What We Wish We Knew: NSCD Seniors Offer Words of Wisdom to the Class of 2026

By Via Kelly

The college admissions process can be stressful. It’s often overwhelming, and no matter how well you prepare, there will be a million questions. The DSJ took some of those questions — straight from our current junior class — and posed them to our seniors. Here’s what they had to say:

On college essays:

Your college essay is going to take more than one draft. Don't aim for perfection on the first draft, just get words on a page. My first drafts that made no grammatical sense and were a hodgepodge of words turned into some of my strongest essays. (Anonymous)

On standardized tests:

When I completed most of my standardized testing, I didn’t know what schools I’d be applying to and had no idea the impact that test scores could have, even for test-optional. I was extremely thankful that I had done the standardized testing to the best of my ability, because what ended up being my top choice put a heavy emphasis on test scores. For me, trying my best on standardized testing (even after some bad attempts) made all the difference, and it may do the same for you. It’s an opportunity to invest in yourself, requiring some commitment. (Anonymous)

On deciding where to apply:

Apply to as many schools as you can. The college admissions process has become incredibly biased and selective. It is hyper-competitive. In order to give yourself the best chance at success, I'd recommend applying to at least 12-15 schools. It sounds like a lot, and it can be a lot of work. However, giving yourself options given the subjective nature of the admissions process is very strategic. (Anonymous)

Focus less on the school and more about the individual programs that each school offers. Look for a school that has a program that you would like to be a part of personally. (Edgar Romero)

On reflecting on the experience:

Just calm down. Applications are hard and frustrating, but at the end of the day, you only need an acceptance into one college, so calm down, don’t stress out too much and accept that you’ve done the best you can and what happens happens. (Anonymous)

I would put less focus on finding the one "perfect" school. If you are having a hard time narrowing down your options, it is probably because you would enjoy going to all of them. There is no singular school you would succeed in, you can make your experience unique anywhere. (Madeline A’Hearn)

I can’t stress how important it is to not procrastinate on writing applications. The longer you wait, the heavier a weight it will become. Staying on top of it won’t only increase the likelihood of you being accepted, but it also alleviates much added stress. (Christian Coleman)

On balancing extracurriculars, academics, and applications:

Just try and schedule everything out and keep moving forward! And don’t forget to sleep. (Anonymous)