Stress peaks in December-April of senior year, when decisions roll in. Complicating the plan are changes in the process, the challenge of juggling activities, and the important choices to be made. College admissions consultant, Sowmya Athreya, advises on steps to take on the application journey.

Ping. A new email from a college. You rush to the portal to check. The accept/reject decision has been the current focus of your life. “Did I get in?”

Changes: The COVID pandemic upended the college admissions landscape. Top colleges like Harvard and MIT reverted to pre-pandemic test requirements, while UCs and others have remained test optional or test blind. Applying to test optional schools, you wrestle with the “Should I submit this score?” decision. Tutoring, test prep, and extracurriculars have proliferated online. AI/ChatGPT offers easy access to information. The number of applications to some of the top colleges has soared. Recently, acceptance rates have remained low, some down to single digits.

Source: University of California; Stanford University; University of Southern California; and California Institute of Technology.

Challenges: Low acceptance rates are just one of many challenges. With only 24 hour days, you need to take as many AP classes as you can to show rigor, boost your GPA, do well in the SAT/ACT, show passion and progression in extracurriculars, rack up volunteering hours, and showcase leadership skills. In addition, strategize on differentiating yourself from thousands of other applicants.

Then there are the hidden challenges – peer pressure, parental pressure, low self-confidence. One bad grade seems like the end of the world. Friends taking more AP classes or parents pushing you, hammers away at your self-confidence, leaving you scared and exhausted.

Choices: How to navigate the high school minefield victoriously? 

Make informed choices. Plan out the high school years so your coursework is manageable. Choose extracurriculars that you love and pick volunteering activities that fulfil you. Strategize your summer activities to acquire useful skills. Choose the right test for you – SAT or ACT. If you are stalled or struggling in a class, ask for help. Don’t dwell on the past since you cannot change it.

Stop comparing yourself. The key to a successful college application is to craft the story of you. What have you accomplished and what skills have you acquired? Why do you want to study a particular subject at a particular college? Research is your friend. Colleges want to know you have invested time in learning about them and that you will attend if they admit you. 

Where you go to college doesn’t define who you are. Success is in your hands. Adapt to changes, prepare for challenges, and make informed choices. Making optimum choices can reduce the stress of the admissions process and lead to the decision that you have been eagerly waiting for: “We are pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to …”