3 Things No One Told Me About Applying to College
College App Fatigue
When I applied to college over four years ago, it would be an understatement to say I was underprepared. It felt like I was running a marathon, except everyone else was an Olympic champion and I was a toddler who had just learned to walk the day before.
Even with campus counselors hovering over my shoulder, reminding me about deadlines and walking me through the application process, no one told me about the fine print of applying to college: the oddly specific experiences, frustrations, and surprises.
With that being said, here are the top three things no one told me about applying to college:
3. The process feels like taking another class.
Especially because I waited until application season to start, I found myself juggling college essays and research on top of 6 AP classes. Imagine going home from a long day of classes, finishing your homework, and realizing you still haven’t finished your draft for your UC application and it’s due next week. At some point, college applications started to feel like another class, with its own homework, deadlines, and an evil teacher who is determining your next four years.
2. Friends become competition.
Something I never thought I’d experience during application season was strained friendships. The same people I would trauma bond with over difficult classes suddenly became much more private about their college applications. Somehow, college applications were different. It wasn’t like another class where we could exchange quiz questions and help each other study. This time, everyone is competing for limited spots, some at highly selective universities, and the person sitting next to you could feel like the person competing for the exact same spot you’re hoping to get.
1. Colleges start to blend together.
If you’ve ever shopped for something and got overwhelmed with the wall of choices available at a supermarket, then you’re already familiar with what it feels like to build a college list. At the beginning of my search process, every college felt unique and exciting. But after about 10 colleges, every college website looked exactly the same, with the exact same picture of a diverse friend group sitting on a lawn that demonstrates the “vibrant campus community”. The more blended the colleges became, the more difficult it was for me to to distinguish the ones I actually want to attend.
So, what is the advice that I wish I could give to my younger self applying to college?
1. Applying to schools shouldn’t feel like a race you must win against others. The finish line shouldn’t be going to a prestigious brand-name school. But one that fits your personality and values. Rather than treating it like a last-minute decision you squeeze into your schedule after a packed day, it should genuinely be something that excites you (and a conscious decision you make because it feels right for you). Applying to college should feel like a stepping stone in life and not a final destination.
2. A degree anywhere is still a degree. It is how you apply that degree that matters. Prestige is overrated. Choose the school that fits you.
3. Start searching for schools that actually cater to your preferences. Don’t go for the ones all of your peers are applying to just because it's what's popular. Look into niche programs, clubs, and campus life events that resonate with your who you are and who you want to become.
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