It’s that time of year. It’s time to find the silver lining of college rejection. High school seniors by now have heard from all the schools to which they applied. Some are elated. Others are heartbroken that they did not get into their preferred college. In College Admissions Experts Explain the Merits of Not Getting In, Author S. Mitra Kalita offers tips on looking for the positive when the news feels so not great:
- Don’t take rejection personally
- The experience builds resilience
- This is a great chance to focus on your “character story”
- Consider a Gap Year
- Companies hire based on your skills, internships, and ability to work in teams, not your school name
- Hiring is increasingly focusing on community colleges
- Students are still the same person, regardless of college admissions decisions. Embrace the future!
Of course, we loved Kalita’s comments on Gap Years! She summarizes a point of view also expressed in Rob Lieber’s book The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make. She says:
On message boards and college admissions list-servs, I am increasingly seeing families say their children will take the gap year to work and save up money for college. Others report their children are burnt out from the pandemic and want to recharge via travel or time with family before throwing themselves into another educational setting with all its intensity and uncertainty. This represents a potential boon for employers seeking long-term interns or other talent.
We couldn’t agree more with Kalita when she says that what matters most is not the name on a student’s college sweatshirt, but who is wearing it. We have literally been saying this for years!
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of a Gap Year and how Gap Year Solutions can help you plan a life-changing year, fill out our contact form and we’ll be right back to you!
