The applications — for the most part — have all been sent, and conversations have gone from brainstorming essay topics to gossiping about who has gotten in where. Just as much as we want to know who got a higher test score, the curiosity is killing us as we wait to hear where our classmates are getting accepted or denied to.
With this curiosity comes the fear of asking your friends if they have heard back from schools, since emotions are running high as we see some kids get into their dream schools and others get handed denial after denial. Here’s how to go about it the right way and reduce the likelihood of tears to the bare minimum:
Step 1: Look for yourself to see if the decisions have been released
There will most likely be a post on the college’s social media. Something like “We are beginning to welcome the class of 2021. Admissions decisions are being sent through email today!”
Say your friend is waiting to hear back from Boston University. Check their admissions twitter to see if they’ve indicated that decisions have been released by searching @ApplyToBU. You may find something like this:
If the school itself doesn’t post anything, its worth a shot looking up the hashtag #BU2021 to see if anyone has received their decision yet.
This lets you know that news will be coming shortly, whether it’s good or bad.
Step 2: Determine when is the best time to ask
If your friend is at work or practice, they are most likely either panicking to themselves or they are blissfully unaware that their future could be decided within the next few hours. Give them time to look for themselves because the news is their own and depending on the results, they may not be in the mood to chat.
Step 3: Wait
While this may seem excruciating for you, imagine the agony that your friend has been in up until now. Obviously, with good news you will most likely hear right away. However, your friend may not be so excited to share bad news.
You know your friend best, so this is the point where it’s up to you to decide how to go about asking.
Step 4:
Good News – Celebrate! Your friend has been working hard for years to get this acceptance, and as a friend one of your most important jobs is to be a cheerleader when good things happen. Even if things haven’t been going as well for yourself, be proud of your friend because they would do the same for you.
Bad News – Although it’s not the end of the world, it may feel that way for while to your friend. This is when they need your support the most. Try to recall those optimistic messages that your parents have been using on you when they try to brace you for bad news, even though you refused to listen to them at that point, now that you are the one offering the advise it doesn’t sound so bad.
Another fool-proof approach to comforting your friend at this time is to point out everything wrong with the school that crushed their spirits. “Red is a bad color for you anyways.” “You’re allergic to dogs, why would you even want to be a Boston Terrier?”
College admissions time is nerve wracking for all of us, but with support from friends and family we’ll all make it to the fall of 2017 at the school that is best for us.
