The Grad-School Exam Year: Write to the You Who Made It Through
Preparing for the graduate entrance exam is a different kind of hard. In high school, the whole class suffered together; this time it's usually just you — claiming the same library seat at dawn, reciting until closing time, wondering at midnight whether any of it is worth it. From summer through December, exam takers come here to write: to the self who'll see the scores in February, to the self walking out of the final interview, or — for those on their second or third attempt — to a self they simply hope is doing okay, whatever happened. One line shows up in these letters again and again: "I don't know if I'll make it, but I want future-me to remember that I really tried." If you're deep in prep right now, or just walked out of the exam hall, write this moment down. The letters below come from people who walked the same road and chose to share. Read a few, then write yours — the you who already knows the result will be grateful to the you who didn't quit.
Ideas to get you started
- Record where you are right now: which chapter you're on, how many practice sets you've done, what time you got up today. Those numbers become the most solid keepsake.
- Say something to the you who didn't pass, too. What should that person do next? A backup plan written in advance is the kindest safety net.
- Write down why you chose this school and this field. Whether or not you end up there, that reason deserves to be remembered.
- Schedule delivery for results day or the first day of grad school — one more reason to see this through.
Real letters from the vault
145 public letters
Photo letter
山猪
冬天了诶，我到新学校也要一个学期了，我想考中国政法大学了，新朋友还行吧，没有那种一看到就想笑的感觉，今天见了胡媛儿，听说你生病过敏了，你也不说一声，你要早点好起来呀
巴啦啦
Nov 6, 2021 · Traveled 1 year
给未来的自己
打完蓝桥杯和省赛了吧。怎么样？acm还坚持吗？我现在感觉还是退了吧，准备考研去吧。说实话你们的实力也就再拿个铜吧，用处也不大了。路也有很多，并不全是acm。acm的很多算法在工作中用处也不大了。这一路走来就当是提升自己的代码能力了呗。我只希望你能深思熟虑，考虑要不要退役一事。
n7580
Dec 10, 2021 · Traveled 6 months 13 days
在干嘛！记得看信
宝，我滴宝 这大半年时间可真是辛苦你啦 考研从某些角度来看没有之前想象中的那么苦，要熬夜坐在路灯底下看书或者什么的，也还算是比较平淡，一天一天就从3月到了12月。但这个过程确实也很煎熬，对喜欢新鲜事物的你来说，每天十个多小时坐在同样的地方看着类似的但又没有完全把握的内容，看着朋友圈微博里的各种五光十
n7583
Dec 10, 2021 · Traveled 1 year
2022会收到的第一封信
Hey，三月的你：看了上一封信，觉得未来这种事确实摸不准、猜不透，你跟谁一起也无法保证对方会不会变，但如果真的喜欢，把握当下，用心经营，就好了。最近真的压力很多，明明可以放松心态只专注一件事，各种来自家人亲戚的压力、不理解、甚至不支持，压得我好累好累。好消息是，有可能省考会推迟，多一点时间准备，也许
R_Moku
Dec 16, 2021 · Traveled 2 months 26 days
别放弃！！！
暑假了，应该开始政治和专业课了吧，不知道这半年你过得咋样，学生会有没有拿到聘书，学期结束了有没有拿到奖学金，考研复习的怎么样？无论多难，不要忘记！要上岸重大，这是现在的我的梦想，你要证明给他们看，你可以考上重大的！不要管他们说什么，相信自己，如果今年的分数线还是低，你就能上，如果给出来的分数线高，那
n7631
Dec 24, 2021 · Traveled 5 months 8 days
大女人就该搞事业
男朋友依旧不给我眼神，今天被介绍的男生加我微信了。一边尴尬一边主动和他聊天，不过感觉他好像不太热情，回复频率更低。这样我反而轻松了点，省得有道德负担哈哈哈哈，就当是认识普通老乡呗，都没啥的。然后考研我还是没有正式开始专业课……啊啊啊啊啊坚持背单词已经是一种努力了！可能现阶段我想先把论文搞完吧，等有个
Chasing
Apr 23, 2022 · Traveled 1 month
致六月那个不靠谱但依旧在坚持的小伙子
六月你好！ 自从开学后下定决心准备考研，到现在已经不知不觉快两个月了，这两个月我心里一直有个疙瘩，或者说一直有个疑惑，现在的我究竟可以凭借什么让自己成功上岸，相比以前，这段时间在我身上已经发生了巨大改变，以前从没有过一天近6个多小时坐在教室里专注地学习，也从没有过连续一周早上6点40起来，尤其像我这
一颗苹果
May 13, 2022 · Traveled 30 days
写给一年后的自己
一年后的蕾蕾你好，我是2022年的你，现在的我还是一名大专生，我不知道你这一年一来经历过了什么，想必一定很辛苦吧，你要努力考教资又要备战专升本。我不知道我现在的选择是否正确，但我现在不后悔希望一年后的你也不要后悔，努力过就好，不管结果如何。现在的我什么也不是天天异想天开，有时候是挺搞笑的，但我会努力
陈皮糖
May 23, 2022 · Traveled 1 year 3 months
写给一年后的自己
一年后的蕾蕾你好，我是2022年的你，现在的我还是一名大专生，我不知道你这一年一来经历过了什么，想必一定很辛苦吧，你要努力考教资又要备战专升本。我不知道我现在的选择是否正确，但我现在不后悔希望一年后的你也不要后悔，努力过就好，不管结果如何。现在的我什么也不是天天异想天开，有时候是挺搞笑的，但我会努力
陈皮糖
May 23, 2022 · Traveled 1 year 3 months
Photo letter
2022第三封信
备战了足足一年半的战役，终于胜利结束了。虽然遗憾没有考公安，但能上岸，不用再在海里飘，就值得庆幸了。最辛苦的…其实都没有那么辛苦，也没有那么不辛苦。笔试前一个月是最累的，备考时间突然缩短，那时很喜欢的柳爽突然看不了，白天边上班边刷题，晚上听课，周末模考，成绩不稳定，正式考试时，行测比平时难很多，当天
R_Moku
Jul 19, 2022 · Traveled 2 months 11 days
写给四年后的我
四年后郭先生你好展信佳！现在的你正在看颉斌斌老师的翻译专项课，已经讲到了2011年的翻译，因为你的基础很差没有认真听，突然就想到了大学期间去丽江写生的时候去过的一个时间慢递局，后悔没有给自己写一封信。现在距离考研还有145天，今天老妈已经很早的去彩票店看门了，老爸也去工作了，弟弟去上补习班了，妹妹去
爱摄影的艺术生
Aug 1, 2022 · Traveled 4 years
Photo letter
给你
今天上了一年的学了你要好好反思自己不要荒废学业四六级考研参赛不要随波逐流继续学习未来掌握在你手里
n8102
Aug 17, 2022 · Traveled 1 year
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I write it, and when should it arrive?
Most people write mid-prep or right after the written exam, and schedule delivery for results day (late February) or the start of grad school (September). Even in the busiest stretch, a letter only takes fifteen minutes.
What if I don't pass — won't the letter hurt to read?
Repeat test-takers often say the opposite: seeing how hard past-you fought brings closure, not pain. You can also write a few lines specifically for the you who didn't make it — comfort only present-you can give.
Isn't writing a letter a distraction from studying?
Treat it as a check-in with yourself: put your goal, your progress, and your fears on paper, and most people come away steadier. Delivery within a year is completely free.
The Grad-School Exam Year: Write to the You Who Made It Through
Write yours