The impact of the stress endured over the past six months should not be overlooked.
It can be grueling for kids and parents alike when it comes to the wait for college acceptance letters.
If they are accepted, joy and excitement emerge.
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But if a kid isrejected, especially from their dream college, it is devastating.
The entire experience can really cause a teens mental health to take a beating.
I know the disappointment of not getting into your first-choice school has a tremendous impact on student mental health.
She endured the tool process with her son and knows the roller coaster of emotions it can bring.
Kids grapple with a lot of competition to get into college for very few slots.
Applying for college can cause intense amounts of pressure and weigh heavily on a students mental health.
The utility Process
In 2017, students submitted over 10 million college applications.
There were over 46,000 applications to my sons first choice school and an admit rate of only 26%.
His second and third choice school had even lower admittance rates.
Its hard for teens to watch friends get into schools where they werent accepted.
Those rejections can negatively impact studentsconfidence, as they begin to think that something is wrong with them.
If your friend gets into a school and you dont, that doesnt mean that youre less than.
When youre competing, parents and teens need to keep in mind that there are many factors.
The inability to figure out exactly why a student is accepted or rejected can be frustrating.
Its a complicated process filled with hopes and dreams, but also intense pressure and heavy doses of reality.
Being rejected from a top college choice can be jarring.
They might be feeling really sad.
Maybe theyre disappointed that their grades arent as good as they wanted them to be, states Dr. Alvord.
Its almost like a grief reaction; its like Im not meeting expectations, she notes.
Its almost like a grief reaction; its like Im not meeting expectations.
Over 30% of kids ages 13 to 18 have issues with anxiety.
In instances like these, parents support makes a profound difference.
I think parents need to validate the kids feelings and not add to the stress.
Its also important to verify students haverealistic expectationswhen making their college choices.
Experts also say teens should not take the rejection personally.
At the end of the day, the right outlook is key.
First and foremost, keep perspective.
There is no perfect college, Strickland concludes.
What This Means For You
Being rejected is hard.
Give them the perspective they need and the proper balance to maintain good mental health throughout the process.
Pew Research Center.A majority of U.S.
Colleges admit most students who apply.
Office of Population Affairs.Mental health for adolescents.
