Despite seniors’ notorious reputation for laziness, affectionately known as “senioritis,” the early part of the year is a taxing and unceasing barrage. We are yet again acclimating to classes, rebuilding clubs, and, worst of all, attempting to navigate the gargantuan and labyrinthine process that is the Common Application.
To many—myself included—college has always been a “light at the end of the tunnel.” It has felt like the paramount goal of education, constantly lurking overhead. Years of schooling have built entirely toward an admission letter. Finally approaching that end—after dedicating most of our lives towards it—is utterly incomprehensible.
The college path is one that most have chosen without much thought, solely because it is what you are supposed to do. This perception of college as a need rather than a want is harmful: it pushes people to judge schools not by merit in a specific field but by prestige, by how it validates their success in achieving the modern student’s dream.
Both of these factors compound into a hysteria of sorts. We become so consumed in building the perfect application in the most palatable and braggadocious yet paradoxically humble way that we end up ignoring how the schools we are applying to suit our majors, the opportunities they provide, student life, cost, and countless other essential factors.
With nearly one in four college freshmen dropping out, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, the price of seeking prestige over a proper fit is pervasive. For many, college may not be the ideal future at all, with routes like trade school, entrepreneurship, or entering the workforce directly providing a more fulfilling and cost-effective future.
While for much of my class it may be too late to avoid this counterproductive thinking, I urge younger students to seriously consider a college’s fit for their intended major and personal interests over its perceived prestige. Four minutes to think might change four years of your life.
