Teen Stress Runs High For High School Seniors Waiting For College Acceptance Letters

Why would there be teen-stress for soon to be2013 graduating class. More than 2,900 applicants
graduating high school seniors? It is springtime, thehad perfect SAT scores in reading, and more
season of happiness with colorful flowers poppingthan 3,500 applicants had perfect math SAT
up and green tree leaves unfurling. Yet spring canscores. The freshman class had only 1,655 slots
be a time of anxiety for many high schoolwhich means that the applicants faced a 7%
seniors, anxiously awaiting word from the collegesacceptance rate. Wow. Yes, it is great to have
to which they have applied. During the months ofteens applying to the top schools but there are so
February and March, many high school seniors aremany variables that enter into the acceptance
stressing over which colleges will say yes. Byequation, the teen-stress level can become
now, most high school seniors have completedextremely high. Without knowing exactly what the
the labor intensive task of researching their higheracceptance equation includes, teens are trying to
education possibilities, have spent countless hoursinclude enough extra curricular activities, leadership
completing written applications, and havepositions, community service involvement, and
narrowed down their final college choices to agood grades. With these types of statistics out
handful of possibilities. What do they do next?there for the teenage-seniors, life is not always
Wait. Try to stay focused on the remaining higheasy or fair, and rejection happens.
school classes they have to complete and try toA Little Advice
stay positive. Nerves can be on edge for these1. Be honest about the school choice from the
high school seniors and teen-stress is at an all-timebeginning of the college search process. Consider
high. The future is uncertain. Yet at this timethe environment, the financial costs, and the social
there is little left they can do.activities and the educational opportunities when
The Waiting Gamechoosing a school. Make certain that teens are
After the college applications have been filed, therealistic in their expectations so that teen-stress
letters of recommendation have been sent andcan be reduced and the teens know what school
the transcripts included, the seniors are left withare long-shots or are safe-bets.
little to do except to wait. Waiting can be create2. Teens should have more than one first choice
the greatest amount of teen-stress during theirso that they remain flexible and can cope with
entire college search process. The wait can becollege admissions decisions. There is no one right
especially angst-filled for students who are aimingschool choice so if they have more than one
for top school and the Ivy League Schools. Timespossibility, then their teen-stress level will not
are tough for college bound seniors right now andincrease waiting for one school's answer.
their competition to get into colleges is stiff. Did3. Remind teens that rejection should not be
you know that there are 37,000 high schools intaken personally. Remind them of the odds they
the United States? that means there are alsoare facing. By being prepared for rejection
37,000 high school valedictorians. That number ispossibilities it is easier to move on and focus on
two and 1/2 times the number of freshman slotsthe choices that are available.
available at the these prestigious Ivy League4. Teens have a difficult time realizing as high
Schools. So these colleges are just a fewschool seniors, that what is really important is
examples of the selectivity that the collegewhat kind of adult they become in the long run.
admissions teams enjoy. Easy for colleges toThe college decision-making process is a
choose from such a large pool of applicants buttemporary difficulty. It will pass. After the teens
very stressful for those students applying.mature and achieve their long-term goals, this
According to Harvard University received moreteen-stress will seem like a bad dream.
than 29,000 applications for admission into the