Nowadays there are many challenges in the years leading up to the increasingly competitive landscape of college applications, with acceptance into students’ dream schools seeming more like a pipe dream.
Every year, the process of preparing for college applications seems to start earlier and earlier, with some even beginning in middle school and hiring private college consultants to extensively curate college applications.
It can be a huge advantage to have an older sibling with experience to advise on which classes to choose, time management skills and the transition to high school.
“My little brother Zach is only in 6th grade, but I think that I will be able to help him with college applications and what steps he should take throughout high school in order to give him the best chance at getting into his dream college,” junior Nicholas Yanney said
There are many variables that must be taken into consideration when building college applications such as balancing sports, social life, grades and extracurricular activities.
“So far, in order to improve my chances of getting into college, I have taken harder classes and joined various extracurriculars both in and outside of school,” said junior Nick Jardin.
Recently, with high school being more competitive than ever, acceptance rates for Ivy Leagues and UCs have dropped drastically. Acceptance rates for Harvard have decreased from 6.9% in 2014 to 3.59% in 2024 according to Harvard admission stats, and USC from 17.8% in 2014 to 9.8% in 2024 according to USC admissions stats. With the stresses of applying to college increasing with each passing year, Jardin said, “My biggest worry about applying to colleges is the fear that I haven’t done enough to get accepted into the colleges that I desire to go to.”
As students navigate through the complex pathway of college applications, seeking advice from college counselors and mentors has become more important than ever.
“A student’s success in the college process hinges on how honest they are about who they are, what they want from their college experience and what they will bring to the colleges to which they apply. Far too many students bypass the most important step in this process which centers around self-reflection and staying true to oneself,” said PVHS Director of College and Career Center Joanne Lewis.
Many students tend to center their focus on extracurriculars that they think would look good on applications, rather than their true passions.
“Our first year students should take time to explore and find meaningful activities that they enjoy and that they can take a deeper dive into throughout their time at PVHS. It’s okay to try MUN or Cyber Patriot or whatever the activity might be only to find that it is not your cup of tea!” Lewis said.
“What is sad is when a student spends weeks, months and even years involved in an activity they aren’t excited about as that becomes very clear in the college application.”