#studentwriter

Hello bees! 

I’m part with part two of my college decision experience story. I just finished my freshman year at university studying Neuroscience (pre-med). When applying to schools last year it was stressful enough without a worldwide pandemic so I wanted to share my story in hopes of giving some insight into what deciding college is like. 

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a college counselor or an expert in college admissions. I’m reflecting on my experience to provide insight on the process. I’m also reflecting on the AMERICAN college admission system. 

---------------------------------------------APPLICATION TIMES-----------------------------------------

The biggest piece of advice I can give any student applying for college is take advantage of THE SUMMER before your SENIOR YEAR. This time was when I truly took time to consider my future which was scary in hindsight, but I found ways to make it fun. 

First: Testing 

The not so fun part is testing and I used the summer to patent and pull up my test scores. It’s a great time because I don’t have other school work and can focus on testing. I took about two tests over that summer. The one thing to remember is that since it’s the summertime, there will be less test location available. I had friends who had to go to a different state to take their test and driving at like 4 am is not a vibe ;). I recommend picking test dates at the beginning of the summer because there will be more locations. It is really nice to have testing done in the summer because trust me things get intense after that. 

Visit/Tours 

The best way to get a feel for the campus is always to visit. Sadly due to current circumstances that may not be possible. That’s what is great about technology. I couldn’t visit most of the schools I applied to and that made me lose a lot of perspective. That’s what’s great about virtual tours. I also recommend talking to current students if possible. Some schools have programs where you can pair with a student, talk to them or video chat to get a realistic perspective of what life is like. This is a big thing that is very useful especially in the case you cannot visit. There’s no problem in asking questions. 

Let Senior Year Begin…………………………………… 

When senior year started I had a general list of schools that I wanted to app;y to, but not definite. One resource that was incredibly beneficial was college visits. This when admission officers from different schools visit your school. Now this may not be available in every high school, but in some cases, universities will post when they are in the area on their website. I got information on a visitation for the school I currently attend at another local high school and I actually got a free application from it. If you don’t see such information on their website, CALL THEM. Universities have phone numbers for a reason, to call and inquiry for information that can help in this life changing decision. Since school events are kind of up in the air, calling is a great way to see what this school has to offer.

Pros and Cons List Are Friends: I know I love lists and organizations, but honestly a good old spreadsheet can sometimes be your best friend. I applied to a total of 11 schools. To some that is a lot, and to some that’s not enough. For me, I can come up with this list based on factors I discovered while touring and researching schools. Now these factors are subjective to the programs I wanted to partake in. 

Factors: Financial Aid/Scholarships, Campus Size, Diversity, Study Abroad, Undergraduate Research/Clinical Work, Jobs, Academic Support 

This wasn’t everything that I based my decision on. There was also the X factor. That gut feeling you get when faced with someplace new. I am a STEM major who wants to go into medicine. While doing research into different schools, I looked at not only good programs for my major, but what they can help in view of my future. I’ve always wanted to do research and travel, but also am not oblivious to the fact that anatomy and chemistry might be a challenge. This list took me months to make, so take your time and find what’s important to you. 

From here I compared these factors for all my schools on a spreadsheet while also counting the biggest factor being money. I was able to boil down which schools I wanted to apply for to 11. 

Application Process: I used the Common App which is really useful, but also confusing, but the biggest thing in applying especially to a lot of schools is organization and pacing. There was a lot of essay to fill and a lot of files to send. What I did was separate the more important tasks like finishing the overall common information versus university specific essay. Then I prioritize when schools I applied Early Action and which schools I applied Regular Decision. From there I chose the applications that took the least amount of time to do first. Remember some schools require multiple essay prompts especially if you want to apply to Honors or Speciality programs. It’s all about timing and organization. Now applications are expensive to apply. The reason I was able to for so many schools was I got a fee waiver from Common App. These you can request to throw out your school or if you got a fee waiver for the SAT/ACT you can inquiry one for applications. Also be mindful of documents like transcripts and test scores. Sometimes they can take longer than the Common App and can cut the deadline short. I recommend submitting documents before your application because they do take longer and if you wait you may have to spend an extra $75 express delivery. When SENDING IN applications, it’s okay to keep an eye on those document statuses, but not too close. Once you send it in though, leave it to the college admission powers! 

Now Some REAL TALK……………………..

College admission is a system filled with unfair subjectivity that favors rich and connected people. I am grateful for the schools I was accepted into, but it was no piece of cake. 

I got into my dream school. I have known of this school for a while.

