How High School Seniors can Handle College Admissions Results

I remember in senior year of high school, I set my timer so I could wake up at 5am and check my college results. Each year, most US universities release results by April 1. College admissions can come with a mix of excitement, disappointment, celebration, and confusion, and as the VIS College Counselor, I wanted to offer up some strategies during this time.

1. Keep things in perspective. Receiving results can be stressful, and it's important to keep things in perspective. College results can feel dramatic in high school, because it's one of the most impactful decisions in your life right now. While getting into a certain school or program may feel like the most important thing in the world right now, please remember it's just one part of your journey. Whatever the outcome, you still have many more paths and decisions and opportunities ahead of you.


2. Stay positive and keep an open mind about your options. Even if you don't get into your dream school, there are other great colleges and universities out there that may be a better fit for you -- once you take advantage of the chance to get to know them! 

3. Keep things focussed on yourself. Everyone's journey is unique; everyone has a different outcome or experience, and please do not compare yourself to others. Talking or gossiping about other people's results without their consent can spread unwanted bad energy. Instead, focus on your own journey and celebrate your own accomplishments. Remember how hard you worked to get here, and no one can take that away! 

4. Seek support from your family, friends, or guidance counselor. Talk to people you trust about your feelings and concerns. They can offer valuable advice and support during this stressful time. Your inner circle can also help you weigh your options as you make the final decision of which college to enroll in. 

5. Finally, celebrate and build relationships with colleges you've been accepted to! Very soon, the colleges that have accepted you will begin courting you by sending you invitations to admitted students' events and even chances to visit their campus. Take advantage of as many opportunities as possible to get to know these schools! Now, YOU become the one who chooses the school of your choice. 

I am constantly surprised by the magic 8 ball of admissions -- the "holistic" admissions process, especially in the US, means that there's no simple formula to gaining admission. More than ever, the process can feel opaque and impenetrable, and the results can be surprising and unpredictable. No matter what, I am blown away by the effort that VIS students put into their future. I am sure that you will be receiving lots of news that is worth celebrating. 

Please email collegecounseling@vis.tp.edu.tw to discuss more.

Ms. Rosalyn Shih

College Counselor

快放榜了！給高三生的心理建設

記得我自己在高三那年，每天都把鬧鐘設在清晨五點響起，這時間就起床查榜單。美國大學每年的申請結果都會在四月一日前公布。放榜總是交織著興奮、失望、慶祝與困惑，而今身為 VIS 升學輔導老師，希望可以提供些方法，幫助大家度過這段期間。

1. 保持平常心。收到申請結果壓力很大，但還是要保持平常心。身為高中生，收到大學申請結果一定會讓人心情起伏，畢竟這是此刻人生的重大決定。雖說這個階段想辦法進到某所大學或學系，是人生最重要的事情，但請記住，這也還是人生旅程的一段而已。不管結果如何，未來會有更多不同的道路、決定和各種機會等著你。


2. 保持正向、對各種可能抱持開放態度。就算無法進入夢想中的學校，只要你把握機會、了解學校的更多資訊，或許會發現還有更適合你的好大學！

3. 專注在自己身上。每個人的道路都是獨一無二的，境遇也都不盡相同，請別和別人比較。沒有經過別人同意就討論或是八卦他們的申請結果，只會散播負能量給大家。你該做的事情是專注在自己身上，為自己的成果慶賀。記住自己有多努力才有現在的成果，這不是任何人可以奪走的！

4. 尋求家人、朋友或師長的支持。可以和你信任的對象討論你的心情和擔憂。在這段壓力很大的時期，他們的建議和支持非常可貴，你所信賴的自己人一定可以協助你權衡考量，幫助你做出最終決定。

5. 最後，慶祝一下你的成果並和你要上的學校建立關係。很快的，接受你申請的學校就會開始寄給你各種學生活動的邀請函、也會請你去參觀校園。請盡可能利用機會認識這些學校，接著就輪到你在這些選擇中挑出最適合的了。

「全方位」申請大學的神奇過程、特別是美國的學校，一直都讓我覺得出乎意料，因為沒有一個簡單的公式保證可以申請上。申請的流程令人覺得看不透、猜不透、不好預測、結果也很令人驚訝。不管如何，VIS 的同學對自己未來所投入的努力、才是讓我最感動驚嘆的。因此，我相信各位一定成果斐然，肯定會收到值得慶祝的好消息！

歡迎與VIS的升學輔導老師 Miss Rosalyn Shih ( collegecounseling@vis.tp.edu.tw ) 預約晤談以了解更多資訊。