re applying to reachy schools and I’m having the same thoughts as you – how will I help them move on and focus on other schools if they get rejected?
If you’re rejected from your dream school, you can still end up being very happy at a different school, but right now, it’s incredibly hard to imagine it.
Don’t make your happiness dependent on outside sources, be happy with who you are and what you are able to do.
Find something that you enjoy doing, help others, it will make you feel good.
Love your safety, find things to love in the safety or match schools, so you can be happy about the opportunities you have.
Some students get accepted to a school they think is a dream school, but then can’t afford going there or once they go there they don’t feel they fit in or the competition is crazy or something else makes their dream a nightmare.
I’ve seen posts here from freshmen at Cornell, UIUC, U Penn and other top schools, struggling and not liking it there. Others who go there love it. A particular school is not the best school for everyone, just because of a prestigious name.
So strive to go to the best program and fit school you can be accepted to and afford, and take advantage of everything it offers.
YOU are in charge of your happiness, not the university you attend, not your professors, not your parents, your friends or your peers. You will be responsible for creating the experiences you have at any university you attend. I am sorry but I don’t even know or care what university you dream of and I already say it doesn’t matter. Once you get to school the dreaming is over and the doing starts. Spending time fretting over a potential rejection to a school is time ill spent and frankly useless.
You cushion the blow by not having a dream school to start with. I am going to guess that you got this advice and ignored it. You also cushion it by only applying to schools you are willing to attend. Also probably advice you got – I hope you followed it. Now you really should focus in on wrapping up the rest of your apps before the decision date for your favorite school. You don’t need to submit, but get them all ready to go. Then if you are wallowing in a sea of ice cream after your probable letdown, you at least aren’t sacrificing the quality of the apps to the schools you are most likely to attend.
Wow. I think some people on this thread have been unnecessarily hard on you. So I am going to cross my fingers for you and hope you get a surprise
Good luck.
Ps - I think your approach was kind of clever
Ignoring the fact that there is a mailing address and the fact that this could possibly be a joke (although it seems doubtful at this point sadly), I believe what the OP has done here is in fact genius; imagine sifting through dozens of rejection letters to end up finding an acception letter. Creating extra happiness out of pessisim.
D did a lot of online perusing of her “safety” school web sites. Noticing cool classes, pretty campus, etc etc. She did wind up getting into one of her high reaches, and is attending, but she was ready for #2, in fact she was ready for #10.
Just presume now you will not get in. It’s a long shot. If it happens, joy! If not, eh!
You are looking with rose colored glasses. No school is “all that”. Surely there are other schools that have similar (whatever you like about THE school)? Unless it is prestige. Then you just have to get that out of your head!
None of this is a real reflection of your character. You know that. So it would just be a disappointment, right? Join the club. If you get rejected, pin it all the wall at school with everyone else! It’s not life altering…it just seems that way right now.
JK.