As December begins, fate deciding emails are getting ready to be sent out, and seniors are bracing themselves for results. 

As most seniors would agree, the beginning of 12th grade is a stressful time, deciding where to apply, dealing family feuds, handling fast-approaching deadlines, and thinking about leaving their high school lives to become independent grown-ups, are just some of the many things that overwhelm the minds of all seniors. But, this time of year especially, seniors turn over the looming question in their heads, “Will I get in?”

This short four worded question can cause seniors to question themselves in countless ways. And, it brings up another question, “How do I deal with college rejection?”

There are two completely different types of extreme college applicants: one that is overly confident and one that has no hope. Somewhere in the middle is the ideal place to be. Always remembering that the college application process is never a sure thing and sometimes not a direct path. There are endless variables that admissions take into consideration, so being overly confident is almost just as bad as being utterly hopeless. 

Having a realistic approach is always helpful, doing your research on the types of applicants the school usually accepts can help you find out where you fall on their scale and your general chance to get in. 

A backup plan that you are happy with is the next best thing to getting into the school of your dreams. Having a couple of backup plans that you know you will be more than satisfied with can help ease the pressure of your top choice’s decision. 

Parents can also unknowingly put a lot of extra pressure on seniors when it comes to college and acceptance. It’s very important to take into consideration what your parents think of schools and their opinions but not let them overwhelm you. It’s helpful to keep conversations about college open and talk frequently about the subject with open minds. This conversation should include realistic chances of acceptance, backup plans, and financial aid. Surprises about costs, and expectations of colleges usually never end well. 

Counselors always like to say that you will end up where you need to be, which is a great thing to believe so remember to hang on to that!