Four things juniors should do now, before the end of the school year

Most college-bound seniors have now made their final decision and commitment about where they will be next year. (Most. Some are still hoping for a waitlist opening. Some are still navigating financial aid and aren’t sure they’ll end up where they plan to go. Some are deciding late that they want to go to college and are grabbing rolling admissions spots or checking out community college offerings.) That means the clock is really ticking for current juniors, who have approximately 51 weeks to complete their own admissions process. An entire year from now may seem like a long time to get it all done. It may seem like a really short time. Both are true: it’s plenty of time, but it will go by really quick.

Some juniors are already far along the path. Others are just beginning. Wherever you are in the process, there are four things you should do before the end of this school year.

Do your best at school and finish with the best grades possible. Some people will tell you that your junior-year grades are the last ones that count. They’re not right: colleges will ask for grade updates, and it will be conspicuous if you suddenly have less rigorous classes or are getting worse grades. Colleges can, and sometimes do, take back your acceptance if they think you’ve let yourself become too much of a slacker. But they’re not completely wrong, either: senior-year grades will get checked, but they won’t be scrutinized like your transcript for 9th-11th grade. Your GPA and rank at the end of this year are much more likely to be your “official” ones for college admissions purposes, so finish this year as strongly as possible.

Decide if you will take the SAT and/or ACT. I don’t encourage anyone to rush to take one of the tests. Many universities are still temporarily test optional, and many are permanently test optional. It’s very likely you will not need to submit test scores, and there’s no good reason to take the test if you don’t need to submit them. You should base your to-test-or-not-to-test decision on fact and research, not a gut feeling. “I’m sure I’ll be fine without test scores” is not a wise approach, nor is “I have to take the tests, because schools really require them even if they say they don’t require them.” Look at the testing policies for any school you’re interested in. Also check the requirements for any major scholarships and honors programs at those colleges. See how necessary test scores are for you, and proceed from there based on the facts. You can take the tests in the late summer or fall—you don’t have to do that now.

Set up test prep if you think you need it or want it. Don’t sign up for test prep if you’re not really sure you need it. Test prep can help, but not if you’re passive about it. If you’re not going to really work at test prep, then it will be a waste. There are all kinds of ways to get help preparing for the entrance tests. There are classes through the big companies like Princeton Review, Kaplan, and Test Masters. Lots of school districts and local colleges offer test prep. There are private tutors and smaller companies that offer personalized programs. Khan Academy offers free prep, and you can also work independently with a test prep book.

If you’re in any AP classes, go ahead and take the exams. If you don’t get a score you’re proud of on an exam, you don’t have to report the score to colleges. And no, it doesn’t “look bad” to colleges if you take an AP class but don’t report the score. But when you do get scores you’re happy about, you can report it and it can boost an application. Your AP scores in 12th grade won’t affect your applications, but earlier ones can. If you’re nervous about not taking the SAT or ACT for test-optional schools, having some solid AP Exam scores that reinforce your high grades can make you feel a lot more comfortable with it down the road.

Line up rec letters. Teachers who may write you a letter of recommendation have a long time before they’re due. But don’t wait until the last minute. Don’t even wait until the last month! Find time to have a quick conversation with the teachers who know you best. Let them know that you’ll be requesting an official recommendation from them, and ask them if they have any questions or suggestions. It’s a much easier conversation to have when there’s a lot more time for it. Now is the right time to ask, even if they won’t have it written until much later.

Do some large-sweep online college searches. Even if you think you have a preliminary list ready, spend time reading through lists and descriptions in case you’ve missed something. Just looking at a list of “Best Colleges” is worthless. Don’t waste your time with that. But doing some searches for more narrow topics can be useful. Look for rankings of top colleges for several majors you’re interested in. Search for best colleges in the geographic areas you’re interested in. Look for colleges that have other qualities you’re interested in. Be sure, though, to look at multiple sources and cross-reference the lists. Never trust a single source. Also, don’t put too much weight on the actual rankings: the difference between number 12 and number 28 may be minimal. And never stop at just the top five or 10. A rule of thumb for dealing with rankings from any source: assume the top 50 are tied for first place.

So, for example, imagine you think you’d like to major in biology or environmental science. You like the mid-west. You want a school with a strong sense of school spirit. I’d recommend you search: “best colleges for biology,” “best colleges for environmental science,” “best colleges in mid-west,” “best colleges for school spirit,” “most underrated colleges in mid-west,” “best colleges for your money in mid-west,” “best colleges for your money biology,” and “best colleges for your money environmental science.” For each, try to find several different lists or rankings, and look at the top 100 if they go that deep. The important thing is to look for patterns and which programs show up on multiple lists. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of them, and don’t take time to stop and do research on individual schools as you go. Just look at lots of lists and look for patterns and repeating names. This takes time, but it’s also pretty low-key. Do this before you start asking counselors and teachers for more specific help or doing deeper research.

I know you’re busy. You’ve got final exams. You have projects and competitions. But you’ve also got 51 weeks left. The heavy lifting is going to happen this summer and fall, but you can set yourself up to have a much easier time if you’ll take care of these things in the next four to five weeks.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out these related Apply with Sanity posts:

   What happens in high school stays in high school

   Should you bother to take the SAT or ACT?

   Three things I say all the time

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with Juniata College

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Steven Simons, Senior Associate Dean of Admission and Marketing at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to Juniata College?

Juniata has so many traditions, it’s impossible to pick just one. Our most infamous is storming the arch, where first year students attempt to make it into Cloister Arch to get priority room draw, but are met by the men and women’s rugby team and other upper classmen who have stormed before. It is not for the faint of heart and rarely, if ever, does a first year student make it through. If storming isn’t your speed, you might like “Mountain Day”. A total surprise day in the fall where students are woken up at 5:30 AM because classes are cancelled. After sleeping in, students head out to the lake for a day of activities, food, sunshine, and simple fun. More traditions include Lobsterfest, Madrigal Dinner, Mr. Juniata, The Bailey Oratorical, Springfest, Surprise Day and Liberal Arts Symposium, but to learn about those, you’ll need to come visit!

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at Juniata?

Juniata is the ideal choice for inquisitive, intentional, and interesting students who want a college experience that will have a powerful impact upon their lives, and who are ready to do the work of self discovery. Imperfection is a pre-requisite to the type of learning that students do at Juniata. Here, they find a place that is completely committed to their personal growth and intellectual development. Each of our students are on their own journey of personal discovery. At Juniata, we give students a safe place to fail, so that they graduate with more than a hard-earned degree, but they take with them intellectual dexterity, courage of heart, and an ease with collaboration. Our students are fun, smart, and focused. At Juniata, we don’t have majors or minors, we have the Program of Emphasis, which allows students to collaborate with their faculty advisers to design a POE that is perfect for them and aligns with their career goals and educational aspirations. We aren’t looking for students who sit in their rooms all day and study, but are looking for students who come prepared to engage with their education and the people around them.

When people come to visit Huntingdon, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

We always recommend people eat and hang out at Standing Stone Coffee Company, which is an alumni owned coffee shop right down the street, that is the unofficial hang-out spot for students and faculty. All the coffee is roasted on site, and students stick around in the evenings for live music, trivia nights, game nights, and much more. For people interested in the outdoors, they should check out Raystown Lake, the largest inland lake in the state of Pennsylvania. There are beautiful views, beaches, and students can get kayaks and canoes from our Environmental Science Field station located right on the lake, one of the few of its kind on the east coast.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of Juniata. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with Hiram College

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Sally Hoffman, Admission Counselor at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to Hiram College?

