Since most decisions are going to be released soon, I would like to hear some interesting stories on how you reacted to them.
This thread is not meant for discussing scores, grades or anything else related to the application.
I’m curious about how you reacted to an acceptance or how you have dealt with a rejection, where were you when you found out, who was with you, who have you called first etc.
Also, if you have any advice on how to prepare emotionally for this time of the season, feel free to share it.
This is a time when most of us are under a lot of pressure and it would be nice to have a thread for celebrating our victories and for receiving some comfort as well.
Nothing really crazy but didn’t expect too be deferred from pretty much every UC except waitlisted on UCSC and got into UCR.
Me and two of my other friends were at lunch and in the car when UCSD decisions came out and we all checked at once as soon as we got back to school. I was rejected, my other friend was accepted but didn’t want to gloat, and my other friend got waitlisted and started crying.
Never really minded sharing my rejections since I know it would make other people who got rejected feel better, even though I wish I got accepted into the schools i applied to haha
This is actually kinda embarrassing…
I was encouraged by another CC member to record a reaction video to my UChicago decisions so I did. And you see me in the video kind of excited about checking and then once I opened the letter I thought it was saying that I was flat out rejected by the wording of the letter so you see disappointment across my face. I then noticed that it offered me a spot on the waitlist which is way more than what I could’ve ever really hoped for so I was happy again. On the video though I look like someone riddled with serious mood swings.
Literally: to :’( to all within 30 seconds.
I opened my MIT decision the day that I had a two and a half hour ceremony to go to, followed by a three hour bus ride home. I opened it in the morning, and thought I had gotten over it by the time I went to the awards ceremony. I hadn’t - there were a couple times during the ceremony that I was trying hard to hold back tears that I never thought I would have. It was worse on the bus, I don’t think I’ve been more happy to have an entire bag of goldfish crackers and calculus homework to do. Honestly, I’m usually not the emotional type so I was really surprised that I ended up in tears about it. My advice - open letters when you are alone, or with family, or at least people you feel comfortable being all emotional with if it comes down to it
there is a great NY Times article going around FB about college denials and how to survive them, as a parent and a senior. There are many paths to the same destination…one or two or several shut doors may actually lead you to a place that is a better fit!
I was in my college class when I received a likely letter from Notre Dame, and I just stared at the email thinking that I made it. I made it in the sense that I wouldn’t be going to just any college, but one of the best universities in the U.S. A week later, I got another early-write, but this time from Williams College, and got accepted the next day. Best believe I celebrated like crazy. Having two huge schools with a huge FA package, I felt confident for the next weeks for the other school’s decisions. Just when it couldn’t be anymore intense, I got another likely letter, and soon an actual acceptance letter, from Cornell University. Just know that I ran down the hall like I won the lotto!
I hope everyone and myself the best for the upcoming college decisions!
Whatever your reaction, **please don’t be one of those 100s of narcissists who set up a camera **while they open up the Princeton or Harvard notification – and then, after successfully pulling off the “OMG” moment – scurrying around the room waving their arms, post it on youtube or wherever. Puh-leez.
I was extremely sad and hopeless when I got deferred by Harvard. I remember that my mother was trying to cheer me up and couldn’t manage it.
I had no reaction whatsoever to being waitlisted by Kenyon, but I definitely screamed so loudly when I got a likely from Columbia, that my neighbours must have thought that something bad might have happened to me.
I was also very happy when I made it as a finalist for Richmond Scholars. I bought a bottle of champagne and celebrated with my mother.
When I opened my MIT decision on my phone, I was standing next to a lake. I was mad and sad enough to almost throw my phone backwards into the lake. It was in the air when I realized what I was doing. I caught it with my fingertips.
Recently got into Cornell, I was pretty surprised by the decision and I wanted to run down to the teacher who does NHS. I wanted to go and curse her out saying that I was Ivy League material but not good enough for her. I didn’t though because she’s actually evil and I might not have survived the confrontation.
I was coming home after picking up dinner and i got an email concerning my ED2 decision to Pomona. I hurried home and opened it, rejected. I didn’t bother to eat my food that night lol.
However, last week when I learned about Wesleyan it was out of nowhere. I opened it up and was questioning why it was so early of decision and i saw the word “Congratulations!” and I screamed and started to cry! It was emotional lol. The same happened with Swarthmore the day after but i just ran around the house yelling because of excitement.
I hurried back from a dance recital to open my email which contained my decision for my EDI school. When I was rejected I looked at it in disbelief for a few seconds then burst out crying. I had counted so badly on being accepted, but now that I look back on it, I’m happy that I wasn’t - it wasn’t the school for me. I spent the next few days feeling bad about myself and hiding in my room. I was so hurt and humiliated. Then slowly, I turned back to normal, and starting becoming excited about my second choice schools and safeties. Now I’m eagerly waiting to hear back from my other schools in a few days.
So I am in a different time zone, and my Cornell decision came at 3:30 am. The day before, my GC told me she was confident I would get in and wanted to celebrate then. I got confident and woke up early, promising to call my friends right after checking. Sleepily, I opened the browser and was faced with a rejection. My first reaction was surprise. Then I called my friends and texted my GC who were sympathetic, but surprisingly, I wasn’t sad. I told my parents in the morning and they were okay with it too. I realized I wasn’t disappointed because I didn’t truly want to attend. Next, I applied ED II to Vassar, somewhere I really wanted to go. This time however, I didn’t get my hopes up regardless of what anyone said because I didn’t want to be let down again. I didn’t wake up early and the next morning, I ate my cereal and watched tv first (though admittedly, I’d stayed up all night worrying). I finally pulled out my phone and logged into the portal and found out I got in. I cried, screenshotted it, sent it to my friend (my biggest supporter). My mom was still sleeping. Within minutes, all my friends started calling, excited, and I sent them all the screenshot. My mom woke up later and I told her the news. (I was basically just a whirlwind of emotions)
I was sick at home the day that I received my UNC Wilmington decision. I was in bed, coughing, sneezing, etc. I did NOT feel good. Then, a text came from my dad saying that something in the mail had come from UNCW; I was accepted!!! I leapt out of bed, fist pumped several times while yelling “HECK YES”!!! Then reading it when everyone got home made me feel better
Then, about eleven days later, my UMass Amherst (former first choice) rejection came in. My reaction?
So I was just rejected from St. Lawrence (probably the safest out of my safeties lol?!) and here’s what they said in the decision letter: “Our decision was made based on our assessment of your preparation for the academic demands at St. Lawrence.”
I usually just shrug and move on whenever I get a rejection letter (international student with huge financial aid need), but this one pisses me off. I’m easily in the top 1% of their applicant pool and yet I never treated St. Lawrence as a safety only (I even completed their optional supplement on their website, not CommonApp), but they treat me like I’m inferior and unworthy of their attention lol.
to :’( to 
all within 30 seconds.