Upon entering twelfth grade, seniors are peppered with endless comments and questions regarding their futures. Are you planning on going to college? Where have you applied? Have you been accepted yet? How will you pay? What career will you have? You’d better figure it out soon; you’re running out of time. Then somehow, despite a feeling of impending doom, these conversations always end with: enjoy your senior year, it will be the best year of your life!
The last year of high school can certainly be an exciting time, forming unforgettable memories and reflecting on the past while simultaneously looking to the future. However, the looming pressures of the college admissions process put a heavy weight on the shoulders of high school students. The idea of deciding one’s entire life trajectory at the age of seventeen or eighteen is daunting and unrealistic, placing a damper on senior year festivities.
In a recent Southern Lehigh High School alumni panel featuring several members of the Class of 2024, nearly every graduate expressed some level of regret in their handling of their senior year. The most common advice? Try not to spend too much time stressing about college decisions and the admissions process.
“While this may be easier said than done, keeping the college application process in perspective is key,” school psychologist Mr. Cotie Strong said. “I would recommend that students understand there is no ‘perfect’ college and striving to find a good fit is most important.”
With an influx of “stats videos” circulating on TikTok and “commits pages” on Instagram, teenagers are constantly comparing their own SAT scores or college acceptances to those on the internet. And social media’s peer pressure and relentless comparison cause students to doubt their self-worth as a result of being rejected from highly competitive schools as acceptance rates continue to drop every year.
Social media often pushes the idea a student must attend the most prestigious college or university to be successful, creating unrealistic expectations. The reality is that even top schools such as Ivies may not be the best fit for some students regardless of the institution’s merit.
“[It’s important that] students focus on what is best for them versus trying to get into a school to please someone else or a school that is ‘Instagram Famous,'” Mr. Strong said.
For one, Kishore Annambhotla, a class of 2024 graduate, ultimately chose to attend the University of Pittsburgh because of the school’s resources, programs, and community, all factors that aligned with his interests. After accurately evaluating his wants and needs, he is satisfied with his decision, and recommends that other students take a similar approach.
Other than finding the right fit academically, culturally, or socially, another imperative factor that concerns many students is the financial aspect of college admissions. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, the cost of a college degree is the top reason unenrolled Americans are not pursuing enrollment.
“As a low-income, first-generation college student, I often worry about not being able to go to college solely because I cannot afford it,” one anonymous SLHS senior said. “It’s hard to enjoy my last year here when I have to deal with the constant uncertainty of my future.”
More cost-effective options, such as state schools or the free-tuition Lehigh Carbon Community College Honors Program, have become more popular in recent years as the total cost of a bachelor’s degree can cost over $500,000 at some institutions, according to the Education Data Initiative. Therefore, some students find that attending the more cost-efficient school is a better fit than the expensive “name brand school.”
This also begs the question of whether certain college degrees are worth the cost, time, and energy. While there are endless excellent career paths that do not require a college degree, statistics have proven time and time again that a college degree is highly beneficial. According to research conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the more education one has, the more they are likely to make in weekly earnings. Additionally, more education leads to a lower risk of unemployment. Earning a degree sets graduates apart from others, as they possess certain refined skill sets that can only be obtained through a college degree.
Another 2023 Gallup poll found that 71% of currently enrolled bachelor’s degree students strongly agree or agree that the degree they are receiving is worth the cost. Just 8% strongly disagree or disagree. No matter the institution a student attends, if the school is a good fit for one’s goals and makes sense financially, it’s worth committing the time and resources to obtain a degree if they choose.
For any SLHS students struggling with college admissions, know that your counselors are here to help, and you are not alone.
“All students are always welcome to speak to our school counselors, myself, or our school social worker if they are feeling stressed about the process,” Mr. Strong said.
Creating a plan for your life after high school is undeniably essential, but students should know that they do not need to have every detail ironed out. Finding ways to take a deep breath, slow down, and enjoy the last few months as a high schooler is equally important.
“It’s not worth stressing too much about the admissions process, because it isn’t the end-all-be-all,” Annambholta said. “Whether you believe it will or not, everything works out in the end.”