Proper way to comfort rejected friend and provide advice?

Applying to College
1

<p>Ok, so as ED/EA decisions are rolling in (and I"m anticipating a quick deferral myself) the news isn't all good for my friends and I'm trying to figure out the best things to say.</p>

<p>How do YOU deal with friends saying things like</p>

<ul>
<li>I'm going to be rejected everywhere.</li>
<li>Does a rejection now mean that I'm screwed?</li>
</ul>

<p>and one particular issue that's been bugging me is that one friend has a heart set on the Ivies/top tier schools but almost no extracurricular activities. It's very hard to tell her, "Well, you have a chance since your grades are good... but don't count on it," when I really mean, "Don't count on it at all." </p>

<p>Is the best thing usually to just offer comfort and tell them they are awesome? Or try to encourage them to look at a wider range of schools? Soft love or tough love?</p>

2

<p>It it was me, I'd be like "Forget you. Im in Penn State!" But that's just me. =]</p>

3

<p>Rejection form EA/ED does not mean you're screwed there are other good schools that you can apply to and will be good matches for you, unless your GPA was like 2.8 and lower...</p>

4

<p>Point out that they have other reaches/matches/safeties that thy would do well at and would like.</p>

<p>If you let the rejection cause you to slack, then it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Encourage them to keep working, so that they will have a choice of schools to choose from.</p>

<p>Encourage them to look at a wider range of schools (including LACs).</p>

5

<p>Use a metaphor: It's like playing at the arcade, most people gets only one life, they had two, but lost one. There is still one left, so now they are just the same as everyone else. No big deal.</p>