It only takes one. Or: Things to remember in the wake of rejection

A post that applies to any application process.

Today I was scrolling down my Tumblr dash (and checking my inbox) and all I saw were people bemoaning rejections and waitlists. Some of these people have likely letters or acceptances into great schools already, and they’re still waiting to hear back from more.

Rejection stinks. It really hurts to be told that an institution doesn’t want you (or doesn’t want you as much as some other people who applied).
It hurts. It makes you feel inadequate. You cry, you stare in disbelief; you tear it up into pieces.

But there is another way to look at rejections. Because you have to remember, you can only attend one school. Even if you get into every school you apply to, you then have to pick.

So each time you get one of those letters, let it roll off your back. They’re just making the final decision easier for you.  

I truly believe that everyone ends up where they’re supposed to be. It might be your first choice. It might be your safety school. It’s probably going to be a match school. But truly, everyone ends up in the school they’re supposed to go to.

My best friend at college is currently waiting to hear back from graduate schools. She’s gotten two stellar acceptances, and a handful of rejections. But when something like this happens, you have to remember that it doesn’t matter if you get into every single program to which you apply, you can still only attend one.

It only takes one school. People learn to love things. They find happiness where they don’t expect it. When a school goes from being your “back up if your reaches don’t work out” to your “top choice because those elitist pieces of poop rejected you” you’re going to see it in a new light.

Time heals all wounds. There’s a big difference between an “Ivy Reject” and someone who happened to be rejected from the Ivies.

You get to choose which one you are.