We have multiple courses, traditions, programs, and events that are unique to Hiram College. From our unique semester schedule (12+3 and two free summer classes) Tech and Trek program (1-to-1 technology program), Direct-Admit Nursing Program (which is accessible even to our many student-athletes), and Experiential Learning opportunities, to our Lantern Tours, Sugar Day (day of research presentations), and Springfest, Hiram is not lacking in unique opportunities and traditions for prospective and current students alike.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at Hiram?

Hiram attempts to view students from a very holistic lens without putting too much consideration on any one area when it comes to the admission process. With that being said, any student who genuinely wants to learn and grow typically has success at Hiram. Between our small class sizes, service-focused faculty and staff, and abundance of resources, if a student wants to succeed, those supports are in place. Some of the supports that are available are our Emerging Scholars Program, ARCH Tutoring, and our Writing Center.

When people come to visit Hiram, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

Local to the college itself, great places to check out are the Hiram Inn, Maggie’s Donuts, Gionino’s Pizza, and Cellar Door. For additional options for food, shopping, and entertainment, we often suggest the nearby towns of Garrettsville, Streetsboro, Kent, and Aurora. With our biggest population of students (aside from Ohio) coming from California, Florida, and Texas, we often recommend checking out the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, as well as Cleveland and all it has to offer.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of Hiram. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Five considerations before making a last-minute decision

It’s the final few days before seniors have to make May 1st decisions and deposits. (If, for whatever reason, you’re looking for colleges still open for applications, check out NACAC’s list; it’s updated daily.)

While many have already made their final decision, many others are still trying to figure it all out. Every year I talk with students and families going through the last-minute decision process. Usually, the final decision is tough to make because a student is choosing between a few very good, but very different, options. I can’t make the decision any easier for you, but I can perhaps help you be more self-aware of the issues holding you up. Here are five things to consider as you’re making that last-minute decision.

What information do you wish you had to make this an easier choice? If there are basic facts to look up, you’ve probably already looked them up. The other questions don’t have clear answers, but it’s helpful to name them anyway. Take the buzzy anxiety out of your head and write it down in clear questions. Will I be able to find a job easily once I graduate? Will I find a strong social group easily at college? Will my family’s finances change and make a barely-affordable choice completely unaffordable? How will I handle this large transition? What environment will be the healthiest for me? How big a risk is too big? These are the types of big-picture questions I see students wrestling with when they’re struggling to make a decision. Name those questions and make sure you understand where your indecision is coming from.

Understand the difference in cost. If the colleges you’re considering have significantly different costs, take time to understand that difference. Why do they have different prices? Why do you think the more expensive one might be worth the extra cost? If you take the less expensive one, what will be done with the savings? If loans are involved, how much will the total cost of those loans (loan amount plus interest over time) be?

Understand the difference between reason and emotion. What are the rational reasons for attending any of the colleges you’re still considering? What are the emotional temptations pulling you towards them? Which seems the safer choice, and which feels more risky? How do you normally make decisions: with a pro/com list, or with a gut feeling? There’s nothing that says you have to go with the more reasonable, disciplined approach, and there’s nothing that says you should throw caution to the wind and go with instinct. Ideally, you will find the right balance of the two. But first it really helps to separate the logic from the emotions as best as you can.

Explain your decision before making it. For each of the schools you’re still considering, whether two or 10, write this sentence for each: “I’ve chosen to go to _____, because _____. I was also considering _____, but _____.” Don’t let your explanations be vague or long-winded. Write them down in clear sentences. And then read those sentences aloud, a lot, to multiple people, and see what resonates.

Don’t look back. Once you’ve chosen, be done with it and forget about the others. Make your deposit, and make a housing deposit. Go online and buy a school sweatshirt. Throw out or give away any t-shirts or materials from the others you were considering. Tell everyone you know where you’re going. Start looking for a roommate. Immerse yourself in planning for the fall—go to the website, read all the materials they send, mark your calendar. The sentence you used to explain your choice? Use it a lot.

After May 1st, the relative advantages and disadvantages of those other schools won’t disappear. You can spend the summer making yourself crazy wondering “what if?” You may start to wonder if it’s really too late to change your mind. You may start to think about transferring after the first year. You may take the difficult decision you make this week and stretch it out for months, not really getting anywhere. The smart thing to do, difficult as it is, is to let go and move on.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read these related posts:

   What to do when you get waitlisted

   Don’t pass up a full ride

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with Warren Wilson College

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Sarah Farrar, Admission Counselor at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to Warren Wilson College?

So many Warren Wilson traditions - my two personal favorites are Work Day and our annual Circus. 

Work Day is a day when we pause all academic programming to beautify campus, work in fellowship, and build community. While we hope to accomplish great work and be super productive, the primary focus of Work Day is to come together in the name of work and bond with each other. It is an important opportunity for us to laugh, learn, and love with each other.

Circus is a time for students, faculty and staff to come together and celebrate the end of the year. It is a platform for individual and group expression in art, production and design, and is completely student scripted and run. The performance is a culmination of the talents of circus arts performers on campus, including German Wheel, aerial silks, fire dancers, and acrobatics (to name a few). It’s one of our quirkier events, but it definitely encapsulates the Warren Wilson spirit.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at Warren Wilson?

Our most successful students tend to be those looking for something different, those with a desire to explore unique pathways, and those with a genuine curiosity about the world. We attract lots of students with learning differences and students from non-traditional schooling backgrounds, not that that makes them imperfect!

When people come to visit Asheville, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

We are located in the mountains of North Carolina, so spending some time out in nature is a must. Whether you’re a hardcore hiker or just want to take in some mountain views, the Blue Ridge Parkway is well worth the visit. Downtown Asheville is just down the road from campus and offers all the city vibes - great shopping, delicious dining options, and museum galore. And while you’re at it, you might as well go see some live music or check out an art show! Head to the French Broad Chocolate Lounge afterwards for something sweet.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of Warren Wilson. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Trying to get more financial aid

It’s early April, seniors. By now you should have all your admission decisions back from colleges, and you should also have your financial aid offers. You’ve got a little less than a month to make your final decision, and cost is probably a major—if not the only—factor that will guide your decision on where to go. Comparing financial aid offers is tricky, because they’re not uniform and not always very clear. So the first thing to do is to go through them carefully and slowly with your family. If you have questions, ask. The schools should have given you the contact information for questions and concerns, so use that.

It’s very typical at this point to have two or three good choices and no clear top choice. If that’s the case, then you’ll probably choose the most affordable of them and be done with your search. But if you still have a single standout favorite, then after understanding the competing offers you may find yourself realizing that you’re unable to attend your top-choice school because of finances. If that’s the case, there’s still time to ask for more money, but you have to move quickly.

It is absolutely essential that you know how much money you still need. You should have this number already, because you and your family have talked about what is affordable for you. You’re down to the final days and very specific dollar amounts. You need a real number, not a hazy concept. If your family is saying that the top-choice school is still not within range, ask them how much money would make it affordable. You need that number. Otherwise, you don’t know what you’re asking for and won’t know if you get it.

Next, prioritize. You can make an effort to change one, maybe two, offers. Limit yourself to that. Don’t put yourself through the entire process again with a lot of places. Focus.

Have your back-up plan. Assume there will be no financial aid changes, and make a plan based on that assumption. Make your appeals, but assume that the offers you have are your final offers. Don’t hold onto so much hope that you don’t plan for the likely outcome.

