BodiMojo Teen Health Blog – Teenage Nutrition, Fitness, Stress, Relationships & More

By Aseem Mehta

It’s official. The news is in. College admissions season officially ended for graduating seniors last week as the last of the universities sent out their acceptance letters – and more often than not, rejection letters, to students across the country. With the class of 2009, for the fourth year in a row, the number of students applying to colleges increased, breaking records of the past – but also, for the fourth year in a row acceptance rates at the country’s top schools dropped to record lows.

College admissions in the past years has become almost a lottery – Harvard University reported they accepted only 7 percent of the 28,000 applications they received this year, denying thousands of high school valedictorians, and perfect SAT scorers. Similarly, Yale announced their acceptance of 7.5 percent of their applicants, and Columbia only 9 percent. The numbers are staggering; thousands of high schoolers, my peers and friends alike faced the happiness of acceptance – but also the disappointment of rejection after four years of hard work, and dreams of the future. Now, even I, only a junior this year, am beginning to feel the anxiety, fear and apprehension that accompany any conversation about the college admissions game. With the ultra-competitiveness of universities, the multitude of qualified college candidates, and the astronomical number of applications, students like me are asking, “What do I need to do to get into college?”

It seems like the only answer to that question is to solve world hunger, or end poverty – the top grades, hardest courses and strong test scores simply don’t cut it to get into the top universities in America anymore. But amidst all of the anxiety and buzz that surrounds college admissions, it’s important to note that not getting into your top choice truly isn’t the end of the world. The feeling of not getting into the school you want to is not a pleasant one – trust me, I’m as concerned and scared of rejection letters as anyone else – but many reports show that all the weight and hype placed on getting into the Ivies or elite universities is misplaced.

Surveys of Fortune 500 companies have shown that the vast majority of top executives did not attend an Ivy League college. Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs, pioneers and corporate icons of the technology world, did not even complete college. And many studies have shown that after 10 years, there is a marginal, if any difference, between the salaries of students who attend the top universities, and those who do not.

The simple truth is, no matter where you decide to attend college, it’s possible to get a quality education, and enjoy yourself. College itself is an experience; a chance to meet incredible people, learn about subjects that truly interest you – and hopefully have a great time. So if you’re a teen like me and have gotten one of those rejection letters, while they may sting now, don’t think too much of them. 

Aseem Mehta is a high school junior who is interested in studying about public health and economics. In his spare time he loves to discuss (and debate) politics and current events, and of course, sleep.