Getting In and Beyond

Everyone is confronted with rejection at some point in their lives. I underwent the classic college rejection in late January, when I got rejected from the most competitive school of the four I applied to. My initial reaction was one of shock. I had maybe anticipated I would manage to get in, but maybe not qualify for the highly competitive program I applied to. A flat-out rejection stung. I tried to forget about it, but I let it marinate over the weekend, and I would be lying if I said that self-doubt didn't cloud my brain. Was I not as good as I thought I was? What did they not like about me? Was it more about incompatibility or me being not qualified? The best thing I ever did was not let it ruin my life. I thought little of it after that weekend. I had already gotten into my top choice school, and I didn't let the rejection determine what I could or couldn't do. I didn't need to reevaluate my career choices or question my academic merit because I didn't get ...

I've noticed that this blog might be incredibly unhelpful if you're not an upperclassmen, so I thought I could take the time to give some underclassmen some college-related advice. Obviously, being a freshman and sophomore is stressful enough (trust me, I've been there). But here are some things I recommend you do during these two years as you start to barrel towards your junior year. As a Freshman... 1. Toy around with career interests, and maybe the kind of schools that could fit those tentative plans. I get it. You're fourteen. Senior year is far away. Even my eager self who jumped at a career path in my sophomore year had no idea what she wanted to do when she was a freshman. At the same time, you don't want to be a senior approaching college apps without any clue of what your career interests are. Take the time as a freshman to just lightly consider it. It's probably been itching at the back of your head at some point, right? 2. Meet with your counse...

Self-care, physically and mentally, is really important. Since early February is the beginning of the wait between ED/EA decisions and RD decisions, you have some time that you can use to focus on yourself. Here are tips to keep you healthy not only physically, but mentally as well. 1. Do things you love. Whether that's something strenuous as exercising or something as relaxed as listening to music, putting yourself in a stress-free zone is paramount in putting your mind at ease. Personally, I started to listen to more genres of music after submitting all my college applications, and discovering new music has always made my mind really happy and at ease. I also watched a lot of films in theaters, something I always wish I can do more. Catch up on a TV show you've been meaning to get to. Eat good food. Clean your room if you need to declutter. You deserve it. 2. Try something new that you've had to put on the back burner for so long. Whether that's picking up a ne...

I submitted my last college application on October 15th, 2017. For others, that milestone is sometime in early January. With my anxiety and my inability to deal with college applications longer than I already have (it seemed like everything I did starting my freshman year led up to that moment), October 15th was it for me. I was done, and it felt pretty awesome. But something I never knew I could experienced started to happen: I was anxious about waiting . My waiting game was much longer than most. My November and winter breaks were decidedly less stressful, but also more listless. Since none of my friends were done with their college apps, I couldn't really hang out with them, though the benefit of finishing my college apps so soon was that I got to spend almost a week in sunny Florida while everyone else was dealing with the cold, late-December weather. But waiting sucks. It really does! School does keeps you busy, and it keeps your mind from the finality of senior year, be...

So, it seems like you finally have everything sorted out. You requested those test scores, you're still days away from the deadline, and you should feel ready to go. But something is still bothering you. Maybe it's the finality of pressing that submit button, or maybe it's the fact that the reality is catching up to you: you're really starting to embark on a new chapter in your life. To help make you feel a little bit less  stressed, here is a checklist of things you need to do before you hit that submit button. Three Weeks Before Deadline: 1. Make sure you requested anything that takes awhile to get sent to a college. While most colleges are pretty lenient about getting in everything else except your application by the deadline (such as transcripts, test scores, and teacher recommendations), I would recommend you get everything in by the deadline. That way, if there are delays, you can rest easy. 2. If you haven't done so, finish writing any essays that need ...

Your high school counselor is by far your most valuable resource when it comes to the college application process. Here's a list of tips I have for having a great relationship with your high school counselor and to make sure he/she will have your back during the college app process! 1. Start meeting with him/her early. I'm talking about (at latest) first month of freshman year. If you're a sophomore, don't panic if you haven't talk to him or her just yet. It is bad if you still don't know who your high school counselor is or have never exchanged more than a few words with him or her by your senior year. And no, meetings with your counselor for course selection does not  count. Really make an effort to meet up with your counselor! I promise you it is not that awkward. 2. Have an agenda for the meeting. Scheduling the appointment is one thing, but this isn't a type of to-do list with only one item. It's important that your counselor is on the same pa...

I only applied to four schools, and only really cared about two of the admissions decisions. That being said, I wouldn't say I'm the best at giving advice on dealing the college app essays, though that isn't to say I didn't have obstacles to overcome. I certainly struggled (very normal thing, by the way), but I had the luxury of having to deal with less essays. So, I provided testimony from a bunch of my friends regarding their own struggles (or lack thereof) with the college app essays, and any advice they have for future high school seniors. Happy writing! *Please keep in mind that some people have chosen to only disclose their first names or remain anonymous. Thank you for respecting their privacy.* Mallika "Definitely start writing early. Also write your essay when you're in the right mood and you actually feel like writing. I wrote many drafts of essays of different topics, but I was never super into any of those topics, which reflected in my writing...