REJECTED? KEEP PRESSING!
Did you get a sweetly worded college or scholarship rejection letter this week? Did your dream school decide to pass on your application? What about that big scholarship that would have taken care of everything? Don't sweat it! Literally!! Your acceptance and award letters are coming if you keep pressing on.
We realize it is hard to downplay something so significant, especially if you are a 1st Gen -- the first in your family to go to college. Quite honestly, we do not expect you to do so. In your youth, rejection does most often feel like an apocalypse, but just bear in mind that it is NOT the end of your story!
Consider it this way: rejection does not signify something inadequate within you, but rather it actually helps build your character! It teaches the following:
1) Cast a wide net. Always have a plan A - Z. Okay, so A-Z might be extreme, but you get the point. We have our clients apply to at least 5 diverse colleges. Some well branded, others less well known. The commonality is that their major is available. We definitely do not want them to compromise or sacrifice their dreams or purpose.
2) Think outside the box when college and scholarship searching, Diversity in your college application process is critical, which means just because a school isn't well-known or if it serves a particular ethnicity, does not mean it's not a fit for you. Be open-minded; you WILL learn something.
3) Don't miss the forest for the trees. Do yourself a huge favor and search for scholarships that offer different kinds of awards, not just monetary. Other awards to help defray college costs could be book scholarships, tuition discounts, dormitory supplies, etc. Always, always choose work-study on your financial aid application (FAFSA).
All in all, college is truly close and more attainable than you think! Allow rejection to be your motivation to keep pressing towards the mark! Enjoy the video of Anthony Bourdain's experience with rejection in his own words. Then, reflect on what you would do. Would you crumble or climb?
https://www.facebook.com/justonestepaway/videos/1787566584621709/