But college rejection is never the end of the world, no matter how much it feels that way. Whether you've been turned away from your first-choice school and are grappling with less glorious prospects, or you've been rejected from all of your schools and are trying to form alternative plans, there are concrete steps you can take in order to develop an approach you can feel happy with.

So Your Dream School Burst Your Bubble…
When you get rejected from your top-choice school, it's easy to respond with resigned devastation, to decide that it's barely worth going to college at all if you can't attend the one that's inspired months of optimistic fantasy. Some students conclude that it would be best to take time off from school and embark on a year of non-academic volunteer work or interning, with the intention of applying again--with an even stronger application--to their first-choice school the following year.

We're here to tell you to resist that impulse until you've let yourself put some serious thought into it. While you might think it is a great idea to take a year off and put all of your energies into a second round of college applications, this route is rarely the most strategic option, and most college advisors counsel against it. Taking time off for self-discovery or mental rejuvenation is one thing--but taking time off solely as an attempt to woo the hearts of admissions officers is another. They want to know that you have the right stuff to succeed at their school; there's no better way to prove your mettle than to enroll in one of your second-choice colleges, push yourself as hard as you possibly can, and produce an academic record that awes them into accepting you as transfer student.

Of course, upon careful consideration, you will very likely discover that your second (or third, or fourth) college choice isn't all that bad. So take a deep breath. Flip through the brochures for your other choices. Schedule visits, even if you've visited before. You will most definitely be able to locate virtues that you overlooked when clouded by the vision of your number-one dream school. You may (blasphemous though this may seem right now) even find that you are incredibly happy at the school you end up attending.

Rising Above a Crowd of Cold Shoulders
Getting rejected from all of your schools can really test your powers of resilience. When your ego's been bruised, it's hard to imagine starting the process from scratch, and it's even harder to imagine a positive outcome from your efforts. Maintaining a healthy attitude is key. This is not the time to wallow in self-pity and self-doubt. It's the time to reflect on your admissions process, consider what you might have done differently, and develop a new plan of attack.

In the early stage of the game, consult people who were involved with your admissions process, primarily your school guidance counselor and (if they're willing to cooperate) college admissions offices. Your guidance counselor should be able to offer some wisdom about why things didn't work out--or tell you that your situation was a total fluke, and encourage you to appeal the verdicts (an option that, while rarely successful, nonetheless exists at some schools). He or she should also be able to help you develop a broader list of schools to apply to in the following spring or fall, making sure that you adequately cover all three categories: reach, good match, and safety, with an emphasis on the latter two.

Communication with college admissions offices could provide insights into your application's shortcomings. Don't be afraid to call the office and ask someone what areas could have used improvement--for example, grades, SATs, or extracurriculars. While not all of these factors of your application may be reversible, it is within your power to retake the SATs or build up your academic record with courses in community college.

Now that you have time on your hands, you'll need to decide how best to occupy it in preparation for your next round of applications. You have a lot of options--to volunteer, travel, pursue an internship, find a job related to your field of interest, take classes in a community college--and should pursue whatever tactic reflects a strong sense of purpose and continued academic commitment. Apply to a new round of schools for their spring semester, or take off a full year and use it wisely.

No matter what you choose to do, remember to be easy on yourself and also take some time to relax. Bouncing back from rejection isn't easy for anyone, and it'll be particularly difficult to accomplish if you don't let yourself mentally rejuvenate. Remind yourself that kindred spirits all over the country are going through the same disappointment as you are, and chances are that all of you will triumph over it in the end.