Why it is okay to be rejected from your dream school

Meenakshi Sathish
Staff Writer  

  It has been made clear by teachers, parents, internet bloggers, and other “experts” that the best known way to succeed in life is to get into the best college possible. While this theory is not completely bogus, it is not exactly the path to lifelong prosperity either. As Ms. Odom says, while the reputation of a school does count for something, different schools have different things to offer. If a student is interested in engineering, it would be better to go to North Carolina State University than Columbia University, which excels in its law school and liberal arts. Going to a college that was not a first choice does not hinder a successful career. This is the biggest reason why most students get upset when they find out that they did not get into their dream college. 

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      Students have such high expectations for themselves and start doubting their own abilities as a student when they do not receive acceptance to their preferred university. Colleges are not just looking for grades and class ranks. One candidate may have stellar grades while the other has an impressive essay. Every school and every admissions counselor has their own criterion that does not match other schools and counselors. Many bright students do not do well on standardized testing because of various reasons. In Mr. Ferguson’s experience, many of his students were waitlisted from their favorite university. They were bright students but just did not test well and standardized tests are notorious for not accurately measuring a student’s intelligence. However, they soon entered into their dream college based on the work they did in the college that they ended up attending, and things worked out. What this should teach is that even if a student does not get in the first time, he or she can always transfer and get in to their dream college the second time around. Who knows, maybe the college they ended up going to becomes the best thing to happen for them.
      Ms. Daughtridge, who was an English student teacher, had a friend who had her heart set on UNC Chapel Hill. Unfortunately, she did not get in and instead went to NC State. However, because of the UNC academic scandal, it was a good thing that she did not go to UNC Chapel Hill. Plus, she now has a job within the Wake County Public School Systems, which she would not have gotten had she gone to UNC-CH. This just shows to go that sometimes when one door closes, another one open. As said by Rainer Maria Rilke, “Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right, always,” and this quote is very much applicable to the life of most individuals. If an individual does not get into their dream college, there is no time to mourn. Get upset, and then move on because there are other colleges, and time lost is opportunities lost. It is important move on and take control of your career even when things seem dim. Also, students can always transfer. Rejection is part of life, and getting rejected from one’s favorite college will not be the first time or last time one hears, “no”.