Finally, understand that you’re not really negotiating. You’re not in a position of strength here. You’re not haggling, this is not a game, there is no winner. You’re simply asking for more money. You may get it, you may not. Be prepared for both. If you want to have a sense of how likely a school is to work with you, there are a few things to look up. First, see how many people took a place on the waitlist for the past few years, and also how many people on the waitlist actually got a spot. If the school uses a large waitlist and few people actually get off the waitlist, then “if you don’t give me more money I won’t go there” isn’t much of a threat. Also compare your bottom-line number to their average net price. If they’re asking more from you than what’s average, there may be some room to work. But again, these just give you an idea. They help you manage your own expectations. You don’t get an answer from the school until you ask, and last year’s stats don’t necessarily tell you anything about your own situation.

Understand what you’re asking for and why. Then explain both of those things as clearly as possible to the school. This isn’t the time for clever narratives or emotional pleas. Let them know what the problem is and ask them politely if they’re able to help solve it. Here are some common scenarios.

You’re asking for more need aid because your situation isn’t the same as what’s on your FAFSA. Your Expected Family Contribution and need are based on the information you submitted to the FAFSA (and sometimes the CSS Profile). But that information may be out of date, and your circumstances have changed significantly. One example might be that a parent or guardian is at a different job or no longer has a job, so their income is much lower. If this is the case, explain the issue, and provide as much documentation as possible. The more evidence, the better. Send along more recent tax documents, pay stubs, medical bills or other official documents that can help you show that your actual need is very different from the one that was calculated earlier.

You’re asking for more need aid because they gapped you. This probably isn’t an accident—they know they gapped you. Tell them that the school is still your top choice, but that you won’t be able to attend with the package they offered you. What if you can get by without getting the full need met? This is a difficult situation. If you let them know you don’t really need your full need met, then you may be asking for less than they might actually offer you. This is unlikely, but still a risk. If you tell them you absolutely need the full need met, then they may offer you nothing even though you may have got the lesser amount. So there’s a risk either way. I advise people to be upfront and tell them exactly how much you really need, but I understand people not wanting to ask less than the full need amount and “leave money on the table.”

You’re asking for more merit aid because, despite getting full need met, you don’t think you can actually afford to go without more. If they’ve met your full need beyond EFC, this is going to be tricky. But let them know and see. Be polite and show gratitude for meeting your full need. And let them know that, despite the formula, you still won’t be able to attend without more aid. Let them know exactly how much more you’re asking for—the smaller the number, the easier it may be to get them to offer it.

You’re asking for more merit aid because you got a better offer from a different school, but this one is still your top choice. It’s difficult to accept an offer from a school, even your favorite, when another school is offering a much better aid package. Let the school know your situation. Provide documentation of the better offer. Remember, you’re not haggling or negotiating. If you say “match this better offer or I’m not going to your school,” they can easily say “have a great time at the other school!” But if you’re saying that you and the school are a great match and it’s truly your top choice, but that your family just ins’t in a position to walk away from a better offer from another school that’s also a good fit…but not as good a fit, then say so and see what they can do. Again, make sure you’ve talked to your family and know what kind of price you’ll accept. The school is likely to give you more aid, but not as much as that other school is actually offering. Be emotionally prepared for this.

You’re asking for more merit aid because you would like more aid even though you can afford it. You won’t have to walk away from your top choice, you just think it doesn’t hurt to ask. You’re right, it doesn’t. But it’s difficult to explain and difficult to get sympathy. If they’ve meet your full EFC and you don’t have a cheaper offer from another school to document, you're essentially asking “hey, got any aid money left?” If this is what you’re doing, emphasize how great a fit the school is and how it’s your very top choice. Let them know that the aid package they’re offering is really going to stretch your family budget in a way that is difficult, that you’re hoping that more aid has been freed up, and that if it has you would like to be considered.

I wish you well in these final weeks, seniors! It’s still really stressful, but you’re almost there.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read these related posts:

   Don’t pass up a full ride

   Make your choice and don’t look back

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

The element that's missing from a lot of LOCIs

So first, LOCI means Letter of Continued Interest. It’s what you write to a college who is offering you a wait list spot if you want to be on their wait list. It’s where you explain to them that you still really want to go to their school.

I don’t actually think you should take a wait list spot if you have affordable acceptances from any other colleges. I recommend the emotional empowerment of basically saying "screw you and your waitlist, I'm going to a place that already recognizes my awesomeness." (You may not want to literally say that.)

But if you do decide to hold out hope and take a place on the wait list, you’ll probably write a LOCI. Make sure, however, that the college wants one. Some schools require them, but some ask you not to send one. If there are any instructions from the individual school, follow those instructions!

In many LOCIs, there's a looming question a lot of people don’t address: if this is your top-choice school and you want to go here so badly, why didn’t you apply Early Decision? You’re writing this letter now saying that you love the college, it’s your first-choice pick, and if they accept you—even late in the summer—you will go there. The way to signal to a college that it’s your Number One and that you will definitely attend if admitted is to apply ED. So why didn’t you? You should address this directly. This is the thing that’s missing from a lot of LOCIs—explaining what’s changed—and you can make your LOCI better by addressing it. Even if you’re writing a LOCI for a college that doesn’t offer ED, you can write a stronger letter by thinking about this question and answering as if they did.

There are three main answers for why a person has a top-choice but didn’t apply ED if they could have.

One reason is that you’ve learned more about the school. Since applying, you’ve done more research, gone on a visit, or somehow gotten a better idea of what the school is all about. If this applies, say so, and explain what changed. Tell them what you’ve learned about them since you submitted your application. Be as specific as possible. Or maybe you are the one who’s changed. You’ve gained a better understanding of yourself or have made some major decisions that make the school a lot more attractive now than it was at the end of last year. Either way, the college feels like a much stronger fit that it did when you had the chance to apply ED. Make that clear, and give concrete details.

Another reason people don’t apply ED to a top-choice school is that they are fearful of applying ED because they want to compare financial aid offers. That’s perfectly reasonable and understandable. If you’re now in a situation where you wanted to apply ED to a school but held off for financial aid reasons, but the other financial aid offers you got just aren’t good enough to make you change your mind, say so. Make sure you discuss this with your family first, though. You’re basically signaling that attending the college is more important to you than financial aid. That’s potentially a very expensive thing to say, so be thoughtful about saying it. No, you’re not obligated to take a waitlist spot if they offer you one but don’t offer enough financial aid to make it affordable. But understand up front that they’re probably not going to offer much financial aid, because their budget may be limited by the time they get to the wait list. So if you think it’s a strong possibility that you won’t be able to afford to go even if they offer you a place, you may not want to bother with the LOCI and wait list.

There’s a third situation that’s tricky to write about. That’s when you’re asking for a wait list spot not because the college is really your first-choice pick, but because your first-choice pick didn’t accept you, and maybe your second also didn’t accept you, and now the top of your list is the one who waitlisted you. It’s hard to tell them “you never were my favorite, but now I guess you are, because all my favorites didn’t accept me. I’m feeling a little desperate.” You don’t need to hide this or feel embarrassed. Still, your LOCI will be stronger if you take the time do some research and write most of your LOCI as if you’ve learned a lot more about the school and/or learned more about yourself.

