<p>To all of you who are still waiting to hear from your dream - or safety - school, hang in there! To those who have received offers of admissions, congratulations!</p>
<p>This college application season seems to be as difficult as every other spring, but this time around the stakes are slightly different. This class (and the next several below it) will find that the competition is more competitive due to the staggering number of kids born in the late 80's and early 90's. Slots that would have been available a few years are harder to come by. Students are applying to more schools as a hedge, to make sure they have options. Some of you applied to one school. Others, 4 or 5, or 10 or 12! </p>
<p>For all of you seniors, take a deep breath. If you were rejected by a school that was a reach, or a backup, don't take it personally. Very few adcoms actually get to meet the student behind the file. How many of you out there in CC actually had an interview on campus? Many colleges view these files "holistically", but how well can they see the true student on paper? All of you are living, breathing, thinking young people, on the verge of adulthood, and you all have the potential to reach great heights. Whether you start at a community college, Harvard, or somewhere in between, you will all be okay.</p>
<p>That said, I didn't get into my top school when I was your age. After mulling my other acceptances, I went to my safety, instead, and then transferred to a school that this year has a 22% chance of acceptance. There are so many paths to a degree. Some of you will go to backup schools and love it so much there, you will wonder why you liked XYZ University. Others will start at XYZ and transfer out. </p>
<p>Over the next few weeks, you will have many decisions to make. Think carefully, not about what your parents want you to do, or your high school counselor or teachers, or your girlfriend/boyfriend/best friend thinks. This is one of the most important decisions to make concerning your future. Try to visit schools that you have been accepted to, but haven't seen in person, yet. Talk with students on those campuses, and find out why they like it - or don't like it. Realize the first year is a transition, and it may not always be easy. Ask for help, if you need it. Most colleges have learning centers that will help you if you struggle with a class. </p>
<p>If you are a student that has always been at the top of the class, remember, many of you are going to the most selective schools where everyone admitted (practically) had the same grades as you. You may not get the same grades you had before. You may do better. There are no "weighted" GPA's in college, either. If you have a scholarship, you better do the work so you don't "lose it". Talking to your professor is a good thing; begging your professor to change your grade, not so good.</p>
<p>Go to class. Don't blow off classes. You will get behind. Read the material. Study and review your lecture notes. Don't text message during class, or update facebook, either. You/your parents/anonymous taxpayers/scholarship donors are paying for you to get an education, not find out what your friends are doing later on. </p>
<p>Don't forget to thank your teachers and counselors for their recommendations. Let them know where you got in and are planning on going. Thank your parents for being supportive of you along the way. Realize they aren't completely nuts. Sending you to college is a big milestone for them, too. They will miss you. </p>
<p>Good luck to all of you. Hopefully the mail carrier brings admissions offers and financial aid offers this weekend!</p>