How has the admissions process shaped your high school career?
In some ways, it greatly affected my high school career. In others, it didn’t at all. I’ll never really know how it would’ve gone without knowing about the admissions process anyway. In terms of extracurriculars, the admissions process has literally no effect on me. A lot of things I did I started in freshman year before I even knew anything about admissions and it was only because I liked them. Later on, I still just did activities and worked hard in them because I enjoyed them. No college was going to make me do things I was disinterested in or would’ve made time management much more difficult.
For courses however, I did pay close attention to requirements/recommendation at the colleges I wanted to go to and whatnot. I went to level 4 of Spanish, took 10 AP classes, and took each of bio, chem, and physics as that’s what looks good to colleges. At the same time, I still generally took classes I was interested in and I like to challenge myself.
Overall, I think trying to get the college admissions process out of your head throughout high school and just doing what you enjoy while still working hard and challenging yourself, not because that’s what colleges want but because it’s what you want, will make you a happier, less stressed student.
That’s very true, we should all just pursue happiness.