What else should you include in a LOCI? Give them any updates that may be useful. Has your GPA gone up at all? Have you won any awards, completed any big projects, or done anything else noteworthy? If there's anything that's substantially changed for the better since you applied, let them know about it. All this is going into a single page. Unless the school directs you otherwise, aim for 400-500 words.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read these related posts:

   Three things seniors can do while they wait

   Make your choice and don’t look back

   Dealing with denial

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

A plan for stressed 9th graders

A few weeks ago an old friend got in touch. Her daughter, who is in the 9th grade, is feeling a lot of stress about college admission. Even though it’s still years before she’ll apply to college, she’s already feeling pressure—mostly from her friends and classmates—to build up her resume and be ready for applications. She’s hearing about people deciding to double up on math classes to look more attractive to colleges. She’s wondering if she should be getting started on test prep. She wants to know how to strategize about the “right” clubs to join and the “best” classes to take next year. My friend asked if I could talk to her daughter and help her understand if that’s realistic.

It’s not realistic. Those are not the things a 9th grader ought to be doing.

But I also understand that “don’t listen to what you’re hearing every day, and will be hearing every day for more than two years” is pretty unrealistic. So I talked to her daughter and we put together a plan. We decided to acknowledge that she’s in a place where there is pressure to begin college prep early, and we decided to find a smarter way to go about it than worry about every rumor of “what colleges want.” I put it into a single page that she can print and have with her—in a notebook at school, on her desk at home, or both.

I’m sharing that one page, and I’d like to explain some of it.

The overarching idea: get out of the “am I worthy?” mindset and treat college like a relationship. All of the discussions, whether formal or casual, about what colleges want, how to look good to colleges, and how to make yourself stand out to to colleges have at their core the “am I worthy?” mindset. This mindset believes that preparing for college is all about showing colleges that you are worthy to be accepted, and that acceptance from colleges is a validation of your worthiness. This mindset isn’t healthy, it isn’t realistic, and it isn’t useful. Instead, you have to think of it like a relationship. Consider what it is you want, what you have to offer, and how to make the most of both of those sides and grow as a person. This is what people really mean when they talk about “fit.”

A few guiding rules:

1.     If the only reason to do something is because “it looks good to colleges,” don’t do it. If you want to take extra math or science classes because you really like the subject and are hoping to keep yourself challenged, that’s great. Go for it. If you want to join an honor society, do what it takes to join it. If you want to keep yourself occupied in a lot of different activities, because you have a lot of different interests, by all means do. But don’t do anything of those things just because you have a sense that “it will look good to colleges.” That’s a lousy reason to do something, because it takes up time and energy that can be spent on doing something that’s actually interesting and important to you. When you find out what colleges are looking for in an applicant you won’t find any of them asking students to waste time on unproductive activities. That’s actually the opposite of what they want.

2.     Focus on the qualitative, not numbers. You’re a person, not a resume. It’s a cliche to say “don’t be another statistic.” However, way too many ambitious high school students work really hard to become statistics. They obsess over GPA, test scores, and the number of accolades they can list. Don’t make yourself into a list. Always be thinking about the quality and richness of your experiences, not the numbers.

3.     It’s not the choice you make, it’s how you explain it.

4.     The keys to success are time management and a meditation practice.

5.     Not sure what colleges want? Ask them. People get their ideas about what colleges want from all sorts of places. They rarely get their ideas from colleges themselves. Want to know what a college is looking for in its applicants? Go to the college website. Go to the admission section. They will probably tell you what’s important to them. You can also search for the college’s Common Data Set to see exactly what’s required and important to them. Simply search “[name of college] common data set.” Go to section C, “first-time, first year (freshman) admission,” which will begin somewhere around pages 6-10. Here is an example of a Common Data Set. Begin at page 7. If you have a specific question about admission requirements that isn’t answered on the website or their Common Data Set, email the admission department at that school and ask. Don’t rely on information that isn’t first-hand from the college. Especially don’t rely on fourth-hand information that comes from your friend’s mom’s coworker who talked to “someone in admissions.”

 To do:

Look at writing prompts. Discuss often. How would you answer them now, and how can you improve your answers over the next year and a half? If you feel the need to prepare for college applications early, begin with writing prompts, not GPA or tests. Make these sorts of questions common discussion topics among you, your family, your friends, and your teachers. Don’t actually write essays yet. But think about how you would answer the question now and how you like to be able to answer the question by your senior year. Here are some samples to get started.

o   “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?” (from Common Application)

o   “Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.” (from Common Application)

o   “Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?” (from Common Application)

o   “Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?” (from UT Austin)

o   “Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.” (from Georgetown University)

Have five go-to colleges for looking things up. Don’t let “colleges” be abstract. Have several in mind, several that you’ve gotten to know. These don’t need to be colleges you will necessarily apply to—you have time to figure that out. But have a list to work with. Get on their mailing list; get to know their website; look them up in guides. Change as often as you like, but always have a list of around five. Here are some to begin with. I picked these almost randomly to get variety. A large public university and a small liberal arts college. Northeast, Atlantic Coast, Mid-west, and California. Places where you might major in art or major in business. Again, make your own list of five, but always have a list of five that you’re familiar with.

o   University of Michigan Ann Arbor

o   Skidmore College

o   William & Mary

o   Santa Clara University

o   Carnegie Melon University

Deepen your relationship with a mentor (including, if necessary, finding one). If you have at least one adult who is not a family member and who you can go to for advice, deepen your relationship with that person. Make an effort to talk to them more often and ask more questions. Discuss the essay prompts above with them. If you don’t yet have a mentor, whether formal or informal, think about how and where you might find one. Sometimes mentors just happen into your life. Sometimes you have to work to find them.

Read more texts, and read more difficult texts. By “text,” I don’t just mean books. Books are great, but they’re not the only kind of text. Whatever you like—books, music, art, video games, poetry, history, science, sports—spend more time with them, and push yourself to deeper understanding. The key here is to study what you love. Don’t only study things that are forced upon you, and don’t let the things you love only be passive distraction. If “study” and “things you love” sound like complete opposites to you, then you’re definitely not ready for college. The more you combine studying with the things you love, the more prepared you’ll be.

Want more? Some places to look for college advice and a better understanding of how the process works:

Apply with Sanity newsletter

Selingo, Who Gets In and Why

Newport, How to Be a High School Superstar

Georgia Tech admission blog

Notes from Peabody: the UVA Admission Blog

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with the University of Vermont

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Jay LaShombe, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to the University of Vermont?

I think UVM’s approach to educating students about the importance of caring for the environment and sustainability is a hallmark of the UVM experience. While our Environment focused majors are world class, regardless of major, every student at UVM takes at least one course in sustainability. Caring about each other and the planet are core values of the UVM community.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at UVM?

We find that students who really don’t know what they want to do really love UVM. It’s completely fine to come to college and not have a clear plan for your future. UVM is a place where students are supported in their exploration of their passions and interests. 

When people come to visit Burlington, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

I’ll start by saying that I have a lot of love for Blue Bell Creameries, it’s wonderful. Having said that, Vermont’s own Ben & Jerry’s is pretty darn good too. When folks come to Burlington, I encourage them to head to the Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop on the Church St. Marketplace. Strolling up and down the pedestrian marketplace while enjoying a scoop is a classic Burlington experience.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of UVM. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Take a spring break trip!

I know Spring Break—like spring itself—happens at different times across the country. But my kid’s school has spring break in one week, so it’s on my mind. I strongly believe that Spring Break should be a, you know, break from school and stress. But I also know that lots of students and parents ask me what they can do over Spring Break to help with college applications. There’s only one thing I recommend:

Go on a practice college tour.

For many high school students, especially juniors, Spring Break is a popular time for college campus visits. I wouldn't necessarily call this "normal." Sure, lots of students do it. But lots of students don't do many--or any--visits until they're seniors and visit only schools they've already been admitted to. And plenty of students don't visit a college at all. What's "normal" is up to you and what you think is really best for you. While I don't recommend skipping college visits altogether, neither do I recommend going on big multi-campus trips just because you feel like you have to. 

