Decisions

Rejection: "And of course none of it matters very much at all..."

A faithful reader reminded us "It's that time of year again..." and asked us to re-post Joan Didion's essay on being denied admission at Stanford University. So to remind us all there is life after decision season, here you go...

 

"And of course none of it matters very much at all, none of these early successes, early failures. I wonder if we had better not find some way to let our children know this..."

We're back...

Happy 2012! We're excited to be back. In this new year, we pledge to continue to provide students and families with our expert advice about applying to college, bolstered with the insights and contributions of deans of admission and high school college counselors from across the country. We'll be candid and straightforward about what the process requires, but at the same time, we really believe it's important to bring a sense of humor to it -- and sometimes even an appreciation of the absurd (some of those headlines!).

In the next few months, we'll be talking about stress, senioritis, and decisions for seniors, providing you with some sound bites for handling conversations with your peers and other parents. For juniors, we'll be talking researching schools and campus visits -- and we'll be adding to the Gourmet Guide so you'll know where to find the best burgers, coffee, or haute cuisine as you take part in this rite of passage.