2020 - A DIFFERENT KIND OF DECISION DAY

May 1, this Friday, is Decision Day; that's the day that most selective colleges and universities have as their deadline for incoming freshmen to choose where they are headed off to school. This is usually a very big day in the lives of high school seniors, especially in the lives of ATYP alumni who frequently are choosing between elite schools all over the country.

In the middle of a pandemic, this might be...tricky? Difficult? Overwhelming? Insert your adjective here.

Most ATYP students see entering college as a significant goal. Even if you're the first in your family to go to college, gifted students are taught that this must be your path, that this is the road to take if you want to be successful. But what now? How do you make this decision NOW?

Many seniors may have already made their selection and thought they were set. Are you reconsidering your options? Was your initial choice far from home? Are your parents concerned about you moving away? Is money suddenly a more prominent issue than it was before?

For those who were waiting to hear from certain schools, and who waited until all admissions offers were sent out earlier in April, these questions and concerns may be playing a role in your thought process. Or you may be thinking about deferring for a year until the world sorts itself out.

Unfortunately, this blog post does not come with easy answers. It only comes with the acknowledgement that right now, these decisions are hard. Thinking this through and balancing the pros and cons will require maturity, self-awareness, and reflection about your needs, priorities, and goals. That's a lot to ask of 17 and 18-year-olds, even more so than in most years. 

One of the things we hope you learned in ATYP was how to work through a problem or dilemma and how to debate multiple sides of an issue, even if that debate is with yourself. The critical thinking skills you developed here should stand you in good stead as you determine which path to take.

What we really want you to know, and what we want our current students to understand, is that no matter what you choose and where you go, we are so proud of you. You have worked hard, you are taking steps into uncharted territory, and you are being courageous at a time when fear is our constant companion. We salute what you've accomplished and acknowledge the difficulty of this current task. 

All that being said - what did you decide? We would love to hear from all of our graduating seniors regarding their plans for next year! Whether you're attending college near or far, taking a gap year, joining the military, planning for trade school, or doing something else we haven't even thought of, we'd really like to know. You can tell us in the comments below or in a response on Facebook or Twitter.

Until next time,

Ms. Nan