However, if you're a younger high school student--in the 9th or 10th grade--I urge you to consider going on some "practice visits." Unless you live in a very rural area, there should be at least a few colleges near you that you can tour. Sign up for a few, and do your best to get the full range of college types. Here in Houston I recommend touring Rice, the University of Houston main campus, and Houston Baptist University. If you live in the St. Louis area, for example, consider Blackburn College in Carlinville, Washington University, and U.M. St. Louis. This way you can get a sense of what a big state school looks like and how it differs from a medium-sized private school and how they both differ from a small private school. At this point, in your practice runs, I wouldn't even worry about the differences in cost. You're just trying to get first-hand knowledge of how different types and sizes of schools feel. 

Why bother visiting colleges you're not interested in attending? Isn't that a waste of time? Not necessarily. For one, it gets you a variety of experiences early. Imagine you do a big East Coast trip to visit Georgetown and G.W. in Washington D.C., Columbia and N.Y.U. in New York, and then Harvard and Boston University. You've hit six big-name schools with great reputations...but they're all medium to large private, selective universities in dense urban areas. If you're sure that’s what you want, fine. But if you're not sure how different sized schools feel and operate, or if not sure an urban school is for you, then it may save time and money to get a feel for those differences near home. 

It's good to try out schools you have no emotional attachment to. In this sense, think of college visits like any other shopping trip. It helps to survey what's available and do some research before walking into a store eager to buy something. You'll be a lot less susceptible to emotional sales tactics and a lot more confident in your control of the situation. Maybe you won't be so eager to attend a school because you were really impressed by the dining hall or the friendliness of the students—most schools have decent food and friendly students—if you already have a sense of what's available elsewhere.

It's also smart to get a few visits out of the way at places you're not necessarily interested in attending just to have some practice and be less jittery. You don't want to waste a visit to a top-choice school because you're nervous that you may say the wrong thing or that things won't look the way you expect them to look. If your first visit to a “contender” is your fourth or fifth school tour, you'll already be an experienced pro and can really focus on what you need to for that visit.

And, of course, you might end up really wanting to go that school, even if you hadn't planned on it. As in any relationship, you just may find your match in a place you weren't expecting. 

You don’t even need to leave home to get a better sense of a college. While there’s a lot to be said for physically stepping foot in a place and feeling its “vibe” first hand, most colleges noe have high quality online options available for getting to see the school. Spending an hour online to do a virtual tour takes…one hour. That’s a lot less of a time commitment than going on a visit.

If you do go for a physical visit during your Spring Break, check to see if it’s also the college’s Spring Break. Touring an empty school can be worse than not touring at all.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read these related posts:

   When should you tour colleges?

   Making the most of a campus tour

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Online resources for trans students

Last week the Texas Attorney General issued a legal opinion that gender-affirming medical care for minors constitutes “child abuse.” The next day, Texas governor Greg Abbott directed the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate any reported gender-affirming care as child abuse. Texas isn’t the only state making it difficult for gender nonconforming students and their families. Arkansas passed legislation making gender-affirming care like hormone treatments illegal for minors, and that law is being blocked while a legal challenge works its way through the court system. This Freedom for All Americans page tracks anti-trans legislation across the country.

Because all college-bound students, including trans students, need a place where they can thrive intellectually, socially, and spiritually, I want to share some resources for high school students looking for the most inclusive college environments.

All students, including LGBTQ students, are looking for a place where they can thrive. Here are a few online resources that may help.

The most practical place, and therefore the first place you’ll want to check out, is Campus Pride. They have all kinds of resources, training, and outreach to make college campuses safer for LGBTQ students. But as a high school student looking for a college, you will be very interested in their Campus Pride Index. It ranks hundreds of colleges on a five-star scale, helping you find which colleges on your list are the best when it comes to gender-inclusive housing and friendly policies. Campus Pride has been around for over 20 years, so there’s a lot of experience and wisdom in their approach. (I made a donation to Campus Pride, and you can find their donation page here.)

For an understanding of your rights as a transgender college student, as well as guidance on changing names and/or gender markers on documents, Lambda Legal has a great FAQ page to use as a starting point. (I made a donation to Lambda Legal, and you can find their donation page here.)

I always say that the best way to prepare for college is to be a good high school student. Fortunately, there’s support for LBGTQ students, allies, and educators in K-12 schools, not just universities. GLSEN has been involved in that support and education for decades. They have a resource page dedicated to supporting Trans and GNC students. (I made a donation to GLSEN, and you can find their donation page here.)

On top of other resources, Human Rights Campaign has a scholarship database for LGBTQ+ students and allies. (My family already has a membership with HRC, so I didn’t make a donation this week. But I bought a t-shirt. You can find their donation page here.)

Whoever you are, no matter your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or race, I hope you find a college that supports you and accepts you for who are you and who you aspire to be.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with Rollins College

A magical fox who surprises the campus with a day off and pancakes? That sounds wonderful!

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Frank Thomas, Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to Rollins College?

Fox Day is an annual tradition established in 1956. Each spring, on a day deemed “too pretty to have class,” the president cancels all classes for the Colleges of Arts & Sciences and Professional Studies, providing undergraduate students with a surprise day off.

A statue of the Rollins fox is placed on Tars Plaza by the president early in the morning. The Chapel bell rings to alert students of the special occasion while the president hands out Fox Day proclamations and donuts to students who line up outside his office. A free pancake breakfast is offered in the morning, fun activities are planned throughout the day, and a family-style picnic is laid out on the Green, free for everyone in the Rollins community.

No one knows exactly when Fox Day will happen each year. But students are known to camp out on The Green eagerly awaiting the fox’s arrival during the weeks leading up to the highly anticipated day.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at Rollins?

The overwhelming majority of Rollins College applicants are imperfect students! At Rollins, we aren’t looking for one reason to say no; we’re looking for lots of reasons to say yes. All students are going to face some setback or adversity in their high school careers, and the more interesting and instructive stories relate to how they faced and overcame those challenges. Any student who feels that part of their application is imperfect can make up for that with strengths in other areas of the application. For example, a lower level of rigor in course selection could be balanced by higher and more diverse involvement in internships, organizations, and service.

When people come to visit Winter Park, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

The Rollins Admission office is at the intersection of Fairbanks Avenue and Park Avenue.  Students walking north on Park Avenue from there will encounter charming downtown Winter Park, with blocks of local shops and restaurants, a park, and a light rail train station.  On weekends, there is a wonderful local farmers’ market at the park, which is also the center of holiday celebrations and decorations.  It is a great asset within short walking distance from campus.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of Rollins. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Slow down to speed up

I have a friend who is a financial adviser. When I first met him he was working in the “wealth management” side of a large international bank, helping wealthy clients figure out how to invest their money. Now he runs an investment fund and manages hundreds of millions of dollars. One time, back when I was still a high school teacher, I thought I’d ask if he had any reading recommendations for my students. None of them were looking for investment strategies for their millions…at least not yet. But financial literacy is a really important skill for people of almost any age, so I thought he might know some good books that taught the basics that I could pass along. He would only give me one answer:

“The Tortoise and the Hare.”

Right, I said, I get the idea. Go for the slow, steady, wise approach, not the get-rich-quick schemes. But what can you recommend that translates that to money and financial literacy? “C’mon, help me out, don’t be so clever,” I thought (but didn’t say aloud). “No, The Tortoise and the Hare. I’m serious. Internalize that, and then you can learn the details when you’re ready.” So that was the advice. Read and learn that short fable, and then some day you might be ready to manage your own money. Got it.

