my college decision experience II
I’m part with part two of my college decision experience story. I just finished my freshman year at university studying Neuroscience (pre-med). When applying to schools last year it was stressful enough without a worldwide pandemic so I wanted to share my story in hopes of giving some insight into what deciding college is like.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a college counselor or an expert in college admissions. I’m reflecting on my experience to provide insight on the process. I’m also reflecting on the AMERICAN college admission system.
---------------------------------------------APPLICATION TIMES-----------------------------------------
The biggest piece of advice I can give any student applying for college is take advantage of THE SUMMER before your SENIOR YEAR. This time was when I truly took time to consider my future which was scary in hindsight, but I found ways to make it fun.
The not so fun part is testing and I used the summer to patent and pull up my test scores. It’s a great time because I don’t have other school work and can focus on testing. I took about two tests over that summer. The one thing to remember is that since it’s the summertime, there will be less test location available. I had friends who had to go to a different state to take their test and driving at like 4 am is not a vibe ;). I recommend picking test dates at the beginning of the summer because there will be more locations. It is really nice to have testing done in the summer because trust me things get intense after that.
The best way to get a feel for the campus is always to visit. Sadly due to current circumstances that may not be possible. That’s what is great about technology. I couldn’t visit most of the schools I applied to and that made me lose a lot of perspective. That’s what’s great about virtual tours. I also recommend talking to current students if possible. Some schools have programs where you can pair with a student, talk to them or video chat to get a realistic perspective of what life is like. This is a big thing that is very useful especially in the case you cannot visit. There’s no problem in asking questions.
Let Senior Year Begin……………………………………
When senior year started I had a general list of schools that I wanted to app;y to, but not definite. One resource that was incredibly beneficial was college visits. This when admission officers from different schools visit your school. Now this may not be available in every high school, but in some cases, universities will post when they are in the area on their website. I got information on a visitation for the school I currently attend at another local high school and I actually got a free application from it. If you don’t see such information on their website, CALL THEM. Universities have phone numbers for a reason, to call and inquiry for information that can help in this life changing decision. Since school events are kind of up in the air, calling is a great way to see what this school has to offer.
Pros and Cons List Are Friends: I know I love lists and organizations, but honestly a good old spreadsheet can sometimes be your best friend. I applied to a total of 11 schools. To some that is a lot, and to some that’s not enough. For me, I can come up with this list based on factors I discovered while touring and researching schools. Now these factors are subjective to the programs I wanted to partake in.
Factors: Financial Aid/Scholarships, Campus Size, Diversity, Study Abroad, Undergraduate Research/Clinical Work, Jobs, Academic Support
This wasn’t everything that I based my decision on. There was also the X factor. That gut feeling you get when faced with someplace new. I am a STEM major who wants to go into medicine. While doing research into different schools, I looked at not only good programs for my major, but what they can help in view of my future. I’ve always wanted to do research and travel, but also am not oblivious to the fact that anatomy and chemistry might be a challenge. This list took me months to make, so take your time and find what’s important to you.
From here I compared these factors for all my schools on a spreadsheet while also counting the biggest factor being money. I was able to boil down which schools I wanted to apply for to 11.
Application Process: I used the Common App which is really useful, but also confusing, but the biggest thing in applying especially to a lot of schools is organization and pacing. There was a lot of essay to fill and a lot of files to send. What I did was separate the more important tasks like finishing the overall common information versus university specific essay. Then I prioritize when schools I applied Early Action and which schools I applied Regular Decision. From there I chose the applications that took the least amount of time to do first. Remember some schools require multiple essay prompts especially if you want to apply to Honors or Speciality programs. It’s all about timing and organization. Now applications are expensive to apply. The reason I was able to for so many schools was I got a fee waiver from Common App. These you can request to throw out your school or if you got a fee waiver for the SAT/ACT you can inquiry one for applications. Also be mindful of documents like transcripts and test scores. Sometimes they can take longer than the Common App and can cut the deadline short. I recommend submitting documents before your application because they do take longer and if you wait you may have to spend an extra $75 express delivery. When SENDING IN applications, it’s okay to keep an eye on those document statuses, but not too close. Once you send it in though, leave it to the college admission powers!
Now Some REAL TALK……………………..
College admission is a system filled with unfair subjectivity that favors rich and connected people. I am grateful for the schools I was accepted into, but it was no piece of cake.
I got into my dream school. I have known of this school for a while.
Close, but still far away from home. Challenging, but had the familiarity. I was really excited because it made me feel like all my hard work in high school paid off, but this is where that unfairness comes into play. I had applied to financial aid months prior, but there was an error. So I redid my financial aid on the phone and papers. Mailed them within a week of the paperwork made available. I was patient until about a month from decision day. I spent the following three weeks on the phone with their financial aid department until decision day where I was hung up three times. At that moment I committed to my current school. I would like to say this was isolated, but there are a lot of stories like. I learned that my dream school, not so much a dream school. It was terrifying and heartbreaking because I thought I made the best choice. Turns out I did. I committed to a school that I have family that went to it and I live down the street from. It tends to get a bad rep at my high school because I went to a competitive high school where a lot of students go to name brand schools. The thing is no matter the name is on your degree, what matters is having a degree. Don’t let anyone make your future feel smaller. I made that mistake and it caused pain. Your future is up to you. Don’t let anyone control that.
I hope that everyone is staying safe at home and to all the students out there, I hope this helped. I went through a tough decision process and I made some mistakes, but I wanted to share it because everyone deserves as much as a fair chance at their future. I wish you luck on all your future and feel free to leave questions and I’ll help in any way I can.
