Dear underclassmen,
From my experience as a senior now finished with her college applications, I have one statement that I hope you take to heart: Stop thinking about college applications.
College application season will arrive. From the moment we step into high school, that simple, omnipresent truth influences our every action and decision. Want to get into Harvard? Better join Exit 33 and excel in high-level STEM courses. Want Stanford to like you? Better trade your weekend baking ritual for a prestigious internship.
I’m sure your anxiety’s been amplified by your scrolling habits. Social media influencers—such as Elise Pham (@UltimateIvyLeagueGuide) and Brandon Tineo(@tineocollegeprep)—feed your nerves, urging you to create a story that shows “clear community impact” and “desire for growth at a higher institution.” And in order to make this story, you must “curate” your high school experience into a portfolio that screams “college student” through your activities, or extracurriculars (ECs), list. With just over 1,000 words total to demonstrate your entire character, participating in ECs that support a specific major and show a clear purpose in your actions gives college admissions officers a better understanding of you as a person and a student, which increases the likelihood that they’ll admit you. And according to these influencers, you’re already behind. You should’ve started earlier—as early as seventh grade—joining activities that show your “passion” and “authenticity” for your intended major at your “dream college.”
Not everything these influencers say is wrong, and they do offer great advice for acing high school and preparing for college apps. Personally, @goharsguide’s short-form study tips carried me in ninth grade, and Elise’s SAT guide structured my studying in eleventh grade. But not everything these influencers say is right, especially their videos about your activities list. Influencers have many reasons for being on social media—to make money, to gain fame, to give advice. These influencers, whose target audience is high school students, aim to entice students to enroll in their college consulting programs. Their effective, “no-strings-attached” advice helps you, but more importantly, it convinces you of their expertise: They’re so knowledgeable and helpful on this topic, so they can definitely help you too if you listen to their advice… and maybe you should pay for their consulting services so that you can ensure your acceptance.
Their videos regarding your activities list are no different; they convince you that you should’ve entered high school knowing exactly what major you want to pursue, which school you want to attend, and what activities you must participate in to achieve those goals. However, high school isn’t a college preparatory academy: You aren’t meant to know what you want to study, where you want to go, and what activities might interest you from the moment you step into the building.
Should you already know with 100% certainty what you want your future career path to look like, then following these influencers’ advice to plan your every step from seventh grade onward might benefit you. But if you’re uncertain—which is normal—that advice might hurt you by locking you into applying for a major that you’ve lost interest in or by squeezing the joy out of your high school career.
Since you’ll spend most of your free time on your ECs, participating in activities that no longer spark your interest will slowly drain the life out of you. They’ll become a necessary evil in order to achieve a long-term goal—extra classes with even more tasks rather than recuperation time through an interesting activity. Ultimately, you’ll struggle to write your supplemental essays, which are meant to highlight the impact you had on that activity and the impact it had on you. Sure, you might have a more cohesive and compelling application, but it might be at the cost of gritting your teeth and sacrificing hours to activities that you don’t like for a major that you don’t love. Furthermore, colleges might sniff out the dying flame of “passion,” and you might not receive the result that you spent four years suffering to achieve.
As underclassmen, you have the luxury of time. Acknowledge the large distance between you and your November 1 or January 15 deadline. Spend your freshman year joining every activity—club, sport, etc.—that piques your interest. Taste new cuisines at Gourmet Club or try your luck at Mahjong Club. Test your knowledge with the SciOly tryout exam or at Quiz Bowl. Intern at a local business to learn more about the career of your dreams. In your sophomore year, narrow your participation to activities that bring you the most joy and those where you might be interested in pursuing a position of leadership. At the end of the year, you should have a stronger sense of direction, but it’s okay if you’re not completely confident in what you want to pursue. Maybe you’re still unsure even as you enter senior year. That’s fine. Undecided is a viable and respectable choice. Personally, I didn’t know what I was applying for until I started filling out my Common Application.
As someone who’s listened to lots, followed some, and disregarded most influencers’ advice, I can promise you that your high school experience will be more memorable when you participate in activities you love rather than activities that bedazzle your college application. High school isn’t just a stepping stone to the next point in your life. It’s four years where you’re the closest to your graduating class than you ever will be, and where some of your most memorable moments and long-lasting friendships will originate. So don’t worry endlessly about a faraway future—enjoy the present by fully valuing the time, connections, and knowledge you gain. From my experience as a student of South High, that is the one—albeit controversial—statement I hope you take to heart.
