"NTS: How To Survive College Application Season" by Sherry L

                                
                                                      ***not to be taken 100% seriously***

 If you were raised in a typical Asian home, then you would know that the only action more prevalent than eating rice is talking about C-O-L-L-E-G-E. This summer, I started my college search. Contrary to popular belief, college search was not exciting. The more I looked into the admission requirements for the schools I wanted to get into, the more depressed I became. This summer, I dodged, I weaved, but now it’s college application season. If you haven’t hit the “stressful” stage of college application season yet, good for you. For me, it was only after a series of prophetical dreams and visions did I finally come to the conclusion that college application season doesn’t have to resemble hell. In fact, it could be a little fun(No I’m kidding. It won’t be fun). I'm writing here to tell you that I have seen the light and am now avowing the great truth that will help you skip this ‘stressful’ step and go right on ahead to enjoying your senior year. Although I obviously have yet to experience the application process first-hand, I wanted to write this “Note to Future Self” letter as a reminder to just CHILL OUT. I mean, after all, it’s just your future.

Dear Self,

1. Do not compare yourself - Ever heard of the quote “There is always someone better than you.” ? Well it’s a lie. There is always 8967956089 ‘someones’ better than you. Accept it. Move on. In writing college essays, the goal isn’t to steal the spotlight and outshine everyone else. The goal is to show positive growth, or to put it bluntly- be likable. You don’t have to be valedictorian or MVP to be likable. Focus on personal achievements that matter to YOU and enhance your uniqueness through your college essays.

 2. Take the SAT/ACT - Since GPA, transcripts, AP scores, letters of recommendations, extracurricular activities, community service hours, brag sheets, and supplemental essays fail to show colleges who you are, colleges wish to ‘get to know you better’ by evaluating you based on the SAT Reasoning Exam! The SAT measures a student’s ability to succeed in life by substituting his or her entire 17 years’ worth of work with a 4 hour test. Not only does the SAT ignore genetics and social influences, it conveniently screens out all of the potential philosophers and artists in society. How thoughtful! As much as colleges claim they take a holistic and nonpartisan approach to their decisions, SAT/ACT scores can make or break an application, so make sure you study very hard!

 3. Apply to reach schools, match schools, and most importantly, safety schools- Here is how to apply to UC’s, Cal States, and private CA colleges: -UC’s: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/index.html -Cal States: http://www.csumentor.edu/admissionapp/undergrad_apply.asp -Private CA colleges(Member colleges only): https://www.commonapp.org/Login List of member colleges: https://www.commonapp.org/Login#!PublicPages/AllMembers Private colleges, like USC or Pitzer College, usually ask for letters of recommendation, so get on that now!

4. Remember deadlines!!! - Not turning in your application on time would be like discovering the meaning of life and then forgetting to write it down. Engrave these deadlines into your soul: All UC’s: November 30th All CalStates: November 30th All private CA colleges: https://secure.californiacolleges.edu/admissions/california-independent-colleges/california-independent-deadlines.asp

 5. No matter how nervous you are, don’t ask someone else to read the admission results for you - If the result is bad, the aura of awkwardness will be a labyrinth unto itself.

6. Handle rejections with a positive attitude - College decisions do not define your worth as a human being. If you don’t get accepted into your top choice, it’s not the end of the world. Send a letter of appeal. If that college rejects your appeal, then it is obvious that the awesomeness seeping through your application was too much for them to handle. You don’t need a program to tell you how great you are. YOU ARE FABULOUS!

7. Handle acceptances with a humble attitude - Since college decisions totally define your worth as a human being, it is proven that you‘re a genius. If you get accepted into your top choice, all there is left to do is to conquer the world. Send a letter of appreciation. It is obvious that the awesomeness seeping through your application was too captivating for them to peel away! Let’s admit it: You need a program to tell you how great you are. YOU ARE FABULOUS!

 8. Avoid Senioritis - If you must catch it…do try and come at least once a week to avoid death rumors. Don’t slack off now! Push harder, dig deeper, and remember: There’s more to life than college.

Sincerely, Self

Work Cited Kelly, Jane. "Community." BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed, 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013.