With the summer ending, I am spending most of my time finishing work for summer classes while figuring out how to prepare for one of the most pivotal points in my high school career: college applications.
I am tired of endlessly watching videos of students who were accepted into prestigious universities, explaining what they did in high school to get accepted, ranging from engaging in cancer research under university professors to being the youngest person ever to obtain a Google internship.
Now, it’s my turn to go through the process. I’ve put it off long enough. It is time to write the first draft of my college essay.
I opened up my document in Google Docs, filled with a list of random ideas I curated to fit the personal insight questions from the university. I typed away on my keyboard, only to end up with a singular sentence. I tried again; this effort resulted in random fragments of what I picture in my head — a broken draft filled with scrambled words that would not cooperate with one another.
“The sooner I get the draft done, the sooner I have one thing off my plate,” I grumble to myself.
I want to create a perfectly polished essay — to show I am a fit for the university of my choice. While this essay will acknowledge I have flaws, I can only hope that those flaws align with the college’s expectations.
Even if I manage to create a perfect application, the college admissions process itself raises concerns. Despite researching it for months, I still do not fully understand it.
I’m worried that I will do everything that is expected and still not be accepted anywhere. It happened to my friend. She did everything to ensure acceptance into a good college. She took Advanced Placement courses at her high school and had a cumulative weighted GPA of over 4.0. She also participated in many clubs. She worked hard all four years of high school but still wasn’t able to get into the university she wanted to attend.
Recommended for you
Soon-to-be high school graduates must also decipher requirements from out-of-state and private schools, which adds to the pressure they feel as they navigate the constant changes in the college application process.
Applying for financial aid also contributes to stress and uncertainty. Will I qualify for federal student aid? Should I apply for financial aid packages from universities? Should I apply to dozens of private scholarships on the slim chance I could win scholarship money?
The college admissions process is always changing, but one of the most distinguished parts of my identity is being put to the test with the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in universities.
I’ve always been told that if you’re an Asian, you should never acknowledge it in the demographics area of your application because it will be to your disadvantage. I have no clue what to do now that race won’t be considered in admissions. I’m still contemplating whether I should note my race in my applications. Will it hurt my chances or not?
I feel anxious about what the upcoming application cycle is going to look like. The college admissions process has undergone many changes in the past few years, and it seems that it will go through more in the coming years.
These concerns keep me up at night. I worry about the unexpected challenges I may face as I apply to colleges. It seems that I won’t know whether I will be able to go to a four-year college until admission decisions are made.
I know that there are other options besides a four-year university. I can start my college career at a community college and transfer through the University of California Transfer Admission Guarantee program for one.
Regardless of all the paranoia and anxiety that come with applying to college, I know that it will be worth it in the end.
Saffiya Sheikh is a student education reporter for Sac School Beat in Sacramento County and a senior at Horizon Charter School. She plans to major in political science when she goes to college. She wrote this for EdSource.org
Good morning, Saffiya, and thanks for writing about the college application process.
Yes... apply for scholarships.
Yes... getting started on your essay can be daunting. Advice from others to "write about yourself" is easy for them to offer, but difficult for you to do.
When high school seniors put together a list of colleges, their college counselors will often suggest that applicants try to imagine seeing themselves at the colleges on those lists. Let's flip that idea around a little. Think about writing an essay that will encourage the applications reader to imagine you attending their college. How can you do that? Write about your character. That's not an easy thing to do for most of us, but who knows Saffiya best?
Saffiya.
I have written hundreds of recommendations for students. My early recommendations were not very good. Oh, they looked good and checked all the boxes, but I was too focused on academic performance. Then I realized the applications reader already had enough information about grades and test scores. So, I turned my attention to the applicant's character. I had a whole year to observe the applicant's character... in the classroom and in other settings. My goal became to convince an admissions officer that if he or she had only one more spot for an incoming freshman, then they should select the student I was recommending. I had to convince the college that my student was much more than a grade on a transcript.
Demographics. That's a tough one. About half of the high school seniors I recommended for college acceptance were Asian. It was satisfying to see them enroll in some great schools. I can only hope my recommendation helped those admissions officers see that my student... a person of character... was a good fit for their school. Be proud of who you are. You are a person of character.
Dear Sheikh - this college admission anxiety is misplaced and hyped. Please do your self a favor and start at a community college, take the prerequisite classes, maintain a high GPA and you will be admitted to the UC campus of your choice. It worked for me and my sons. We graduated from UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and UCLA respectively, with degrees in engineering, mathematics and chemistry.
congratulations you havebeen given a gift to cherish the rest of your life..i have 3 degrees AA BAand MA. last night i read the UCDAVIS degree from 1967. Ronal Regan signed my degree as he was President of the Board of Regents and of the uSA at that time. I was so impressed and grateful there are two small sentences explaining that on the degree what a gift. I appreciate this gift even more now having raised two sons and two granddaughteras best of luck to you in your future pursuit of your education ..speaking fluent Spanish is another gift from MIddlebury language school M.A, in Vermont a year in Madrid another gift . buena suerte con mucha alegria para ti..
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO
personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who
make comments. Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. Don't threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Anyone violating these rules will be issued a
warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be
revoked.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
(3) comments
Good morning, Saffiya, and thanks for writing about the college application process.
Yes... apply for scholarships.
Yes... getting started on your essay can be daunting. Advice from others to "write about yourself" is easy for them to offer, but difficult for you to do.
When high school seniors put together a list of colleges, their college counselors will often suggest that applicants try to imagine seeing themselves at the colleges on those lists. Let's flip that idea around a little. Think about writing an essay that will encourage the applications reader to imagine you attending their college. How can you do that? Write about your character. That's not an easy thing to do for most of us, but who knows Saffiya best?
Saffiya.
I have written hundreds of recommendations for students. My early recommendations were not very good. Oh, they looked good and checked all the boxes, but I was too focused on academic performance. Then I realized the applications reader already had enough information about grades and test scores. So, I turned my attention to the applicant's character. I had a whole year to observe the applicant's character... in the classroom and in other settings. My goal became to convince an admissions officer that if he or she had only one more spot for an incoming freshman, then they should select the student I was recommending. I had to convince the college that my student was much more than a grade on a transcript.
Demographics. That's a tough one. About half of the high school seniors I recommended for college acceptance were Asian. It was satisfying to see them enroll in some great schools. I can only hope my recommendation helped those admissions officers see that my student... a person of character... was a good fit for their school. Be proud of who you are. You are a person of character.
Dear Sheikh - this college admission anxiety is misplaced and hyped. Please do your self a favor and start at a community college, take the prerequisite classes, maintain a high GPA and you will be admitted to the UC campus of your choice. It worked for me and my sons. We graduated from UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and UCLA respectively, with degrees in engineering, mathematics and chemistry.
congratulations you havebeen given a gift to cherish the rest of your life..i have 3 degrees AA BAand MA. last night i read the UCDAVIS degree from 1967. Ronal Regan signed my degree as he was President of the Board of Regents and of the uSA at that time. I was so impressed and grateful there are two small sentences explaining that on the degree what a gift. I appreciate this gift even more now having raised two sons and two granddaughteras best of luck to you in your future pursuit of your education ..speaking fluent Spanish is another gift from MIddlebury language school M.A, in Vermont a year in Madrid another gift . buena suerte con mucha alegria para ti..
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.