Dec. 14, 2023: the day I didn’t get into my desired program to my dream college. I sat in my eighth-period class crying as I read the letter, anticipating when the school day would end. That night, I stayed up next to an empty pint of ice cream trying to plan what would happen next for me. So after experiencing and processing the five stages of grief, I’ve come to terms that this “rejection” is a chance for redirection.
In full honesty, hearing, “oh, you can just transfer into the program next year,” is a stab to the heart knowing that I actually can’t. For anyone going into nursing, including myself, a direct admission program is an ideal plan so you don’t have to go through another application process later on. Unfortunately, my dream college’s nursing program is a direct admission program. This means I can’t transfer in if I wasn’t accepted initially, I can only transfer out if I was accepted. To say it was a humbling experience is an understatement. I was devastated. All my hard work in high school felt like it went down the drain in one day.
It only took a day to hear back from another college. I truly feared that no other college would accept me after that. I couldn’t bear the thought of not getting accepted into another nursing program. On the other hand, my mother was eager to see the update on my application decision.
“We are pleased to inform you of your acceptance for the fall semester.”
Then the next one came in.
“Congratulations! You have been admitted via Early Action to the Nursing program for the Fall 2024 semester.”
Yes. I received more acceptance letters but also deferrals and rejections. However, they didn’t bother me as much as they did before. All the other schools that I applied to and that reached out to me have distracted me from the fact that I didn’t get into the nursing program at my dream school. It was relieving. I felt as if this huge weight came off my shoulders.
So if you told me in December that I would be sitting here and considering other schools to go to, I would probably laugh at your face. I would think that you were so funny for even suggesting I could go anywhere else. Yet, here I am applying for scholarships, filling out the FAFSA and scheduling campus visits to a bunch of different schools. I am even fortunate enough to have extended family who went to the same schools that I applied to and were able to share their experience with me. Hearing how much they enjoyed their college experience has brought new hope that maybe this is the beginning of something new.
As the second semester progresses for seniors, there is so much that goes into picking the one school for you. Admissions, FAFSA, scholarships, honors programs and campus tours can put a lot on your plate. But, Naperville North is fortunate to have great resources to help with all of those and ease your stress. However, no one tells you how to deal with getting rejected. So from one senior to the next: your worth as a student and person isn’t defined by what school you go to. You determine what your life is going to look like, not the school.
