There’s no reason to use words like “devastated” or “heartbroken” when talking about college admissions disappointment.
The college admissions process is injected with all kinds of unnecessary anxiety and stress. So many kids and parents get swept up in the race for the same 25 prestigious colleges that it’s easy to forget how lucky we are to have a chance to go to college at all.
Today, worry a little less about whether or not your SAT score will break 2000 or if your activities will make you stand out enough or whether or not your dream school will accept you. Your college future is incredibly important and certainly deserves attention. But don’t lose your perspective. An SAT score that falls short or one dream college that says no doesn’t rob you of your chance to go to college, meet people, graduate, start a career, get married, and have kids of your own who you’ll one day nag to write their damn college essays. It just means you'll start that journey someplace else.
Take a breath and be thankful that you (or your kids) get to make the journey at all.