I recently worked seven days in a row with six of those days boasting some very large college fairs. You can find some of my thoughts about college fairs here and I have more thoughts on that topic in a part 2 coming next spring.
Notable fair moments included fairs so hot my glasses fogged (we were inside), accumulating an inordinate amount of water bottles in my car, eating some delicious food from very gracious college fair hosts, talking to students, parents, counselors, reps from other schools and lastly, one toddler on a parent’s hip throwing up on my table. (That was a new one for me. And if you are that mom, know that I am still laughing about it and am still not mad. Real life happens.)
Lastly, my week also included being asked “What” questions from hundreds of students.
- What does a competitive student look like?
- What is a good essay topic?
- What clubs are the best?
- What summer activity looks better to you?
- What are you looking for in an applicant?
Each time I hear a “what” question, I also hear the unspoken stress behind it. Students wait in long lines to get to an admission officer because they are hoping to walk away with a secret ingredient or formula that will tell them they are doing the right thing and will get the result that they want. I know that they want to feel validated in their choices.
As someone who cares about students, their mental health, and being transparent in the application process (as most admission counselors do), I wish I had an answer that could accomplish all that – but I do not. Consider this, even if I had a magical answer, do you have a magical time machine that will start high school over again with this new knowledge? I doubt you do.
Do not despair! I do have a suggestion that will get students closer to the goal line: when preparing your application, ask a different question.
Why vs. What
Change the application preparation process on its head and stop asking “what” and start asking “why.” Why is a particular college interesting to you? If you say, “because it’s good” or “my parents want me to apply” or “everyone is applying,” you need to pause and reflect.
Why is this school good…for you? What qualities do your parents consider and how are they similar or different from your considerations? (Parents may see this process from a distinct perspective and that might be helpful.) Why is everyone applying to this or that school? Are those factors important to you too?
Why do you spend your time the way that you do? Instead of thinking of a checklist of accomplishments for your college application, why do you enjoy a particular activity? As you sit down to write about your activities in your application, if the “why” is on your mind, you can better articulate your passions, interests, and goals. Your college application will feel less like paperwork and more like an expression and collection of your favorite things.
Think about it this way: would you rather share with me a task list, or a record of some of your most satisfying moments in high school? I hope it is the latter. You can get to that headspace by asking why, not what, when completing your application.
You are asking the wrong person
If you didn’t notice, why questions can’t be answered by another person. I see so many of you navigate college fairs, and I receive your calls and emails filled with “what” questions, all hoping that my answer will help you engineer the perfect application.
I cannot answer the fundamental questions that will make your application more competitive: Why have you made the decisions you made in high school? Why do you want to apply to this school? Why do you spend your time the way that you do?
Only you can answer those questions. And your answers will be authentic, interesting, and engaging—because you are being authentic, and you are interested and engaged in your specific pursuits. That is competitive energy, and it will come through on your college application.
A Question for Your Consideration
When you are in the final stages of completing your college application. I suggest a final question that might be helpful to you. In our office, we refer to this as the “high school hallway test.” It is a thought exercise that goes like this: if you dropped your completed application in your high school hallway, without your name on it, could anyone return it to you?
That is an application that displays your voice and your passions, and your interests articulated so well that it is akin to a fingerprint. A student who is excited about how they spent their time in high school and genuinely wants to engage in college life and to amplify those joys will create a strong college application
A Final Question
When I have a large group of seniors in the room and we are winding down our conversation, I will often remind them of the bigger picture with this question: Do you know where all of you will be this time next year? (Usually, I get silence and panicked looks among peers.) “You will all be in college. End of story. You will have finished the process of going to college and you will be there. Let that sink in.”
That statement is usually followed by small smiles that grow bigger and more confident. I hope you read this submission with the same emotional arc – as you consider your college application, think of it as a compilation of your most rewarding and fulfilling moments. Feel grounded in who you are and where you will be in the year ahead.
Katie Mattli has worked in college admission for over 17 years. She joined Georgia Tech in 2014 and works with first-year recruitment initiatives. Her previous years at a private liberal arts college for women fueled her love of student leadership and advocacy. She cares deeply about transparency in the admission process and supporting students, families and student advocates as they navigate the college admission process.