Scenario #4: You don’t get accepted at any college.
Here’s what you should NOT do:
Give up.
Here’s what you should do:
You are allowed to be sad about this. Just don’t become sad permanently. You still have some options.
First, start applying for jobs. It’s important that you don’t waste a lot of time and become stagnant. Even if it is a job you aren’t looking forward to, it is good for you to get out and have something to do during the day. It will give you a chance to save a little money.
Second, start researching local community colleges, technical schools or schools with open-enrollment. They might not be where you saw yourself when you started looking into higher education, but they are still places where you can learn and build a skill set. If you are still adamant about attending a four-year school, you can apply for a transfer after a few semesters. The admissions office will be impressed that you didn’t let rejection stop you from pursuing an education, and that might be what they need to hear in order to offer you a spot.
Finally, take this time to really think about what you want. I know, you probably were thinking about this all along, right? But this is when you should be making some concrete plans. Where else do you want to apply? What major and career do you want to pursue? Do you have any interest in going down a non-college path (i.e. the military, traveling, volunteer work, etc.)? Now is the time to make a plan and go after it.
Whether you are still planning to go to college down the road or not, make sure you do something with this time. Work if you can, look into going to a local school and create a plan with a specific timeline. Not getting into college is a disappointment. But if you use your time after graduation wisely, you will still have the chance to do what you want to do.
NextStepU knows that you will be on the lookout for your acceptance letters during the next month or two. It has been a pleasure advising you on your decision-making process. We wish you all good luck!
Written by Rachel Montpelier. Rachel is a senior at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. and is the editorial assistant at NextStepU.
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Watch this video for more advice on what you should do right now with those college acceptance letters!
