Beyond Admissions Decisions: Redefining what “Acceptance” Means
The culmination of weeks, if not months, of preparation, interviews, and assessments finally arrives this week in the form of acceptance letters. It can be a highly anticipated time of year that your student has been working towards, for what can seem like forever! They might already have visions of what their day to day life could look like.
During this time, it can be hard to remember that there is more out there for your student than just what the email decisions or envelopes contain. Although your student is evaluated during the private school application process, independent schools don’t truly know everything about what makes up your student. There are many reasons why parents strive to send their students to private school. There’s the high academic quality, individualized support, extracurricular opportunities, and for some, the alumni status. Overall, parents want to send their students for the growth and opportunities they will have outside of this school. But we have to remember that this growth isn’t defined by the private school they attend.
The reality is that your student’s education encompasses far more than the name on their diploma. Education is a lifelong skill that your student can choose to lean into at any point in their life. Education does not only happen in a specific school. For example, the lessons your student has learned and will continue to learn through all of the people in their life and community contributes to incredible experiences in their life.
When the admission decisions arrive this weekend, let’s aim to be graceful. We’re here to celebrate the achievements of those students who are accepted and also remind those who didn’t receive an offer that there are other paths and options! Beyond acceptance letters, there are millions of ways for your student to learn and contribute to their community. Now’s the time to be supportive and encouraging to those who may need to rethink things or take a different path.
As we navigate these admissions decisions, let’s redefine what it means to be accepted. Let us embrace the diversity of talents, perspectives, and contributions that make each student unique, and may we collectively strive to create communities where acceptance flourishes, and every individual is valued for who they are.