With the year coming to a close, seniors are nearing the end of their college decision process and making final choices on the next chapters of their lives. The looming questions – “How did the college acceptance process go for you?” or “What would you have done differently?” – fill students with pressure and stress as they make one of the biggest decisions of their adolescent lives.

For Genevieve Rich, the college journey was different than most, due to her applying to five UK schools and only two U.S. schools. However, she explains that it was a relatively smooth process because an eventual acceptance to one of her top schools brought her a large sense of relief and excitement. 

Others faced more obstacles. Charlie Falk struggled with overwhelming stress and anxiety caused by many deferrals and challenging deadlines, leading to a loss of motivation. Similarly, Jack Radochia encountered disappointment with numerous rejections despite a large number of applications submitted. Despite these challenges, he found personal growth in refining his writing skills. So you could say there is always an upside to every downside. 

Shea Nelson’s experience was marked by setbacks, with only a few of her applications resulting in acceptance, yet she persevered in pursuing alternative options which led her to a remarkably great fit. 

Taylor Stacey grappled with intense uncertainty during her process and felt out of step with many peers who seemed to have their futures mapped out. Lauren Collins says that she tended to dwell on negative outcomes and over-thought a lot about the possibility of rejection. 

Yasmina Deangelis, like many, faced the rollercoaster of emotions and anticipation of finding out a decision from her top school. She grappled with a heart-wrenching deferral, and a last-minute early decision application, which eventually led her to find a sense of peace and acceptance about her college choice.

Despite the diverse challenges, each student persevered, finding their own path despite all of the chaos and uncertainty that the college application process brought. Reflecting on their experiences, some of the students shared very insightful reflections about what they wished they had known before embarking on the college application journey.

 Wylie Glorieux had a strong ED acceptance but then later felt pressure to accept an offer from a more rigorous school. He wished he hadn’t let that get to him. Charlie wished he had been more aware of the competitiveness of the process and better prepared himself for potential rejections. 

Shea’s wish was interesting and a bit uncommon. She expressed a desire for a more structured approach, wishing she had created a concrete list of safety schools to alleviate the stress of decision-making. 

Lauren Collins, a future college athlete, realized the danger of becoming too comfortable during the application process and wished she had been more proactive, and Yasmina acknowledged the importance of trusting her judgment, wishing she had listened less to outside opinions. 

These reflections highlight the importance of self-awareness and preparation in navigating the complexities of college applications.

A complicated and sometimes dreadful part of students finding out about acceptances, rejections, waitlists, and deferrals is one’s surroundings. A lot of times people can get caught up in their peer’s acceptances and take it personally if their decision letter is not the same. 

Shea, Yasmina, and Taylor all ended up letting their surroundings get to them. Shea explained how it was easy to get caught up, describing how seeing many of her friends commit to schools early, both for athletics and not for athletics, made it difficult for her to remain positive. However, she always had other decisions to hear back from, and she said that this essentially kept her going.

Like Shea, Yasmina and Taylor let their peer’s acceptances get to them. Yasmina wanted to be happy for her friends and celebrate their accomplishments, but because of the way certain decisions went for her, she found herself doubting her worth and feeling confused about why things weren’t working out for her the way they were for others. Taylor also expressed similar feelings, explaining how her friends made her feel “…like I wasn’t good enough.”

It’s a challenging task to stay positive throughout this crucial time when decisions matter so much to a student’s future. Outside pressures are a big issue, and many feel overwhelmed with stress and exhaustion in making their big decision.

I asked my peers to offer some valuable advice on the college application process, one that brought difficulties for many but, also, a sense of fulfillment and growth. 

Jack Radochia would remind students that college rejections do not define one’s worth. It’s important to understand that colleges seek diverse classes and that rejection should not be taken personally. 

Similarly, Taylor encourages students to recognize the diversity of paths in the college application process and to understand that not every college will be the perfect fit. With each decision serving as a guiding step forward, it becomes clearer where the match really is.

Genevieve brings up a great point in the individuality of each student’s college journey, highlighting that there is a perfect school for everyone based on their unique interests, hobbies, and majors. Finally, Yasmina advocates for self-trust. She advises students to listen to their own instincts rather than being swayed by external opinions, ensuring that their decisions are authentic and true to themselves. 

Together, these pieces of advice promote self-awareness and authenticity in navigating the complexities of college applications and the results that come with it. The seniors at Pingree faced setbacks, demonstrated perseverance, and ultimately, showed their ability to find their place of belonging in the coming years.