Dylan Liang ’17
So I’ve gone through all three: denial, deferral, and acceptance through the early programs that I applied. Here are my thoughts on all three:
Denial
On the day I was denied by my first choice, my experience wasn’t terrible. I remember calling my brother on the phone, and he reassured me that getting denied was not at all the worst thing to happen to me.
In the first ten minutes after opening the application portal, I was absolutely crushed. Why? How could this happen to me?
But honestly, much of the college application process is a game of luck; after all, when schools like the one I applied to are as competitive as they are, chances are always going to be slim. Denial in the Early Decision process isn’t an uncommon experience at all. If denial through ED happens to any of you future seniors, don’t worry about it. Instead, use the fact that you are no longer bound by the ED contract as an opportunity to explore the other great colleges and universities out there. Your “dream school” may not necessarily be the school for you. I would go as far as saying that are other schools that I now find to be even more fitting for me than my “dream school.” There are plenty of fantastic schools out there. Stay optimistic.
Deferral
When I applied Early Action to a school and was deferred to the regular application pool, I was a little disappointed. I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t get in or not, I was more annoyed by the fact that I have to wait for a few more months to get a result I applied for on November 1st last year. If you get deferred to the regular application pool for a school, don’t worry, there are many reasons why someone may get deferred by a school. In this case, you should stay optimistic. A lot of people who get deferred end up getting accepted later. It’s a second chance.
Acceptance
I was ecstatic when I opened the application portal for the school. My 2016 New Year’s Resolution was to get into college before the end of the year. I finally accomplished it. Even though the school may not be my top choice, I know that I’m at least going somewhere. It’s not a bad school by any means. This was some nice assurance before the end of the year. But anyone in my shoes who has been accepted into an institution of higher education, don’t forget to get those Regular Decision applications in. It’s not entirely over yet (unless you’ve been accepted by the school you’re 100% sure you’ve gotten into). It’s relieving, but only temporarily.
In the end, remember that wherever you end up going to, just keep in mind that life doesn’t stop at the college you go to. Even if you don’t end up your #1 choice, it’s nowhere near the end of the world. As I said, there are more than plenty of excellent schools out there. Plus, you have a whole life ahead of you after college.
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