Note to High School Parents Regarding University Admission News

Many Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive Early Action university admissions decisions will be released in the next week for our current seniors. This is always a time of highs and lows and everything in between, but it is also only one step in the admissions process. In light of the imminent release of early admissions decisions, we want to share a few pieces of advice for all of our Graded families:

• It is important for everyone to respect students’ and parents’ rights to privacy with regard to admission decisions. Would you want other families discussing your child’s private information? The answer is probably no. It is never appropriate for students and parents to ask other students about their admissions. Instead, please allow students to share their news in their own way and in their own time. 

• University admission decisions are not always fair. Refrain from making conjectures about the admissions decisions that you or other students receive, including the results of students at other Sao Paulo schools. The US admissions process has many layers, and it is rarely simple or transparent. 

• If your child receives an acceptance, remember that there are other students who have not. Please temper your excitement and be respectful of others' admissions process. If a student decides to post their news on social media, that is their decision, but proceed with caution and show respect to others who may not have received positive news. It is also fine for a student to decide not to share their acceptance news. It is a student's choice. 

• If your child does not receive positive news in this early stage, do not panic or give up. The process is not yet over, and there are thousands of great universities that will admit your child. And if you are worried about your child's college list or the application strategy, please reach out to your college counselor. That said, keep in mind that all students will be looking to their parents as a model for how to handle their news. 

• The OCC will never share a student's college news, including on social media. We respect the privacy of our students, first and foremost.

• Based on the early results from US colleges, some Grade 12 students will be finished with their process by the December/January break, but the overwhelming majority of our students will still be applying to colleges in the US and around the world. This is a normal part of the admissions cycle.

• It is important for all students to continue working hard academically. Some offers of admission are contingent on specific IB exam results (particularly in the UK and Europe). All other offers of admission to US universities are contingent upon successful completion of high school at a level that is similar to the student’s performance levels at the time of admission. 

• As students receive university news -- whether an acceptance, denial, or deferral -- they should meet with their college counselor to discuss options and next steps. We can help them strategize and navigate a deferral. 

• It is important to celebrate every application your child submits, no matter the institution or the resulting decision. Your child worked hard to put together the best application possible and tried their best, which is -- in and of itself – worthy of praise. 

Finally, we wish to close with a paraphrased quote attributed to the renowned Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung, "I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become." Success in life is not determined by the college bumper sticker on one’s car; which college you attend does not automatically determine a student’s success. After all, “It is not where you go to university, but what you do once you get there that matters most.” Congratulations to you and your children on navigating this college process thus far, and please do not hesitate to contact the OCC with any questions or concerns.