What I Learned Before and After Applying to College
The past 6 months of my life have been consumed by one thing: college.
Specifically, applying to college. This intimidating feat has been looming over my head since the second I entered high school and now that I’ve accomplished it, I can finally look back and reflect. Although I’m still waiting on multiple decisions, the process of selecting programs for my specific area of study and prospective happiness was extremely tasking and eye-opening. It was, in fact, as hard as it seemed to 14-year-old Keira.
My freshman year, I wanted to do something else entirely with my life. I wanted to major in communications, eventually go into the communications industry, and do…yeah, I have no idea. I was watching my senior friends applying to college with a fire lit under them, solely because they had an innate passion for what they were going to be studying. I had time to figure out all the kinks of what I wanted to do, but yet, I knew that “communications” didn’t possess the spark that I needed.
In due course, I found my “next great adventure” in psychology and criminology through my own process of trial and error. My mental health struggles, research, media, interviews, internships, and more provided a great deal of information that was enough to light my own fire for both industries. Once I figured out what I wanted to do, I then had to figure out where I was going to take my next steps.
As I’m sure you know, selecting colleges to apply to begins with research, research, research. I compiled a master spreadsheet where I would input all of my newly learned information, and then compare and contrast. This consisted of finding the most competitive and prestigious programs for both psychology and criminology, prerequisites and test scores, costs and locations, and my chances of getting into the schools. I spent months and months revising this list, removing colleges that, upon further reflection, couldn’t supply what I needed, and adding those that could. Finally, the summer before my senior year, I finalized my spreadsheet and came to a total of 15 schools (yes, I realize that’s insane) that I would apply to in the fall.
Soon enough, the time came to begin the application process. Most schools require you to write multiple supplemental essays answering meaningful questions, on top of your personal statement. These questions, although unique to each college, roughly covered the same areas. One that came up regularly was on the topic of my major, specifically why I selected it and what had led me to discover a passion for it. I have never been more challenged as I was then, not only trying to decipher what truly led me to this particular path, but attempting to encompass myself as a person. More frequently than not, I could only use 200 words. After months of writing and revising my applications, I acquired some lessons learned that I held close to me throughout the entire process that also helped me along the way.
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1. Start as early as possible.
I believe I began compiling my list of schools my sophomore year, which was incredibly helpful. It led me to comprehend what exactly I needed to accomplish to be a strong candidate to these colleges, and that’s what I did. Gaining hands-on experience by actively seeking out opportunities such as internships and shadowing, plus conducting frequent interviews and extensive research, truly helped me so much. You never want to be rushing everything you should have done earlier in your senior year, that’s for sure.
2. Take risks.
High school is the absolute best place to step out of your comfort zone when it comes to your “next great adventure.” With the safety net of living at home with your parents, as well as having a support system of your peers, it’s totally okay to switch up what you want to do and try new things. As I shared previously, what I want to do now isn’t what I wanted to do my freshman year. It took time, as well as some personal struggles, to find where I fit in and where I could make a difference. If I had stayed stagnant and remained in the place that I felt most comfortable, I would not have gained valuable, life-long lessons. I wouldn’t be a competitive candidate for colleges either.
3. Ask for help.
For me, it was extremely difficult in the beginning to find people on my own that I could talk to in the criminology industry. It’s a hard area of work to shadow in without having previous connections, and who would want to help out a 15-year-old stranger trying to decipher their place in the world? At the time, I didn’t realize that quite a lot of people would, and at first, I didn’t want to ask for help. After finally expressing some of my obstacles to my friends and family, I was surprised to find that they possessed contacts I could reach out to. From there, I found more and more, and with that, I gained more experience. I was later able to discover connections on my own after lots of work, but without asking for help, I never would have gotten to where I am today. Additionally, these people that I met also provided me with insight on the college application process and gave me some much needed advice.
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After submitting all 15 applications, I’ve never felt more connected to myself. I’ve gained such a strong understanding of what has made me me, and the main reasons I am drawn to psychology and criminology. Each meaningful experience that has led me to the place I am at today, and this portfolio of a website has provided me with the tools to share my personal testimony. Applying to college can be scary and intimidating, and although freshman year Keira would probably be surprised to hear me say this, I’m extremely grateful for every step in the college application process.