Figuring out how to sort out your feelings after being rejected from a PhD program is tough. First, it is okay to accept and work through the feelings of rejection.  Rejection at times can feel like a grieving cycle where we have to let go of the vision we thought would come into fruition.  Going through an application cycle can make you reflect on how you could have done better to stand out as an applicant, but don’t be too hard on yourself. The PhD admissions process is surely a "numbers game."  No matter how good of an applicant you were, there are only a specific number of spots per school. It's important to take time to process your emotions, recognize what you are feeling, and know that receiving a denial letter does not lessen your value.

When you are ready to try again, you must lean into your abilities and lead with radical acceptance. Take time to celebrate all you have learned and accomplished before and after PhD program decisions regardless of the outcome. As you gear up the strength to try again, remember that you aren’t alone in this process. There are others who are in your same shoes who didn’t plan on receiving denial letters from their 'dream school' or applying another cycle, but always be kind to yourself. Each application cycle allows us to gain more insight towards our purpose and what is important to us as a whole. Your mentor is still out there trying to find you just as much as you are trying to find them. You will get there.