So you’re waiting for mid-March when colleges will release a flood of seemingly life-defining decisions.
Some people in your school are probably already sporting their college sweatshirts proudly, but maybe you haven’t heard anything back, or at least not from any of your top-choice schools. Thinking about when decisions will be released and where you’ll end up for the next four years and checking your email obsessively may be keeping you up at night. But don’t fret!
Most of us at LogicPrep have been in your shoes. But as I wait for my students to send me their news, I keep thinking back to what an infernal few months that was for me all those years ago. Since hindsight is 20/20, I want to share some tips about what to do, and what not to do, while awaiting your college decisions.
DO: Dive deep into non-academic hobbies
I applied for college during a gap year, so I had plenty of time on my hands to freak out over what admissions officers might be thinking about my application.
I found that one of my favorite hobbies, playing music, was an invaluable tool for escape. I would call up the members of my band and kind of force them to jam with me for hours on end. These hours flew by much quicker than hours scrolling online, and we got a lot better in the process!
Even if you don’t play music, find something hands-on and physical to do that isn’t academic. It will get those endorphins flowing and help pass the time. If physical activity isn’t really your thing, dive into a riveting book series or challenging art project.
DON’T: Let negative decisions inform your chances elsewhere
I was rejected from about six colleges before I got into one. I will never forget my first rejection email from UCLA while I was out at a friend’s birthday dinner. It was like a kick in the gut, and the hits just kept coming. I would receive the dreaded “We regret to inform you…” over and over in the next few weeks, and I began to question my literal value as a person based on those emails.
It’s easier said than done, but try not to let these get you down. Remember, all you need is one acceptance you’re happy with!
DO: Volunteer your time somewhere
This sounds sort of fluffy and moralizing, but it actually helped me a great deal when I was waiting for decisions.
When you volunteer your time for a cause you are passionate about, you remove your “self” from the equation for a while. I don’t know about you, but when I have too much time to sit around and think about myself, it gets exhausting quickly. Chances are you just did a lot of that while crafting your essays and figuring out how to present yourself to colleges, so give yourself a break!
You’ve done all you can to make your application strong, so now focus on helping others instead.
DON’T: Go on student forums
I really wish I had followed this rule.
Sites like CollegeConfidential or Reddit can seem indispensable for gleaning insight into different campus cultures, and often they are, but they can also be highly toxic. Reading threads of students estimating other students’ “chances” on getting in based on their statistics will only exacerbate your stress. I remember reading about the accomplishments of students who could have been Nobel Laureates and feeling like a nobody. Do yourself a favor and leave the decisions up to admissions committees. Combing through these websites will only make the wait that much longer and more stressful.
I know you might be thinking, “Well this is easy for you to say, Sean, since you’ve already gone to college and it worked out well for you”. I used to say the same thing to my mentor when he would tell me to chill out while I was awaiting decisions.
I promise if you follow even just one piece of advice from this list, it will make these next couple of months that much easier!