What to do next when things don’t go as planned.

You made it to the end of application season, and now you get to play the waiting game. But don’t crash out just yet. Anticipatory dread is worse than almost any outcome will actually be. Once you have an actual answer, even a hard one, you’ll have something to act on instead of just waiting.

So let’s talk about the worst-case scenario: You don’t get accepted. For you, it’s personal, but for them, it’s not. Colleges are businesses with their own institutional priorities. Maybe a ton of people happened to apply for the same program as you; maybe they need more out-of-state students; maybe there were too many legacy and faculty applicants. A "no" is about the school’s needs, not your value.

The most important thing to know is that your worth is not determined by whether an admissions committee says yes.

So what happens now? Well, you’ve got options. If you didn’t get into your top school (or even top three), look further down the line. It’s very rare that you won’t get in anywhere, and there is no shame in the “safety school” game. It was your safety because it was such a strong match, not because it is a “bad school.” The name on the diploma matters far less over time than what you do once you’re there.

The notion of a "good school" actually does a lot of quiet damage here. Plenty of people build great educations and careers at schools that were low on their list!

If you have your heart set on that First Choice, though, you can…

These are all well-worn, respected routes — and safety schools are not consolation prizes. Trust yourself and the process, take a little time to be disappointed and get ready to take the next step. You can do this!