In the subjective process of college admissions, one thing holds true: you’ll end up where you’re meant to be. As we’re gearing up for the big “Mid-December” admissions week, seniors question whether this phase will prevail as reassurance or placation. 

For Ella Franceschini, a senior awaiting her status update, this time is exacerbated by the fact that many of her friends have similar college lists; everyone seems to be competing for the same spots. Of the 120 students in the class of 2023, 73 students have already applied to SUNY Binghamton, one of the highest-ranked SUNY schools. While her worries may be somewhat valid, Ms. Epstein, the senior college advisor, combats this mindset by expressing that “at the end of the day, everyone presents a different story: everyone has different interests and future goals. In the small school that is Baruch, everyone takes different classes. Students are also all applying for different things, so comparing yourself to your friends is not reasonable.” 

And she’s right. The uniqueness of each person is magnified by the fact that schools require supplemental essays. Even if two students have the same grades, the exact intended major, identical SAT/ACT scores, same extracurriculars, it’s impossible to have the same essay or background. In this process, we’re as unique as snowflakes. And the individuality of every applicant makes it impossible to predict decisions. No one – not even the College Vine admissions calculator – can predict what goes on in the minds of the person reading your application. 

Regardless of what you think your chances are of getting into a school, teachers and students alike agreed that this is the perfect time to take risks. “Take this time as an opportunity to live in places outside your comfort zone,” said Mr. DA, the 12th-grade English teacher. These next four years are the building block of life– take it as a time to explore places you would have never before. 

Sarann Spiegel, a senior knee-deep in the college admissions process, feels the best thing she did for herself was touring college campuses – no matter if they wanted to attend or not. Even merely taking virtual tours, Spiegel took a risk by investigating all the possible paths for herself.

It is crucial to consider all of your available options in the application process. Everyone’s college experience is different, so it is essential to learn the critical distinctions between available pathways.  

The best thing you can do for yourself in the anxious period of Mid-December is to be confident in your work thus far: you will go to college. Class of 2023, we all have worked so hard: in school, battling a pandemic, and in everything we endured these past four years.

As someone who covers school news, I am confident we will all be rewarded.