Strangely, it was years before I made the connection between The Tortoise and the Hare and a phrase I’ve learned from chefs: Slow Down to Speed Up. “Slow down to speed up” is a lot like “slow and steady wins the race,” except in restaurants there is no finish line—it’s the daily grind of getting good food out to customers.

Slow Down to Speed Up has to do with keeping up with the crazy pace of a kitchen by slowing down first to perfect your skills. If you’re falling behind because you’re not chopping vegetables well or you keep forgetting ingredients because you’re in a rush, then speeding up the bad preparation doesn’t make anything better. You have to slow down and do it right until doing it right becomes automatic. Then, and only then, can you start to really stay caught up.

Slow Down to Speed Up is such an integral part of chef training that Dan Charnas devotes a chapter to it in his book Everything In Its Place: The Power of Mise-en-place to Organize Your Life, Work, and Mind. Here’s how Charnas puts it:

Chefs don’t panic. The basic concept is this: The natural human tendency in the face of imminent deadline is to rush or panic. Don’t rush; when you rush, your movements become sloppy. Don’t panic; when you panic, you forget things. When you find yourself rushing or panicking or both, just stop. Breathe. If your anxiety compels you to move, then clean. The act of cleaning…will force you to take some breaths. Look around you. Think about where you are and where you need to be. Think of the next step to get you there and take that step, slowly.

Though I’ve only known it in the kitchen context, it turns out that Slow Down to Speed Up is a concept taught in business and management, also. Here are short articles from McKinsey & Company, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review extolling the virtues of slowing down at key moments to do better in fast-paced business.

So financial planners, chefs, and business managers agree that you should slow down to speed up. What does Slow Down to Speed Up look like for busy high school students? How can you win your college admission race by slowing down?

First, focus on skills, not achievements. Chefs slow down to make sure they’re cutting vegetables right, keeping their station clean, cooking their proteins to the best temperature. When they’re in the kitchen getting orders ready, they’re not thinking about getting great reviews or awards. Rewards only come later as a result of the skills. As a student, take time to think about the skills you’re learning and the skills you should have already learned. Think more about skills and material, less about grades and rewards. Don’t use tricks and shortcuts to get an A in Biology—learn the Biology. Don’t spend 45 minutes trying to hide that you didn’t do the History reading—spend an hour doing the History reading. Make your audition monologue the best you can, without worrying about if you’ll get the starring role in the play. Practice your passing and raise your endurance without thinking about going to the soccer playoffs. Your skills will be rewarded sooner or later, but only if you focus on the skills. The more you slow down to focus on skills, the more substantial the reward, even if it’s a little later.

Do less, practice more. Students and parents often ask me what else they should be doing to help with college applications. What other activities should they add to their resume? How can they “round out” their application? Unless they’re doing absolutely nothing (and they never are), my answer is always not to do more. Go for quality, not quantity. Do fewer things, and practice them much more intensely. A student who plays one sport and is in one club, but participates with intention and experiences growth, will always be more appealing than a student who superficially participates in three sports and five clubs. This isn’t about “finding your passion.” If you have a passion, great. Spend more time practicing it. But if you don’t have a passion yet, that’s fine. Choose a few things that are good and worthwhile, and practice them with care and attention. It’s not about the passion, it’s about the practice.

Study a little more, cram a lot less. Set up a regular time to study and do homework. Ideally it’s daily, but that’s not always realistic. Then, use that time to study and do homework, all the time, even if there’s nothing big coming up. If there truly is nothing you need to do during that study time, use it anyway. Be in your study space and do something productive. Read ahead in a textbook, or read something for pleasure. The better you get about spreading your preparation for projects and exams out over time, the less panic you experience right before the big due dates.

Procrastinate better. Maybe I’m supposed to tell you not to procrastinate, but that would be naive. People procrastinate. But you can do it better.

There’s a good chance you’re like me: when I’m overwhelmed with too much to do or anxious because I’m not sure what to do next, I soothe myself by doing something low-stress and of low importance. Ironically, the more I have on my to-do list, the more likely I am to waste time. It’s a self-soothing mechanism. So if I really need to get back to a client, and I’m behind on writing a blog post, and I need to return some email, and there’s laundry piling up, and my kids are insisting on eating dinner (they seem to want dinner every night!), I find myself looking for a time waster. Twitter, Instagram, online shopping, re-organizing the bookshelves, things like that. It temporarily helps with the stress, but it makes the problem worse. The next time you catch yourself procrastinating, ask yourself if maybe you’re doing it because you’re anxious about what all you have to do and being unsure what to do next. Just understanding why you procrastinate is a major step.

The trick is to procrastinate with finite distractions, not open-ended distractions. Cleaning is a good distraction, because it makes it easier to feel in control. But clean something small; clean your desk, or make your bed. Don’t reorganize all the files in your computer or decide to overhaul your bedroom. When you’re in a procrastinating mood, stay away from the internet. Play a short and simple game, not one that takes hours. If you can procrastinate with something that’s time-limited and healthy, even better. Take a walk around the block. Do 25 push-ups. Stretch. Do a 10-minute guided meditation. Then, after a short procrastination break, take a breath, “think about where you are and where you need to be. Think of the next step to get you there and take that step, slowly.”

Sleep. It’s hard to get enough sleep as a busy teenager. It’s hard to get enough sleep as a busy adult. It’s a paradoxical circle, where you need to get sleep so you can be organized, calm, healthy, and happy. And you also need to finish all the things that an organized, calm, healthy, happy person does before you can get enough sleep. So I’m not going to get preachy or judge about sleep. I will recommend, however, choosing one night a week to become your regular “sleep night.” Choose one night a week—it doesn’t even have to be the same night each week—where you do everything within your power to get one hour of sleep more than you usually get. Maybe that will be a struggle. Maybe that will feel good. And maybe it will be so good that you’re able to increase it to three, four, or five nights a week. If that’s the case, reverse it and have a single designated “stay up late to catch up” night.

Slowing down to speed up is tough, especially at first. When you’re panicked about having too much to do, being in a chaotic state, and having pressures build up around you, stopping is one of the hardest things to do. But just like the chefs, just like the business gurus and fund managers, just like the tortoise—you have to slow down and plod along. Slow and steady is how you win the race, and it’s how you prepare yourself for college.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out these related Apply with Sanity posts:

   Study in the quiet places

   Stop doing that

   The two things you need for success in college and beyond

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Finding your meaning

What does it mean to be alive? What does it mean to be alive in the specific time, place, and society you live in? What is your purpose? How do you find that purpose, and then how do you act on that purpose? How should you live, mindful of that purpose and—just as important—how do you live if you don’t have a clear sense of your purpose?

These are some pretty big questions, the kind of questions that philosophers, theologians, and psychologists deal with. And they’re the kinds of questions that high school students thinking about college deal with. Where will you go? What will you study? Will you actually have access to the place that seems right for you, and will you be able to do what it takes to succeed? Who will you meet? What will you do after college? How will college change you as a person, and will it be a good change? All of these questions—subtly for some, overwhelmingly for others—have to do with identity, meaning, and purpose. It’s one of the reasons college applications can be so difficult.

Lately I’ve been listening to Making Meaning, a podcast series from Ministry of Ideas, a Harvard Divinity School initiative. Each episode is a short (around 10 minutes) interview with someone about how to think about our own meaning and purpose.

