Eric Zhao
Z.: Where are you going to college next year, and what are you majoring in?
E.Z.: I’m going to Carnegie Mellon, and I’m going to major in electrical and computer engineering.
Z.: What was your dream college?
E.Z.: Probably MIT or Stanford.
Z.: If you still had the opportunity to go to your dream school, would you go?
E.Z.: I would like the experience of going to one of my dream schools, but again, I’m really happy going to Carnegie Mellon.
Z.: What is your favorite rejection experience story?
E.Z.: For most of my college decisions, my parents were watching beside me and my little sister, who was 11. My favorite part would be: after each rejection, she’d talk trash about the school.
Z.: What emotion would you use to describe your rejection/application process?
E.Z.: It was definitely a slog because there’s so many essays and places where things can go wrong. But for rejections, there wasn’t this overwhelming feeling of rejection that came over me. It was more like, ‘it happens, and I can go on with my day.’
Z.: If you could tell an incoming senior one thing, what would it be?
E.Z.: Rejection is tough, but again, it’s not something that defines you. Because ultimately you’re the person that makes the most of the college experience.
Z.: Do you have anything else to add?
E.Z.: I know a lot of people who think college decisions or acceptances or rejections will follow them for their entire life, and that’s just not true. It doesn’t mean you won’t succeed in life.
Sam Kniffen
Z.: Where are you going to college next year, and what are you majoring in?
S.K.: I’m going to University of California Irvine, and I’m majoring in biomedical engineering and pre-med.
Z.: What was your dream college?
S.K.: Probably UC Berkeley. But it’s hard to get into.
Z.: If you still had the opportunity to go to your dream school, would you go?
S.K.: Probably. It’s similar enough. I’ve made my decision, but if I had gotten in, I would have gone.
Z.: What is your favorite rejection experience story?
S.K.: I got waitlisted at the University of Washington, which is where my sister goes, and I got into the University of Madison, where she got rejected from. So [I was] talking to her about getting into one school, but not getting into the other, and she’s like, ‘oh, you’re just lucky that you got in there.’
Z.: What emotion would you use to describe your rejection/application process?
S.K.: It’s different based on [the] school. So [for] something like the University of Washington, [I’m] more surprised that I didn’t get in. For a school like UCLA or UC Berkeley, it’s really just neutral. Maybe a little disappointment, but you can’t try too hard on those schools that are just so selective.
Z: Do you have anything else to add?
S.K.: You see your friends go to a lot of schools, and I know it’s easy to be influenced by other people’s decisions. [But] it’s important to be your own person and be competent with the decision you make. Your path is not everyone’s path. It’s not about what other people are doing.
Iris Nordin
Z.: Where are you going to college next year, and what are you majoring in?
I.N.: I’m going to St. Olaf College, and I will probably major in history on a pre-med track.
Z.: What was your dream college?
I.N.: I never really had a dream college, but I would say either St. Olaf or Madison.
Z.: If you still had the opportunity to go to your dream school, would you go?
I.N.: No, I don’t think so.
Z.: What is your favorite rejection experience story?
I.N.: Just being around friends and opening letters together and all being rejected made it a lot more bearable and less sad.
Z.: What emotion would you use to describe your rejection/application process?
I.N.: A roller coaster. It was a lot of ups and downs, and it was pretty stressful at times but pretty rewarding.
Z.: If you could tell an incoming senior one thing, what would it be?
I.N.: I would tell them to start their application as early as possible.
Z.: Do you have anything else to add?
I.N.: Rejection is redirection.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 19, 2026
