Hey there,
I know you're probably upset right now, and maybe you're coping by eating tons of chocolate, maybe you're shedding a few tears, or maybe you're going on hour-long rants about how you will boycott that school and cheer adamantly against them in every sport they play. I did a combination of all three. Trust me, there's nothing worse than getting that letter (or email these days) basically saying, "I'm sorry, but you've been rejected." There's no other way to put it: rejection sucks, especially when it comes from somewhere you've been dreaming your whole life about going to school. It probably feels like everything you've worked for up until now was a waste, and that all the hours you spent studying for the SAT and working your butt off to get a high GPA and balance extracurriculars were useless. But they weren't.
Rejection builds character. It doesn't mean you aren't good enough or smart enough. It just means you weren't a right fit for their school at the time. Getting a rejection letter in the mail is no testament to your character, and all it means is that there's something better out there waiting for you. I was rejected from my dream university as a senior in high school, and I remember thinking I never would fall in love with any school the way I fell in love with the University of Georgia. But I did. I actually fell in love with three. Now, my college experience hasn't been traditional. I spent a year at the University of Alabama, and I had the time of my life. The memories I made there, the people I met, and the lessons I learned, I wouldn't trade for anything. Then I transferred. I came closer to home and attended UNC Wilmington, which I'll be graduating from in May with a degree in creative writing, something not even offered at my "dream school." I spent a semester away studying at New York University, and I fell in love with it, too.
What I'm trying to say is, without getting rejected from my "dream school," I never would have had these experiences. I never would have pursued a degree in Creative Writing, I may never have studied in New York, and I never would have had the pleasure of waking up in a beach house, going to class, and spending the rest of the day with my feet in the sand. I wouldn't have met my best friends, and I may not have been in the same sorority. Getting a rejection letter doesn't define who you are. What you do after it, however, does.
You're allowed to be sad for a little while. But after the sadness wears off and the reality sets in, think about college as a whole. College itself is a dream come true, and just because you aren't where you thought you'd end up doesn't mean it won't turn out to be fantastic. You just have to give it a chance. A real chance. If you hate it, you can always reapply to your "dream school," but if you love it, four years from now you'll be thankful you received that rejection letter, because without it, your life wouldn't be the same.
Sincerely,
Someone who's been there
