For the past few months, high school seniors have all been thinking about the exact same thing: college.
The college admissions process has always been extremely complicated, uncertain, and fraught with expectations from friends and family that can overwhelm even the most prepared students. With college admission rates dropping every year, it’s hard to imagine what the exact outcome of college applications will be, and it’s extremely easy to get lost in the process. As a student in her first semester of senior year, it’s hard to describe how I’m feeling—worried? Overwhelmed? Excited?
Perhaps a combination of all of the above. More than anything, however, it feels surreal that my final year of high school has finally arrived, and that the next few months will determine the course of my life for the next few years. Senior year stands as the culmination of all the hard work, dedication, and passion students have poured into extracurricular activities, standardized tests, and 2 a.m. study sessions over their past four years.
This, of course, adds a lot of pressure, and some days, I feel what I can only describe as imposter syndrome. Am I actually worthy of applying to these schools? What am I gonna do when there are so many smart and qualified people from around the world competing for limited spots at my dream universities? What will I do if I don’t get into any colleges?
Amidst the apprehension and doubt, there remains a glimmer of hope that keeps me going—it’s the belief that this process is not solely about acceptance or rejection but about discovering who I truly am and have become through all of the things I’ve done in the past four years.
Considering the process more practically, I’d say that the hardest part about college applications is getting started. Writing essays is not just about listing achievements or stats: it’s about painting a picture of yourself as a human being. I’ll be the first to admit: self-reflection and introspection are hard. It’s hard to be vulnerable and reveal the adversities that have shaped you, aspirations that drive you, and values you hold dear in such a small word count. I’ve personally been troubled by these limitations—how could I possibly capture who I am with a few supplementals and one personal statement?
Yet, I’ve learned that you must start somewhere. No matter how bad the first draft may be, keep going and dump all of your ideas, your heart and your soul, into your essays. You may find that through multiple drafts, you’ve presented what seems like many different versions of yourself. Which one is the real one? Keep going. Draft after draft, distilling the essence of your character and experiences into the appropriate words will become easier and easier.
As Early Decision applications come to a close, I’ve learned that although the college admissions process isn’t always fair, it isn’t just about the destination but the journey itself— a process that will shape me into someone more capable of confronting life’s uncertainties and embracing its opportunities. And, although there are still many more months of college apps to come, I know that no matter where I end up, at the end of the day, I will be happy.
