If You Win Something, Say Something [POLL]

Are we coddling high school students too much in 2012? There are two NYC prep schools that have banned their seniors from celebrating their college acceptance letters publicly as to not to upset the students who have not yet been accepted or made a decision.

At the Horace School, students are not permitted to wear college apparel until after May 1st. The reason for this is to give all students adequate time to receive acceptance letters and make a decision on where they chose to attend without any added pressure from their peer's success. The Packer Collegiate Institute has instructed its students to not advertise any university news on Facebook until after the school year is finished.

I can remember how proud I was when I received the acceptance letter from my first choice school, Temple University. I applied for early decision so I was one of the first people in my high school to be accepted to college. That next weekend I took a trip to Philadelphia and bought a Temple hoodie, folder, and keychain, all of which I still have to this day. On top of having the pride of wearing your new school's colors, my high school posted your name with what university you were accepted to on a wall in front of the guidance counselor's office. My high school was fairly large so as the year went on, this wall became completely filled with all of the seniors who have been accepted into college.

Getting accepted into college is something to be very proud of. At 17 or 18 years old, it is your most important accomplishment that will help shape the rest of your life. The way high school students talk, not permitting a student to wear college apparel does not make the news of acceptance travel any slower. As a student, if you work diligently enough to get accepted into an institution, you should be celebrated, and should be able to express your excitement in any way you please.

Dean Skarlis, the President of the College Advisor of New York, stated "In recent years, schools have been looking to minimize the disappointment that always exists with college admissions, but kids need to experience disappointment. We coddle them a little too much. At some point, they won't get a job, or they'll get fired. If I were head of a school, I would shy away from that sort of policy."

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