(Host) Commentator Anna Jamieson offers some tips that she has just learned first hand for surviving the college application process.
(Jamieson) If anyone ever asks me, “What was the most tedious thing you ever had to do in high school?” I will definitely have to say the college application process. Now, I’m not complaining – I’m lucky to be able to apply to college. And sure, it’s exciting to think about where I’ll be next year, what major I’ll choose. But the process is tedious, and sometimes very stressful.
Filling out the application itself is not the most difficult part of the process. Most application forms are designed to make life easier for the average college-bound student. Online applications are good for those of us who have less than perfect handwriting, and they cut down on the potential mistakes that can be made when a written draft is transcribed into a computer. These things help reduce the stress of getting your college application done.
The part of the application that is the most time consuming is probably the essay. Like me, some of my classmates will have to write multiple essays, and each essay must be proofread many times, until it is absolutely perfect.
The easiest part of the application process is the part you don’t have to do yourself: the teacher recommendations. All you have to do is fill out a short form which will help the teacher write a better recommendation.
After the standardized test scores are finished and the transcript is sent, you can finally relax, and wait for answers from the five, six seven, eight, nine, or ten colleges to which you’ve applied. College notification day comes and goes hopefully with more than one acceptance.
The next step is choosing the college. But how do you choose the right college? There’s got to be more to it than just a prestigious name or a flashy brochure. You can study statistics until you’re blue in the face, but if you really want to find the college that’s just right for you, you also have to listen to your own heart.
Now that may sound a little clich , but the truth is that your choice has to feel right and that’s not necessarily determined by whether or not it’s in the top ten list of US News and World Report. There’s nothing wrong with those colleges, but they’re not right for everyone.
And if you ignore your heart when making your choice, you may have a rude awakening when the term starts.
It’s not the college alone that makes you a successful student. It’s the “fit” that ultimately determines how happy, regret-free and successful you’ll be there.
This is Anna Jamieson from Manchester.
Anna Jamieson is a senior at Burr and Burton Academy.