College Admissions Advice from the Class of 2023

I asked my Class of 2023 students the following question:

“What advice would you give your younger self about the college process?”

Their answers, in my opinion, should be required reading for any family embarking on the journey to college. Here are the voices of my 2023s, of whom I am very proud.

On the pressure:

“There is hype and pressure. Some of it was personal - I created some for myself to get into a good college. I also think there is some societal pressure/some pressure from school and school friends, etc. but everything works out in the end.”

“It’ll all work out and hard work does pay off. It just might not happen the way you envision it or desire it, but just know it all works out in the end, even if it might not seem like it.”

“I'd say a lot of the stress for me came in the stereotype of who gets into college. There's this assumption in the US that you cannot get into college unless you are super smart and have a perfect application. Now I believe that anyone can get into college if they really want to.”

“It's not worth stressing about getting into a "better" school.”

“It was a lot of pressure and a lot of it didn't feel real at first. As the process moved along, I got more nervous about moving so far away and changed my mind a bit so it might be helpful to be wary of that.”

”There is for sure hype and pressure, but I do very well with these sorts of situations and instead of stressing out I found it helpful to just put my head down and power through the work.”

“I also found it very helpful not to fall in love with “a” school, but to find a list where I saw myself going to each and every school.”

“The biggest advice I would give myself is to not share the list of where I'm applying or where I got in with anyone that I'm not super close with. Building off that, not sharing stats like my GPA or SAT scores with anyone, even my best friend.”

On the work involved:

“Make a schedule that works and stick to it.”

“I think as long as kids realize there is a schedule to stick to and they have to do their work seriously, they will get into great colleges.”

“You get this notion that these essays are the most important pieces you will write in your entire life, which is just not true.”

“I remember the college application process as really easy (by working ahead). The amount of work wasn't difficult or stressful at all. Yet for some of my friends it was the most stressful year of their life. When I was done with all my applications some of my friends hadn't started yet and I know it was rough for them.”

“It's such an insurmountable task if approached all at once, so breaking it down into smaller, manageable pieces made the process less daunting, and made me feel prepared once I started writing.”

“Write your personal statement in the summer! Senior Fall is the hardest school has ever been and even just having that done was a major stress relief. Use the supplements as a way to spend time with yourself and help figure out who you are. The college process forces you to see yourself as a series of numbers so hold on to the human aspects.”

On the benefits of working with an Independent Educational Consultant:

”I think that more specifically working with you in the summer helped me get through my Common App, and I wouldn't have been on top of it without your help.”

“I knew it would all happen, and I felt very confident in the path you set for me and all the work I had done.”

“The most helpful part was the accountability to get things done. I feel like had I not had someone making me write an essay I would have waited until the last minute for sure. Instead, I got everything done for the early action deadlines and was able to be done with it and just focused on school.”

“It was very, very helpful for me. Every time my parents tried to ask me about the process it made me really stressed and anxious, but if I was left alone, I would have procrastinated on all of the work. Having another adult who I respected encouraging me to meet deadlines made a huge difference in my ability to be able to stay on track.”

I will carry the lessons I learned from the Class of 2023. They taught me so much, and I want them to know I am grateful to each of them. I wish them all the happiness they deserve as they move to the next phase of their lives.

For more insights into the admissions cycle from my perspective, visit: www.betsyveidenheimer.com/insights/insights-from-the-2023-admissions-cycle