REAL LIFE: COLLEGE

College Acceptance Time

By Gia, age 18, Florida
Sweet Designs Staff Intern
Sweet Designs Featured Writer

I've only wanted a few things so much in my entire life. When I was in middle school, it was tickets to see Good Charlotte because they were my absolute favorite. In the beginning of high school it was for the dreamy sophomore boy to not only notice me, but like me. (He later became my ex and a good friend.) At the end of high school though, what I wanted was acceptance. It was the time all seniors dread - college acceptance letter time. Every morning in my AP homeroom class one of my classmates would come in and proclaim, "I GOT IN!" to such-and-such college or university. We'd be all happy and congratulate them - and then go back to our own waiting game.

My dream school is now the school I'll be attending in the fall, I'm happy to report. However, it wasn't that easy. Not only did I apply a month after the deadline (which, I must say, is not a good thing), but I was accepted into every other school, I mean every single one.

At first, my dream school was a gigantic university almost three thousand miles from home. But I was excited and ready for my new adventure. However, after looking at the cost, I realized that my dream school needed to be closer to home. I applied to my closer dream school, thinking, yeah, right, I'm a month late - they won't care about my application. I hit "send" anyway, and waited around for what seemed to be forever.


Let me take a break from my story to say a few things about waiting to hear from your dream school:

1. Don't sit in front of the computer or mailbox waiting for the letter - it's only going to make you anxious and have bad posture. Plus, if you're sitting in front of the mailbox, you'll freak people out. They didn't lose your address - it will get there soon enough!

2. Do have good thoughts. Whether you pray, chant, or something of that nature, it's always better to have good thoughts. If you know you did everything in your power that makes you a good candidate for admission, you'll be good.

3. Don't think that because your friends didn't get in, you won't either; the same goes if they did get in. Admission officers find something in each of us that they think will work with their university setting.

4. Do a victory dance (in your room) if you get in. It's so much fun to know that you got accepted. If you didn't get in, cry and feel bad, but then pick yourself up. You can always apply elsewhere or transfer!


One day, after a long day of school, my phone started buzzing. I didn't recognize the number and almost didn't pick it up. Something told me to though, and it was the admissions officer from the school. I swear I thought she was calling to tell me that they didn't want me. Instead, she told me I was accepted!

A phone call, not an email or letter in the mail. A phone call! The thought of knowing that this school, which I had visited and fallen in love with months before, wanted me was a crazy thought. All the tears I had cried over my other dream school were wasted. This was it!

I wish I could describe what it feels like to see your name in print in a letter saying you got in. The years you spent in high school weren't wasted because ... there it was ... acceptance!

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