We recently asked our seniors what advice they have for juniors who are embarking on their college search and application process this spring. Here’s what they said:
“Look at it piece by piece instead of trying to look at the whole process at once”
“Start focusing on what YOU want, not what your peers want to major in or what college they want to go to. It’s important to listen to yourself, your desires, because essentially, it’s your life!”
“Don’t stress too much about it! Try to finish your college process early to limit extra stress throughout your senior year”
“When researching potential schools, act like you are actually GOING to that school and do a deep dive!! Look at absolutely everything, even details that may seem “dumb”. What’s the food like? What clubs are there? What’s accommodation like? Is it mostly large lectures or small classes? Are there a lot of networking/internship opportunities available? etc! Good luck juniors :)”
“Don’t judge a school by its name and rank. Take a trip!”
“Manage your time wisely and value the editing process. It’s up to you to get out of it what you want to get out of it.”
“Don’t stress about it! Yes, write your essays on time and get your applications in, but don’t look at it as a burden! Have fun with all the opportunities you have at your fingertips!”
“It’s important to make sure you do not push your apps til last minute :)”
“Use websites and research options to scope out potential colleges. (Before getting into the research) I didn’t even know about over half of the colleges I am now applying to. The parameters and search options on websites like College Board helped me find colleges I had no idea existed but fit my preferences in size, location and major. It really helped me branch out from just the colleges around me and in my state.”