Each year, from mid-March through early April and even into May, high school seniors across the country anxiously await one of the biggest moments of their academic lives — college admissions decisions. Universities send out notifications to hopeful applicants for the upcoming fall 2025 semester, welcoming the hopeful future graduating class of 2029.
For many students, this is a season filled with nervous anticipation, excitement, and uncertainty. The moment they open their decision letters, emotions run high — some feel joy, relief, and a sense of achievement; others are met with disappointment and doubt.
Opening a letter and seeing the word “Congratulations” instantly validates years of hard work. Whether it’s an acceptance to a dream school or not, every “yes” is a victory and a cause for celebration. Over the following weeks, more decision letters trickle in, and each one reinforces the students’ belief that their dedication was worth it.
But not every story ends in celebration.
For one student— let’s call him Buck — decision day brought mostly rejection. While some students only face a few rejections, Buck received one rejection after another. Each began with the dreaded phrase: “Dear Buck…” It got to the point where he couldn’t bear to read beyond those words, already knowing what the rest would say.
Then came the final decision—from his dream school. At 3:00 p.m., Buck sat down to open the letter. Once again, it started the same way: “Dear Buck.” No need to read further. The disappointment hit hard. Thoughts flooded his mind: “Maybe I should’ve done more,” “I just didn’t try hard enough.”
In the weeks that followed, Buck struggled. He watched friends excitedly announce their college acceptances, and couldn’t help but wonder, “Why couldn’t that be me?” He felt like he had failed—not just himself, but his parents, who had sacrificed so much to give him a better future.
But Buck’s story didn’t end in despair. Through conversations with friends, teachers, and mentors, he began to understand that he wasn’t alone. Others had faced rejection, too, and moved forward. Slowly, he began to accept what had happened and see his own path more clearly.
He realized that rejection wasn’t the end of his journey. It was simply a redirection. Eventually, Buck committed to a school he hadn’t originally considered. And with time, he came to believe that where he ended up was exactly where he was meant to be.
Because sometimes, the right path is the one you never expected.