Episode four is really, really great. That episode features Michael Steger, the founder and director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University. I hope you’ll listen to the whole episode, but I want to point out two things from it.

One is that Steger reminds us that meaning ins’t something fixed and unchangeable. It’s an ongoing process that has no end as we grow. As he puts it:

We are not some iceberg just grinding our way toward a defenseless island. You know, we’re something that freezes sometimes and something that melts sometimes and something that drifts sometimes. And sometimes something that steers ourselves sometimes.

Remember this if you’re struggling to find meaning at times, or if you sense your purpose changing and you’re not sure how you feel about it. If you’re unsure what sort of a future you’re setting yourself up for, it can be difficult to know what to do for the next big step, which is college. But understand that your purpose can change, and that it’s influenced by a lot of things beyond just our choosing. So be kind to yourself and think about what you do know that you want, need, and have to give in return from college (or even not going to college). Don’t focus on what’s not there and what you don’t know.

The other great thing is that he gives a simple and practical exercise we can do to help us understand what meaning and purpose we already have for ourselves:

So just take a camera, or your phone probably. Take some time, limit the number of photos you’re going to take. Maybe just five. Maybe seven. Some small, singular, single-digit number. And take a photo of things that speak to you, what makes your life meaningful. It can be a person, it can be a pet. It can be something you made, it can be a special place. Particularly during the pandemic it might be a picture of a person, or a picture of a special place. You know, or it might be a souvenir you brought back. Who knows what it is. But take that picture and spend a little bit of time thinking to yourself about why you took that photo, why it’s meaningful to you. And then share it with someone, tell that little story.

Taking the time to do this photo exercise sincerely and seriously can be extremely useful. While Steger is the director of the Center of Meaning and Purpose, not me, I still want to suggest two things about this exercise he recommends. First, wait until after you’ve taken the photos and really thought about them before deciding who to share them with. If you have an audience in mind, that can skew what sorts of things you take photos of and then what you think about them. Do the sharing part significantly later than the thinking part. Also, push yourself to move past the first level or two of answers about why something is significant. Ask yourself why a lot. Dig deeper. Make connections.

I hope you enjoy the episode, and perhaps the entire series. Meaning and purpose are fun, if scary, things to think about. You’ll do it before college. You’ll do it in college. You’ll continue doing it long after college is over.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out these related Apply with Sanity posts:

   Making meaning out of your adversity

   What would you do as a bored billionaire?

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Lots of college admission news!

This time of year can be pretty boring for college admission news. While admission offices work through their piles of applications, there’s usually not much to report until they start sending decisions and stats. But this month has brought three major pieces of news. Below is a quick summary of each, with links to learn more, and my ideas about how likely the news is to affect you, a current high school student.

16 colleges are being sued over their financial aid practices.

What’s the story? Colleges aren’t supposed share notes with each other on their financial aid decisions. Each school has to come up with their own offers—and their own way of deciding how much to offer—so that students can compare offers and go to the school with the most financial aid if they choose. There has to be competition, and that’s the law. However, there’s a group with an exemption to the law. They get together and come up with a single shared “methodology” for determining financial aid awards. They’re able to do this because they don’t discuss who gets accepted, and because they’re all need blind, meaning your ability to pay isn’t part of their decision to accept you. That, says the law, is competitive enough. But the lawsuit, brought by five people, says that nine of the colleges aren’t exactly need blind. Because the admission offices may track which applicants are from families that are big donors—or have the potential to be big donors—then the ability to pay is in fact a consideration…and one that only works in the favor of wealthy applicants. They’re essentially competing for rich students and then conspiring with each other about how much to offer the not-rich students. So, say the people suing the schools, they’re not actually need blind and therefore shouldn’t be allowed to share information. What about the other seven schools? The lawsuit claims that since most of the schools in the group are tainted by the double-standard, the whole group is, because they all share their data to come up with a shared “methodology.”

Will this affect you? Probably not. Lawsuits like this take a long time to work their way through the courts. It’s likely that you will be through college, or at least already in college, before this litigation has any impact. But technically, if the group decides to disband soon, and if you apply to any of the 16 colleges and are accepted, then it could affect your financial aid offer. Technically. But nobody knows what that effect might be.

Want to read more?

Lawsuit says 16 elite colleges are part of price-fixing cartel. (New York Times)

Class action suit filed against to private colleges. (Inside Higher Ed)

Affirmative Action case is going to the Supreme Court.

What’s the story? Colleges and universities are legally allowed to consider race as a factor for admission. There are some guidelines, though: race can be used in order to increase the educational goal of diversity; it can’t be used to make schools intentionally less diverse. There can’t be quotas; a school can’t decide beforehand that, for example, 25% of their students will be Black. Race can only be used as part of a holistic approach; it can't be the only, or first, criteria. Affirmative Action has been upheld by the Supreme Court—including those guideline—as recently as 2016. But now the Supreme Court will hear two previously separate cases combined into a single one. Both Harvard and UNC won their initial Affirmative Action cases when they were sued by an anti-affirmative-action group. Harvard also won their case in the next level of appeal. But the Supreme Court is willing to hear both the cases, and the basic assumption is that they wouldn’t want to take the cases unless they were willing to change something about the laws.

Will this affect you? Possibly. The case won’t be heard until this October at the earliest, and nobody’s expecting a ruling until summer of 2023. But if there’s a major change to what’s considered legal, then universities may make some fairly large changes pretty quickly after that. But what kinds of changes those may be depends on the outcome of the case, which won’t happen for a while. So it’s possible there will be some major new rules around race and admission by the time younger high school students apply to college, but it’s far from guaranteed.

Want to read more?

Supreme Court will hear challenge to Affirmative Action at Harvard and U.N.C. (New York Times)

Supreme Court takes affirmative action case. (Inside Higher Ed)

The SAT is making some major changes.

What’s the story? Beginning in 2023 outside the US and 2024 in the US, the SAT will only be given online. It will be administered in test centers; students will not be taking it at home. Not only is the test going digital, but the format will change. There will be shorter reading passages with fewer questions. Calculators will be allowed for all math portions. Instead of every student answering all of the same questions, the computer program will use different questions to “figure out” what level you’re at in less time with fewer questions. The new test will take around two hours instead of three, and 80% of the students who took the pilot test said it was less stressful than the old pencil-and-paper test.

Will this affect you? If you’re in the 9th grade now, then absolutely it will. You may end up taking the new SAT, you make take the ACT, you may take both, you may take neither. But if you already hear strategizing and scheming at your school around standardized tests (Should I take the test? Which one? How many times? What do my scores mean? Should I report them to test-optional schools?), then those conversations are going to be amplified in the coming years as people try to figure out what to make of the new SAT. I hope you won’t get stressed about the SAT. But if you were already inclined to get stressed about the SAT, this is going to make it worse. At least until you take the test, which they say will be be less stressful. Maybe. Be prepared.

Want to read more?

Put down your No. 2 pencils. Forever. (New York Times)

The new SAT. (Inside Higher Ed)

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out these related Apply with Sanity posts:

   The Glossary: need blind

   What’s important about the Harvard trial

   What’s wrong with Affirmative Action?

   Should you bother to take the SAT or ACT?

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with the University of Oregon

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Olivia Manwarren, Regional Admissions Counselor at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to the University of Oregon?

A tradition at the University of Oregon is the walk to our football stadium, Autzen stadium.
We say "Over the river and through the woods to Autzen all Ducks go." On game days, follow the crowd through the windy roads to Autzen on the memorable walk that you'll always remember. You can always feel the excitement and energy of people as you brush shoulders and waddle your way into the stadium.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at UO?

