<p>So I'm having a rather nostalgic moment right now, thinking back to the college admissions process a year ago and the hopeful wait for those letters of acceptance from top schools like MIT ... and I know that many of you are in the same position I was right now, therefore I would like to share some insight with you after a semester at a university I was originally quite unsure about. </p>
<p>It's not all about the prestige - it's good to have, sure, but don't pick a school because of that alone. The school I ended up at is not Harvard, or MIT, or Stanford like I once dreamed, but I am happier here than I ever could have imagined. </p>
<p>Don't automatically cross a school off of your list because you think it doesn't have a good enough ranking, or because it's not an Ivy, or whatever. You may just end up very surprised. I was disappointed when I got rejected from my top choice school, but I'm realizing now that it was for the better. I wouldn't have stood out in one of those uber-selective schools and as a result who knows what my opportunities might have been, but here my professors notice me and I'm given opportunities that would never have been presented to me otherwise. As a freshman, I'm doing graduate research and already have a publication in the works. I'm involved with a bunch of student organizations and am making a ton of industry connections. All I'm saying is keep your options open - don't go by reputation alone and experience it for yourself before you make a choice. </p>
<p>In retrospect, I'm thankful that I got rejected from my top choice school because I would've never given my school the consideration I did, and I would not be where I am, with the amazing people I've met and the opportunities I've seized, today. When they say that a school is what you make of it, they're right. So for those of you who get rejected from your top choice like me, let this be a comfort to you: it's not the end - it's just the beginning :)</p>
<p>Very wise words--and over the years, I have seen many, many cases of students falling in love with a school that may not have been their first choice--and they could never imagine going anywhere else. The next few months are particularly hard for high school seniors. There is so much emphasis (too much?) on where everyone is going, from peers, GC counselors, parents--and it always seems to build-up into a frenzy as April and May approaches. Local newspapers publish decisions, as well as guidance offices and graduation ceremonies, and everyone "ooh's and aah's" and congratulates both the student and the parents--it's no wonder that a child's whole sense of self-worth becomes entangled with the prestige of the school they have chosen. And then...at the end of June...it all comes to an abrupt stop--and all anybody cares about anymore is where the next crop of seniors will be applying to, and everything else becomes old news. It happens year after year after year---so, seniors and their parents, prepare yourself for these next few months. It's tough, but it goes by quickly--and come September, there will be a sense of excitement in the air, and many great experiences to look forward to.</p>