We remind our Collegewise families that they should celebrate every offer of admission, whether or not it comes from a dream school. An admission to any college is a big deal whose significance is surpassed only by the final choice of where you’ll be spending the next four years.
But there’s no reason that celebration should be limited to inside your family walls. So here’s a suggestion for seniors and their parents: celebrate every admission for both you and your friends.
Students, when your close friends get admitted to college, offer them your sincere congratulations. If a group of you have survived both high school and the application process together, don’t stop supporting each other now. Use college decisions as an opportunity to get together to mark how many admissions letters you’ve all received.
If a school you wanted to attend admitted your friend and not you, celebrate your friend anyway. Be happy for their good fortune. Your friend will appreciate it. And I promise that being a good friend will make you feel much better than secretly resenting his or her success will.
Parents, there’s no reason admissions decisions need to be a competition between you and your friends. Get together and celebrate how many great schools accepted your equally great kids.
Bottom line: getting into college is a big deal. Going to college will be an even bigger deal. The particular schools that said yes and whether or not they’re prestigious? Not so much. Celebrate no matter what.