Happy Good Friday everyone, especially to the seniors in high school. You’ve finally done it! You’re at the tail end of the college admissions process. Before I begin my last installment of the How to Beat the College Admissions Process series, I have some things I want to say.
Yesterday was Ivy Day. Ivy Day is the day that all the Ivy Leagues release their regular admissions decisions online. It can be a day filled with excitement, promise, letdowns, and disappointment among other things. If you’re someone who’s Ivy Day didn’t go as planned, it’s okay to feel emotional. You’re allowed to be sad, and allowed to think of what could’ve been.
I remember my Ivy Day. It was just “We regret to inform you” back to back to back. I saw my dream, something that I had been working towards for years, go down the drain. All that went through my brain was “What do I do now?”. I never really thought about what I would do if I didn’t get in. All of my friends reassured me that I was going to be accepted, and that it was a sure thing. Not getting in felt like I was letting them down.
A year later, I can say that I survived Ivy Day. Was I disappointed for a period of time? Yes. Did I also contemplate all of my life choices for days after? Yes. Am I okay now? Yes because I wouldn’t have met all the amazing friends and professors I’ve had the opportunity to come across. I wouldn’t have been able to be a part of such cool clubs and organizations.
Enough of my story. Now that all of the college decisions have come out, it’s time to evaluate your choices. Where do you want to go school for the next 2-4 years of your life?
Compare Financial Aid Plans from Each College
The first thing I want you to consider is your financial aid plans. Look at the plans realistically, and see which ones make the most sense for you and your family. Don’t go to the most expensive school if you’re only going for the name even if your parents can’t afford it. Especially if your parents can’t help you pay for school at all. It will be not only a financial strain, but also a strain on your mental health. If there’s a school you really want to go to, and your parents can’t pay for some but not all of it, you do all have some options.
Try to talk to the Financial Aid Office at your school, and see if you can get it down. Some schools are more rigid than others. I know at my university, the Financial Aid Office will not budge when it comes to providing more aid. Hopefully, other schools are better than my own. Also, scour the school website to see if there are any hidden scholarships for students in your major, or with special circumstances. Additionally, try asking the financial aid office as well. They may know about scholarships you aren’t aware of. Lastly, see if you qualify for federal work study.
Federal work study is a federal student aid program where you can essentially get paid to work a part time job on campus. The best part of having Federal Work Study is that you are more likely to get a job on campus. This is because with Federal Work Study works, the government will subsidize part of your wages, so your employer isn’t subsidizing all of it.
The best part about Federal Work Study is that you can have your paycheck sent to you directly via direct deposit, so you can spend your money on whatever you want: groceries, school supplies, clothes. I’ve been using my federal work study to pay for this study abroad program I’m doing next year along with day-to-day stuff like laundry and food.
Consider a Cheaper State School
Also, remember that your public state schools aren’t bad either. If you want to go to a particularly expensive school because you like how small it is, see if one of your state schools or a cheaper school has an honors college. An honors college essentially puts small cohorts of students with similar majors or concentrations together, and together they take unique courses, and get access to cool opportunities and resources. All in all, if you’re going to a state school, and you want opportunities you have to ASK about them. It may be a little embarrassing, but try. I’ve learned that you can’t get something without asking for it since coming to college.
At the End of the Day, You’re done with College Admissions
As I close off this very long post (sorry about that), I want to leave you all with one last thought. You will be okay. At the end of the day, you’re still going to go to college whether it be a community college, a public state school, or Harvard for all I know. I didn’t end up at an Ivy, but I still got into Georgetown. I also want to preface that though the school I attend is a little elitist and on par with the Ivies, I am very grateful for the opportunity I have. Even if you didn’t get into a “Top 20” school like you wanted to, you will be fine. I totally believe this. You may have to work a little harder than most, but you can do it. I have friends at state schools that are thriving because they’re putting in the work.
Lastly, when you’re choosing a school, choose a school you’re actually excited about. This is very basic, but think about what you want to get out of college, and pick the school that best fits the bill. It’s not about how you can serve the school, but how the school can serve you.
Thank you all for reading this week’s post and last installment of this series. I really hope it’s helped all of you whether you’re a senior in highschool, an undergraduate student, or someone attending college for the first time at a later stage in life. If you want more, click this link to read the first 3 installments of the How to Beat College Admissions series. Wherever you go, I wish you all luck this Fall! Stay sharp 😉