Close, but still far away from home. Challenging, but had the familiarity. I was really excited because it made me feel like all my hard work in high school paid off, but this is where that unfairness comes into play. I had applied to financial aid months prior, but there was an error. So I redid my financial aid on the phone and papers. Mailed them within a week of the paperwork made available. I was patient until about a month from decision day. I spent the following three weeks on the phone with their financial aid department until decision day where I was hung up three times. At that moment I committed to my current school. I would like to say this was isolated, but there are a lot of stories like. I learned that my dream school, not so much a dream school. It was terrifying and heartbreaking because I thought I made the best choice. Turns out I did. I committed to a school that I have family that went to it and I live down the street from. It tends to get a bad rep at my high school because I went to a competitive high school where a lot of students go to name brand schools. The thing is no matter the name is on your degree, what matters is having a degree. Don’t let anyone make your future feel smaller. I made that mistake and it caused pain. Your future is up to you. Don’t let anyone control that. 

I have an unwavering love of planning. It comes easy. Following through is the hard part. 

I have about half a million empty planners, notebooks, documents, etc… Anything that can be used to formulate a plan to navigate the messiness of life, relationships, work…I have a blank one. 

It’s not that I don’t want to follow through on the carefully crafted, chaotic plans I’ve made in my head, I truly do. But the thought of putting myself out there, revealing to people that I do care about them and myself and my future and their future and our future together…that’s the part that gets me. 

Take this blog for example. I set myself a simple and clear plan, write a few times a week, and publish every other day.

 Have I done that? Absolutely not. 

This blog, iti ne, is already my pride and joy. It’s something I’ve built myself, with no help, and it will forever be part of me. 

But the thought of people I know, people I love, getting a glimpse inside my brain terrifies me to no end. 

But I didn’t think about that when planning and coming up with ideas for this blog. So I published it, with only two pieces written. 

I haven’t written anything since I launched the blog. Some would say it’s writer’s block, I would say it’s an empty mind. 

I feel like whenever I think about something, I think about it too much. I think about it so much it’s all I can think about. I think about it so much it consumes my mind. I think about it so much I hate not thinking about it, I hate thinking about anything else. 

But then I forget, and pretend like nothing ever happened. Almost like I planned it. 

I’m learning that if I don’t prove to myself that I can do something, I’ll never believe that I actually can do it. 

So here I am, proving that I can be vulnerable. Proving that I can follow through. Proving that I can write. Proving that I can think clearly. 

I came up with the name Sharing Orange Slices when I was reading the now-famous poem The Orange by Wendy Cope. 

"At lunchtime I bought a huge orange- The size of it made us all laugh. I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave- They got quarters and I had a half.

And that orange, it made me so happy, As ordinary things often do Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park.  This is peace and contentment. It's new. 

The rest of the day was quite easy.  I did all the jobs on my list  And enjoyed them and had some time over.  I love you. I'm glad I exist."

Before I read Cope's simple yet meaningful words, I never considered the impact of how something as simple as giving half of an orange to someone has the ability to be. I never realized how sharing an orange, or sharing a piece of myself to someone I love, could be healing. Sharing orange slices is giving someone else parts of yourself that you didn't even know existed. 

I wrote in my journal "In 15 years, I hope I'm living in a white two-story house with two cats and a dog. I hope one of the rooms has yellow ducks painted on the walls, in another I hope there's bright yellow flower's. I hope on Saturday's I sit in the backyard eating half of an orange. I hope I peel it carefully, pulling the all the white pieces off. I hope I save the other half for someone I love. I hope in 15 years I'll never have to eat an orange by myself." I still see myself in that backyard 15 years from now, and I still hope I don't eat the whole orange. 

But, it's not 15 years from now. Now, I don't have a white two-story house. I have one cat and no dogs. But I have a few people I trust to give the other half of my orange.

Hello there! My name is Rachel and I'm starting this blog to document my last few years of teenage girlhood. 

My senior year of high school is starting soon and that not only means that I'm starting to apply to colleges, but am also going through a year of lasts in my hometown. 

My last first day of school, last (and first) homecoming dance, last times sitting in the library pretending I'm working when I'm really just running through everything that's gone wrong in my life for hours on end...that one I'm not going to miss so much. 

I'm also writing this blog to show that I can actually go through with something that I'm passionate about. 

I've had so many failed ideas that I never could get off the ground out of fear of failure and embarrassment. Countless business ventures that sat there for months waiting for me to put them to use, but I never could. There was always something inside me that hesitated. 

I thought that I needed to have a million dollar company at 17, that was the only way I was getting into any colleges. But that's not anywhere near the truth. 

I'm not saying a successful business wouldn't help my chances, but I've learned over the last few months that most institutions want someone that will continue to accomplish great things during their higher education, not someone who's already accomplished more than most adults. 

The most important aspect of writing this blog for me is to show people my age that it's okay if you haven't accomplished as much as you could have by now. There are so many experiences that we go through that prevent us from reaching exceptionality. Poor mental health, poor circumstances, lack of support, etc...

Don't blame yourself for something you've never had or have never been able to do. We're just kids. 

i love writing but this is stressful lol.