It’s that time of the year and juniors are now getting their SAT scores that they have all been waiting for. Some will be disappointed; some will be surprised; some simply won’t care and go about their day; and for some, it will be a wake up call.

This college readiness test will have some of you shaken and have you worrying about your future. But I’m here to break it to you, it’s not the end of the world. For those who struck this time around or just didn’t reach your goal, it’s okay. The good thing about tests like these is that you can take it again and again and again (trust me – I did many times myself). Now that you have taken the test, you know what to expect; you know what you lack in, and you know what to improve on.

So seeing all of you upset about a couple of numbers is pretty depressing. I know I was a little bummed with my score at first, but I took it again, and guess what? I improved and got accepted into college. These numbers won’t have colleges just throwing you to the curb.

So take a breath, relax, and come up with a better game plan for next time.

Another thing I would like to point out about these test scores is that they don’t define you, and they aren’t the deciding factor in anything.

If what your worrying about is colleges, what makes you a great candidate is being an overall good student. Do you volunteer, play sports, give back to the community, are you a leader, and many more things?

In addition to your grades and scores if you lack in one section, another can make up for that. So when I said it wasn’t the end of the world I meant it.

Take a moment, regroup, and don’t beat yourself up about this.

Next time your scores will be even better.