Myka Yamasaki

If You Didn’t Get in Early Decision

For those who didn’t get into their early decision school, it’s going to be ok. Here are a couple things you should hear.

 

1) It sucks but don’t blame yourself

You worked really hard and you told the school you were their top choice by applying early decision, and yet they denied you admission. This feeling is really awful but don’t take it personally. Given the nature of college admissions, colleges end up having to deny hundreds of highly qualified applicants. It’s not your fault that you didn’t get in. So go easy on yourself. Not having an extra 150 points on the SAT or not having another extracurricular are not what kept you from attending your top choice. Don’t agonize over things you have no control over.

 

2) There are other schools

A lot of different factors may have contributed to a certain college being your top choice. From family legacy, location, prestige, available programs/majors, and cost, if you think about it long enough, it’s easy to put one college on a pedestal. However, that pedestal is false. It’s not fun getting rejected from a school you really liked but trust me when I say there are plenty of other schools out there that meet your criteria and could be a good fit for you. I know people who attended their early decision school and ended up hating it and transferring. So don’t feel like it’s the end if you don’t get into that ‘top choice’ school.

 

3) You have to be resilient

As difficult as it can be to deal with rejection, you have to be resilient. You only have a few weeks before regular decision applications are due. Don’t give up on college applications just because you didn’t get into one school. Be strong and put maximum effort into the rest of your essays and supplements. You really don’t want to let one hiccup derail the entire college application process. The hard work will pay off and you will end up somewhere great come March/April.

 

Seriously, don’t let one rejection make you feel lesser about yourself. Your dedication throughout high school will pay off in ways you cannot even imagine yet. So don’t be too down and good luck with the rest of the process. You are going to do great!

 

Author

  • Myka Yamasaki

    Myka will be attending Occidental College (located in Los Angeles) in the fall and is very excited! She is looking forward to reflecting on her high school experience to help others do their best on the SAT/ACT and in college admissions. She loves cats, food, and friends.

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