If you spend your days waiting for a response from the boarding school of your dreams, you’re not alone. Many students have their hearts set on one specific school and are anxiously waiting a boarding school acceptance package. But don’t worry, we’ve got a few tips to keep you going while you await the news of what next year holds in store.
While The Winchendon School offers rolling admission, our priority and financial aid application deadline was January 15th, and the waiting game struggle is real regardless of when you apply. A few simple tricks of the trade will both help you stay calm and demonstrate interest in your desired alma mater.
Take a deep breath; everything will fall into place. This is hard advice to follow, but laying awake every night will only negatively impact your health (and second semester grades) and alienate your friends at lunch. Try meditation or yoga, channel your anxious energy on the field, hit the gym, or volunteer. Turn those nerves into something time consuming and fun!
It is perfectly ok to reach out to your admission counselor with any lingering questions or to check in to see that all of your materials have been received, but try to keep from emailing daily! This rule also applies to anxious parents; it is understandable you want the best for your child, but let your son or daughter navigate this one. Admissions officers would rather hear from the student directly (baring financial aid questions), as this demonstrates student interest and maturity.
A thank you email to your admission officer or any teachers or coaches you may have met during your boarding school tour is great, and an old fashioned card is even better, plus they take a little more time to write. Pass the time and gain “demonstrated interest” points for your admission file! Thank you notes make a difference.
Your applications are in; you have worked hard all fall, and you deserve a semester off because soon you will be heading for the big league, right? Sorry, but while it’s easy to think you can blow off the tail end of the year if you have already done well, you do need to keep your work ethic high. The time between submitting your application and receiving an acceptance is a critical time for your grades. Imagine if you end up on a wait list - your second semester grades could be the make or break between you and another applicant. Boarding schools like The Winchendon School do reflect on your second semester grades, and they have the right to rescind an offer of admission if you fall way off track.
It’s ok to hope for the best, but unfortunately not everyone gains admission to their number one school. Ideally, the list of schools you created and applied to includes a range of schools that were a good match for who you are as a person and will help you to grow academically. Be proactive and find something to love about each school before you get your list of acceptances. Start by writing out a list of pros for attending each school, and leave listing the cons until later when you are actually deciding between your acceptances.
While you are anxious to move on and expand your horizon, stop and take a look at how far you have come already using the resources you have. Your accomplishments are something to be proud of. You have made it this far, and have the tools to succeed in a new, more challenging environment. Stand out in your classes and truly engage in the discussion. Value the friendships you have made in your current school. Through good times and bad, life is all about growth - be thankful for what you have learned already, and be excited for the great challenge that lies ahead.