Wednesday, January 18, 2012

High School Applications


One morning last week after getting the kids off to school, I took my daughter’s completed high school applications to the two private schools she’s considering for next year. Naturally, one is her first choice and the other is a back-up. She had to write an essay for each, describing why she wanted to start her freshman year in their hallowed halls. She wrote beautiful essays – if I do say so myself – and I believe she’d be an excellent candidate for either school.

But she might end up with a rejection letter. Or two.

My heart breaks a little at the possibility. I’ve had almost fifty years to build up a hide that’s tough enough to deal with rejection. I’ve gotten turned down for jobs and for schools. I’ve auditioned for rock bands that didn’t hire me. Heck, for the last few years I’ve called myself a writer. If that doesn’t teach you about rejection, nothing will. I know that when it happens, I’m going to feel sad for a couple minutes or a couple hours or a couple days, and then life will go on.

My daughter turns fourteen in just about a month. She’s played for no-cut sports teams and sung with audition-free choirs. Other than the bumps and bruises that go along with being  a middle school girl, she has very little experience with getting turned down for something she really wants. I just hope she doesn’t have to learn this lesson till she’s a little older.

I might be more nervous than she is, because I KNOW what disappointment feels like. It sucks, but it makes you stronger. She should hear from both schools about the same time as her birthday. We’ve got a back-up to the back-up plan if the worst happens, but at her party I want to hear an excited bunch of girls talking about how they all got into the schools they wanted, my daughter included. And if you’ve got a minute, send some positive energy our way.
Peace,
Liv

10 comments:

  1. Positive thoughts as we're in the same shoes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Positive thoughts all around! I hope your girl gets in the school she wants.
    Peace,
    Liv

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hang in there! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and your daughter! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Melissa! She'll end up in the right place - just hope we don't have to go through a lot of drama to get there.
    Peace,
    Liv

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, high school sure has gotten a lot more complicated...best of luck to your daughter!

    ReplyDelete
  6. High school applications? Is this for a private school? You know, these days, they make it hard for kids to learn what rejection is and how to deal with it. My brother played baseball his whole life, and when he was young, it seemed that every single year, his team lost every single game. It was awful. Yet, every year, they went to the "playoffs" and every year they received trophies. Or take Field Day - when I was younger, we actually had to win our ribbons. Earn them. Now, everyone gets the same ribbons whether they won a game or not!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yeah, April, they're applications for Catholic high schools. The kids have to take standardized admission tests and have their current teachers submit recommendations. It's way more stress than I anticipated for an 8th-going-into-9th grader!
    Thanks for checking out the blog.
    Liv

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can relate completely. Waiting for March 10 - is that when you'll hear as well? The way I see it, if she gets in, that's fabulous but if she doesn't, she learns something about the world, about herself, and maybe she gets a little closer to understanding how to lose and still win. I feel like I didn't get enough rejection in childhood and have really had to work on thickening my skin as an adult.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for checking out the post, Sara. For better or for worse, we should hear by 2/16 - and her birthday is 2/12, so we're hoping for a good news birthday present. I'll keep you in mind for 3/10. Thanks again,
    Liv

    ReplyDelete