College Selection Process

Dear Readers,

Hi there! My name is Julia and I’m a fanatic reader, theater-junkie, dog-lover and soon- to-be senior in high school. I’m writing this blog to share my thoughts on the college selection process. Specifically, to share my feelings and ideas on what it’s like to choose a school and go through the process of what I’m calling the “College Games”. I will describe the ups and downs of applying to college, receiving both letters of acceptance and rejection and living with the other stresses of being a teenage girl and senior in high school. Whether you’re close to my age or have a daughter or son about to embark on this very ominous, pressure-packed, and daunting process that lies ahead, I hope my perspective is helpful to you.

One of the goals of this blog is to tell you about all of the assistance I’ve received that helped me get where I am now. This includes the support of my friends, family, school guidance counselors, outside college counselors and my two golden retrievers. I hope to be able to answer your questions ranging from how I prepared for the ACTs to what I did to keep an even keel over the stresses of multiple applications.

Another goal is to have this information be helpful to any college applicant who can empathize with what I’m going through, and to parents to help them understand what their child is thinking as they navigate this process.

To say college is a big step is an understatement. For parents you’re saying goodbye to your “baby” (also sometimes your reckless teenager) who is about to taste the sweet and liberating sensation of freedom. For the future student, the process is a tricky, temperamental and unpredictable test of your academic, athletic, artistic and social skills. It’s also a test of tolerance as parents and students alike are repeatedly asked the question, “So, where are you thinking of going to school?”

In future blog posts I’ll share stories about my college visits, the application process and my journey as a high school senior. These stories will include minor break downs, situations of disbelief and exciting breakthroughs that will all be part of this experience of a lifetime.

Parents and students, are there any other college admissions topics you want me to cover in this blog?