At College Goals, we know that the best advice comes from students! Here is what our students from the Class of 2025 wanted to share with juniors who are just getting started:
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“Honestly, I wish I had known how normal it is to feel completely overwhelmed during the college process. I was so stressed, constantly second-guessing myself, and there were moments where I truly didn’t think I could do it. It felt like everyone else had it all together, while I was just trying to survive the chaos. But the truth is, almost everyone feels that way—we just don’t always talk about it.”
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“What I learned is that the college process isn’t just about getting in—it teaches you a lot about yourself. I spent so much time writing essays, trying to put my whole life into words, and in doing that, I started to understand who I am and what I care about.
I learned that it’s okay to change your mind, to revise (a lot), and that the best writing comes when you stop trying to impress people and just speak from the heart. And I learned how to manage my time better—deadlines come fast, and sometimes you just have to push through, even when it’s not perfect.
A tip I’d give? Start earlier than you think you need to. Even just brainstorming or making a rough list of schools helps take some pressure off later. You don’t have to do everything all at once—just take the first step.”
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“Looking back, I’d say the biggest advice I’d give to juniors is to start early, but don’t put too much pressure on making everything perfect from the beginning. Just getting your ideas down is a huge step. Also, don’t compare your process to anyone else’s — everyone has a different path, and that’s completely fine.
…And honestly, take breaks when you need them — burnout is real, and rest is just as important as productivity.”
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“It’s ok to completely rewrite essays if you have a better idea and … remember to consider a wide variety of schools.”
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“Mainly, stay organized and separate the essays you have for each school. The essays can seem daunting at first, but it’s very likely that you will want to reuse bits and pieces of other essays to help with the load. So make sure that they are all easy to find and won’t get mixed up.”
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“I think my advice would be to do as much purposeful brainstorming as soon as possible. I think students should just jot ideas of genuine passions rather than trying to check any boxes at all.”
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“I would emphasize having someone who knows you well and has some familiarity with the process suggest ideas. I also think the same goes for people offering feedback on your essays. You definitely don’t want too many cooks in the kitchen, and, aside from your counselor, I think one or maybe a second is largely enough to look them over…..”
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“If you’re feeling lost or unsure—you’re not alone. Keep going. You’re capable of more than you think.”
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And, finally, a Top Ten List:
“1. Take time to relax over the summer, but your senior fall self will THANK you if you start early! I would say try to research colleges you want to apply to in June, work on your activities list and personal statement in July, and definitely start your supplemental essays in August. Make sure to visit some colleges if you have not already. Senior fall is an extremely busy time so you will be VERY thankful if you have a good chunk of your work out of the way.
- Don’t let other people and their opinions dictate what colleges you apply or attend to in the end. There is no such thing as a bad college.
- Practice writing your college essays by writing about everyday items and going into detail, or just getting some writing practice in general.
- Have some safeties/likely colleges at least, because the college application process can be extremely unpredictable at times
- Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback or help! Use your resources like your college counselors, and I also found it extremely helpful to have my friends peer review my essays as well
- Try to make it…fun. Personally, I hated the process at first, but then I started to change my mentality and started enjoying the process of constant writing and reflecting.
- Keep your entire senior year grades up because they can be important for things like waitlists
- I would recommend doing most of the optional things in a school’s application, such as if a school has an optional video option or optional essays, because it will show demonstrated interest and that you care about the school.
- Be kind to other people and mind your business–focus on your own college process, not where or how other people got in. There’s no point in college gossip and it distracts from what you should be doing
- Read your emails because a lot of schools track demonstrated interest through the emails they sent you”