Written September 2019 (Assisted by Elisabeth DiMasso)
We’ve taken about a million quizzes to try and find our “perfect college match” or the “most fitting major for [our] personality.” You can find a quiz like that just about anywhere, made by just about anyone. They’ll tell you all the reasons why they think blah blah blah will be a great fit for you, and you’ll find all the reasons why it’s not. They’re not the most helpful to plan your future. There are a million things to help you in the college process, but none necessarily make it any easier.
It all starts the second you hit high school. What classes are going to “prepare you for success?” Which will prepare you to make the most money? In eighth grade, it’s hard to imagine a sum of $50,000 a year when all you care about buying is video games and Chilis. You aren’t exactly thinking of 401Ks and what company you want to work for. Of course, it was basic knowledge that doing well in school would get us somewhere in life… but where?
Once you get to sophomore year, the PSAT hits you out of nowhere. No one minds too much because it’s the Preliminary SAT, which seems less important, until you realize maybe taking it more seriously could’ve helped you on the actual SAT. Speaking of those standardized tests, it’s probably beneficial that you look over the material. Taking a second one (which costs money, by the way) is more stressful if you’re relying on it for an adequate score.
At some point, you’ll want to take a look at an actual college campus to see if you actually like the vibe. Most people recommend the summer after junior year but how are you supposed to get an actual feel for the atmosphere if there’s no actual college life going on in the summer? If you’re anything like us, you’ve been waiting for senior year and the exciting college process… then it actually gets here. Ouch. Paperwork, recommendations, essays, applications, interviews, guidance meetings, decisions; the pressure is endless.
If you think your worries cap at everything you have to prepare, you’re mistaken. There’s an innumerable amount of factors to consider when it comes down to where you’ll apply and, of course, where you’ll end up. First you have to picture where you could see yourself. Do you want to see familiar faces everyday at a smaller liberal arts college? Or have 1000 clubs to choose from at a larger university? You could use one of those “perfect college match” sites, where they’ll ask if you want a certain location and you realize that you thought you knew, but also don’t want to shut yourself off from a great school that just happens to be in a different area.
And then there is the dreaded issue of money. It can affect your entire path. Maybe the school you dream of is just not financially possible for you or your family. Maybe your major isn’t one that would set you up for an easy time repaying student loans. As much as we’d want it not to impact our decision, sometimes you have to think like an adult, another difficult concept to grasp when you’re only a teenager.
We’re in that weird stage of high school where we feel adult compared to our high school peers, but so young compared to our parents. We don’t quite know what we want to do for the rest of our lives. Even if you’re incredibly sure of your major or career path, there will always be hiccups in the process and others questioning you. It’s a bit hard to think clearly and independently when everybody around you has an opinion on different colleges and different careers.
Overall, the college process is exciting. It’s also definitely worth it if you want to pursue a career that requires a degree. It’s just not as simple as it seems to be when you’re younger and thinking of all the fun you’ll have there. The steps you have to take to get there are plentiful and demanding. We are stressed, to say the least.
Olivia Wodogaza 