If you’ve ever been through the college application process, you know that it can be very stressful. Not only are the applications long and sometimes confusing, but the competition among students to get into the best schools is extremely fierce. In senior year, college is the only thing people seem to talk about, whether it’s about where their fellow students are applying or where they got accepted/rejected. Many students have a dream school, but what happens when they don’t get into this school? I got rejected from my dream school, and I couldn’t be happier.
Growing up in New York, my dream was to go to a college on the west coast, specifically the University of Southern California. I wanted to experience something different and much warmer than the cold New York winters, something not located in the northeast. In my freshman year of high school, I had decided that USC would be the dream school I worked hard to get into. I had pictured myself pursuing my dream of becoming a sports reporter at one of the top journalism schools in the country and enjoying a lack of snowy, freezing cold winters.
Fast forward to March of senior year. I found myself with a rejection from USC, and an acceptance to a school that had caught my attention: Boston University. After a few tours around campus, I was sold; Boston would become my home for the next four years.
During my freshman year, I knew I made the right decision. I found friends that are like family to me, I'm studying journalism at a top-ten journalism school, and I have had so many opportunities that I’m beyond thankful for. I’m in an amazing city filled with tons of amazing and diverse people and feel incredibly grateful for all of this every single day. I’ve created a life in Boston that I never would have imagined had you asked me a few years ago.
You are more than a college rejection letter. As cliché as it may sound, everything happens for a reason. Facing rejection is not something to be ashamed of, it’s something that should be embraced. I know it’s upsetting and it can make you feel terrible hearing a friend or classmate got into your dream school when you didn’t - trust me I’ve been there too. It’s important to remember that everyone fails at some point, and that’s okay. Rejection allows people to learn how to pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and make the best of the situations they’re in. College is a time to try new things and to grow into your adult self, so getting rejected from one of the thousands of great schools is an opportunity to find the perfect fit for your wants and needs.
Not everyone will get into their dream school. If you happen to be one of these people, don’t panic. Go on a few tours, stay at a friend’s dorm for a night or two, and make sure to evaluate all of your options because your final decision may surprise you.