Dear All,

It's college decision season, and with that comes what can feel like The Best of Times. And The Worst of Times. (A Tale of Two Cities, of course -- read it!)

If you've organized your college process around the see-saw lists (remember? the ones you are now maybe hearing juniors talk about?) and that idea of balanced risk, there is a better than average chance that in the next few weeks, you will receive news of all kinds: yes, no, and wait-list. Some of you have already experienced this. This is the way the process works, good and bad. The yes-es feel great and are there to be celebrated. The no's do not feel great, even when they come from schools you don't care as much about. The wait-lists feel confusing and unsatisfying since they mean that there is more uncertainty ahead, more waiting to be done.

Experience all of it. 

Yes feels good. There is opportunity. And possibility. Look for it and see it, especially if the yes comes from a school you don't yet fully know. 

Wait-list means we just don't know yet. If you think you are interested in remaining on the waiting list, immediately accept your position on the wait list (you are not officially on the waiting list until you accept that invitation). Then go back and read my email from a few weeks ago about decisions. And then plan on talking to your college advisor about what to do next. Last year, 3 STA students wound up going to a college that initially wait-listed them. The year before that, 4; the year before that, 1; the year before that; 9.

No is a part of a life. This may be the first time you are hearing no in what feels like a major way, but remember that most of those life cliche's originate from truth. You will find strength and confidence in rebounding from No, even if it feels awful while you're doing it. Almost everyone applying to college will hear no this year, and most will hear many no's. This is a world of single-digit and low double-digit acceptances, and what that means is something simply mathematical: at some of your schools, well over 90% of the 40,000 or so kids applying hear no. Think about that for a minute. 90% of 40,000. If the answer is no, pat yourself on the back for knowing that you gave it a good shot. And then do your best to move forward.

This time of year can feel like a roller coaster. Many groups of colleges release on the same day or around the same days, but more than likely you are going to hear news trickling in from now until early April. If you have a lot of schools left to hear from, take a deep breath. The first few notifications could be yes-es, or they could be no's -- but if there are many decisions to come, you won't understand the whole picture ahead of you until you hear from them all. If the first few don't bring good news, that doesn't mean good news isn't coming. 

It all works out!

(Even when it seems like it's not working out; it's working out.)

Let us know your decisions, and let us know how we can help you sort through them. 

All best,

Ms. Mills, Mr. Hudson, Ms. Stratton