Students who flourish are those who are able to ask for help when they need it. They can make a mistake, learn from it and attack the problem again. Resilient, hard working, and communicative.

When people come to visit Eugene, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

Hike Spencer's Butte, grab ice cream at Prince Puckler's, check out the Saturday market downtown!

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of UO. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with Providence College

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Owen Bligh, Senior Associate Dean of Admission at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to Providence College?

The Development of Western Civilization program that all of our students take is definitely the cornerstone of our liberal arts core. It’s 16 credits and covers from antiquity and ancient Mesopotamia all the way through modern times. It’s one of the largest classes a student will have (about 75 students per section) but that’s because it’s team-taught by faculty from history, literature, philosophy, theology, and more. The interdisciplinary way that students explore the development of the western world is a new type of thinking for many of them. As the program nears its end, faculty from throughout campus are brought in for colloquia related to students’ academic interests. It’s a hard program…there’s no sugarcoating that you’ll definitely have days you struggle with it…but the majority of our alums look back fondly on it.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at PC?

We certainly don’t view it as a negative, but since many students do during the college search, I think that students who have no clue what it is they want to study or pursue are ones who do particularly well at PC. As an institution, we’re built for exploration. There’s no programs that you needed to apply into as a first-year student to ultimately study. The various schools are really for administrative purposes and it’s quite common to see a finance major studying philosophy and a theatre major taking a quant class. While there’s certainly exceptions, the silos that so often exist within higher education don’t seem to on our campus and it’s a great place for students who are not just solely focused on studies in one area.

When people come to visit Providence, RI, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

Downtown Providence is incredible and there’s so much to do, but if you want the true experience of living on our campus then you can’t go wrong with The Abbey and Newport Creamery. The Abbey is a no-frills sports bar with some of the best burgers you’ll ever have. Newport Creamery is famous in Rhode Island for their Awful Awful’s, basically their version of a milkshake. I don’t know how they’re different than a regular milkshake, but they definitely are and you’ll have to try for yourself! Both are walking distance from campus. If you’re set on exploring downtown, don’t miss the internationally-renowned WaterFire!

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of Providence. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with Oregon State University

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Heather Woffard, Sr. Assistant Director of Admissions for Multicultural Recruitment at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to Oregon State University?

There are so many ways to answer this question for Oregon State. Our Honors College has numerous unique classes that we could use as an example, including Farside Entomology, Experiential Marketing- Sports, Tourism & Performing Arts, The Truth is Out There: The Rise of Conspiracy Theories, and The Science of Science Fiction. We also have opportunities for students to study marine conservation biology and coastal ecosystems at our Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Oregon coast. No matter the class, students have an opportunity to get hands-on in their program and take their education outside of the lecture hall through research, internships, and special projects.

A favorite campus tradition happens each fall term when we start the year with our new students gathering at the Memorial Union quad and walking together through campus to Reser Stadium. The same path they will take four years later when they attend graduation and receive their diploma. There is so much pride and love for the OSU community here. You can walk across campus and yell “Go Beavs” and you’ll get a GO BEAVS in return from another student.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at OSU?

Oregon State utilizes a holistic review process which allows for us to look at the unique skills and experiences students have and could bring to Beaver Nation. We want to build a strong community of thinkers, problem-solvers, advocates, and explorers who are ready to take on challenges in their field. We embrace our responsibility to Oregon and the world, building a future that’s smarter, healthier, more prosperous and more just. 

When people come to visit Corvallis, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

Since Corvallis is known for being one of the best college towns in the country, we recommend students check out downtown or take a stroll along Monroe to see where OSU students commonly grab a bite to eat off campus. Corvallis is located in the heart of the PNWonderland and there is much to explore around the area. Take the 1 hour drive to see the Oregon coast and visit the Hatfield Marine Science Center or stop by OSU’s college forest, McDonald-Dunn Research Forest, just a 15 minute drive from campus. 

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of Oregon State. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Three quick questions with University of the Pacific

For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admission representatives at colleges all over the country, and then I hope to hear back from them. The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

Today’s response is from Andrew Merenda, Director of Campus Visit Programs and Events at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to University of the Pacific?

New Student Convocation is a special tradition and ceremony where new incoming students are officially welcomed to Pacific at the end of New Student Orientation by the University leadership and faculty in full regalia and feature keynote speakers including the University President and Provost. The next time they will all be gathered again in a similar ceremony will be at their commencement. At the conclusion of New Student Convocation, the students walk out of the auditorium where they are surprised with loud cheers and applause, the Pacific Pep Band loudly playing the fight song, and current Pacific students throwing orange and black confetti onto their newly minted fellow Tigers. This is called the “Tiger Roar”. Afterwards, the entire Pacific community is invited to an outdoor barbeque on the quad to celebrate new students.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at Pacific?

Average students will thrive at Pacific just as much as the class valedictorian. Pacific prides itself on offering small college caring with big university choices. We offer numerous hands-on resources and support for students who want to take full advantage of the opportunities their education can afford them.

When people come to visit Stockton, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

The historic Miracle Mile on Pacific Avenue is my favorite place to frequent in Stockton! As a local, I spent a lot of my childhood growing up on the Mile and near Pacific’s campus. The Mile is a special place for me with lots of great memories. Many Pacific students enjoy spending time on the Miracle Mile as they explore Stockton and get to know their new home at Pacific.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of University of the Pacific. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

What 9th graders should do this spring

Work at being good at high school

You're halfway through your first year of high school, and there's so much to deal with. There are often a lot of positive things associated with this time: establishing new friendships and networks, trying out interesting electives, learning practical skills. But there's also plenty of negative things to deal with: disappointment, feeling overwhelmed, feeling disorganized, having difficulty figuring out where you belong. Take time--not just once but at least once a week--to identify what's going well and what isn't. What are the positives to accentuate and the negatives to eliminate? Being self-aware and honest with yourself is going to help you get through this year, and if you'll stay in that habit it will help you every year of high school and beyond.

Improve your grades. Set modest and achievable goals--like improving your grade in each class by just three points--and track your progress at that goal. Do this in a positive way by studying a little harder and giving an extra half hour of effort, but also do this in a negative way in the sense of working to eliminate one bad habit or time-waster. 

Look for a mentor. Maybe you've already got a teacher, coach, or counselor who is a mentor to you. If not, go find one. You need to have at least one non-family adult who you trust to give you advice, to listen to you, and to have an academic relationship with beyond the time in the classroom. Maybe your school has provided you a mentor though some sort of advocacy program, but maybe that teacher is not really going to be a mentor to you for whatever reason. 

Continue to explore your interests. Remember that the whole point of education is to help you be a productive, happy, and interesting person. You can’t and shouldn’t wait until some future date to start working on those things. Explore activities and interests that you haven’t before. Try out a new club, sit somewhere different for lunch, find an interesting question to ask a teacher you haven’t connected with yet. The great thing about high school is that you get to do a lot of growing and changing and developing—you’re not stuck being the same person you were at the beginning of this year. But the hard part is that you are in charge of that growth and development; it can’t happen passively. So try new things, read new things, listen to new things, talk about new things, think new things.

Build confidence and clarity. There are dozens of ways to actively reduce your stress and build your confidence. If you haven’t yet, try at least one. Practice meditation; begin a workout routine; join a book club; take a low-stress online course; take on an art project; volunteer; write a short story; find a mentor; be a mentor.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read What Should I Be Doing Now? for other grades. Spring updates will available for all grades by the end of the week.

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.