You have the letter in your hand. You’re staring at your name neatly printed on the envelope, the logo of your dream college on the left-hand corner, and the envelope feels heavier than it is as if it’s holding your dreams along with the answer. After what feels like an eternity, you hold your breath and pull the letter out.

We regret to inform you that you were not accepted…

There’s a burning sensation behind your eyes. You knew that there was a chance that this could be the outcome; after all, this is a highly competitive school, and you have been telling everyone that you aren’t banking on it. But you secretly have been. You’ve already pictured your dorm room, and those school colors just look so cool on a jacket!

Okay, take a deep breath. It’s true that you didn’t get into your dream school, but that doesn’t translate to your self-worth. It’s important not to take the rejection personally. There is so much that goes into the admission acceptance process that there is no way of knowing for certain what it was that didn’t get you accepted. Instead, it’s better to look ahead.

Remember, your end goal is to land the job of your dreams, and keeping your eye on that prize will help you move forward. There are a lot of schools that have everything you need to graduate with the credentials that the workplace is looking for, and will be a great place to create the memories you’re hoping for. Sometimes you have your heart set on one school so that you overlook the good qualities of the other colleges on your list. When it comes to being rejected from your dream college, the biggest key to moving forward is your mindset. A rejection letter can, in fact, be a blessing in disguise, but only if you are open to the possibilities that change provides.

Now, if you’ve been deferred from early admittance or waitlisted, don’t hesitate to reach out to the school and let them know you want to be accepted. Keep your grades and optimism up. If you’ve been waitlisted, reach out and ask if they rank their waitlist. That will give you a benchmark for you to go off of.

Also, don’t let the pressure of society get to you. Part of the reason we have a ‘dream school’ includes how that presents to the people around us. And while that is something everything shares, don’t let it take away from what could be an amazing college experience. It’s good to keep in mind that a lot of what you get out of college is what you put into it. So, if the envelope (or email) happens to be the bearer of bad news, keep your chin up. It just means that life has a different adventure in mind for you.