<p>I applied to 15, and there were still times when I didn’t think I’d get into any schools except the one UC who guaranteed me automatic acceptance. In the early months, the anxiety really got to me. Like so many others here on CC, I’ve worked extremely hard in high school; to put it one way, Bs made me hysterical.</p>
<p>But as the months progressed and I read more and more articles on higher education, my mindset adjusted, as did my values. I still wanted to get into a top 20 school, but when I started prioritizing fit, I realized I didn’t really want to have to prove anything to anyone. Part of the stress, I think, stemmed from my need for approval from family and friends. I also eventually came to realize that, really, there are too many incredible schools (top 20 or not) for it to make sense to turn college acceptances into a all-or-nothing situation. </p>
<p>Realistically, you only need to get into one school that’s affordable for you. A lot of high school students who post on CC have a list of potential colleges that are at the top of the heap; think about what an honor it would be to get into one of your “match” schools. For a lot of people here, it seems, that’s someplace like Tufts or Oberlin. Think of what an honor it is to have an application that puts you in competition with some of the best students in the US, and of how lucky you are to be in any kind of position to apply to college at all.</p>
<p>So, my tips for you:
- Don’t get attached to any one school.
- Cast a wide net; apply to many schools and to a wide variety.
- If you attend a school where college is a big deal (and I did), you’ll eventually need a break from the discussion of top, top schools and who’s applying where, and predictions on who gets in. Consciously set aside time to do things apart from friends, with whom you’ll know the conversation will inevitably turn to college. Read some articles and postings written by people who aren’t in high school, who aren’t even in college any more. I personally found some favorites to be very helpful in getting out of a mental box. Here’s one of them:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/491200-seniors-2008-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/491200-seniors-2008-a.html</a>
<a href=“http://www.brookings.edu/articles/2004/10education_easterbrook.aspx[/url]”>http://www.brookings.edu/articles/2004/10education_easterbrook.aspx</a></p>
<ol>
<li>Keep a level head and maintain a sense of perspective; college admissions are not the end all, be all. And if you get into HYP or some other elite college, stay humble when you and your friends are discussing admissions, but also maintain a humble attitude inwardly. This is going to help keep your self-esteem from being too tied up in admissions.</li>
</ol>
<p>For me, at least, the cause of stress and anxiety wasn’t necessarily because of procedures or institutions. As is the case with many other students, I put a lot of pressure on myself and used admissions to gauge my worth, if not as a person, then as a student. At any rate, most people forget all about the angst-filled period of applying to college by their freshman year; if it doesn’t turn out the way you wanted it to, you probably won’t remember it anyhow. (haha, somehow, that doesn’t sound much consolation, but you know I mean well by it. ;))</p>