Handling Rejection Letters: Just Relax II

Between now and April, families across the country will be receiving rejection letters.  Instead of the thick envelopes stuffed with letters, paperwork, and promotional material, there will be a one-page form letter that explains that their child was not accepted.  Not just from Harvard or Stanford, but from private parochial schools, and even, sadly, preschools.  No one likes rejection.  But take it with a grain of salt.  The reality is that no college ever rejected an applicant because of the pre-K they attended--or didn't attend.  Though the most rambunctious 4-year-old may not have what it takes to get into Posh Preschool, he may do just as well at Around the Block Preschool and make lifelong friends--friends that he can walk home from school with.

And though the stakes do get higher at each level of school, there are plenty of ways to make a kid shine.  And when the time comes for college, even if a student doesn't gets into the university of their choice and opts for two years at a community college closer to home, remember this: no employer asks where you started college.  They care where the degree is from.   And that degree will cost a lot less living at home for two years getting the general ed out of the way.  Just make sure the kids know they're responsible for their own laundry from this point out.

It's easy for me to stay detached at this point, as my son has gotten into three of his six colleges, but one of his top two choices is still out standing.  He's been given a consistent "no" to the Presidential scholarships to each of the schools he applied.  One school threw in an extra $500 a semester for applying, so the hours of essays and paperwork were not for nothing.  Thankfully he has a semester of general ed out of the way from coursework he's taken each of the last few years, so that's a small plus, but there will be no four-year free ride at this house. 

The bottom line is this: Rejection letters don't change who the kids are.  And no matter the age, no matter where they end up, they're still the same kids no matter what school is splashed across the front of their T-shirts and sweat shirts.  And like the old Nissan commercial, It's not the destination, it's the ride.  So enjoy the ride.