Tap. Tap. Tap. Sitting in the Seward Park Public Library, my fingers dance as they click away at my laptop’s keyboard, their momentum fueled by the overwhelming sense that all my hard work will pay off on decision day. But hours later, when all my mental power is drained and the rock songs on my Spotify playlist start repeating, I feel a sense of dread. What if I don’t get in?

For the past few months, the stress of the college application dominated my life, fueled by my desire to study at what society refers to as “top schools”— prestigious institutions of higher education that provide students with a world-class education but accept only a tiny percentage of those who apply.

Overall, I spent some 200 hours applying to 23 schools and writing 50 supplemental essays, with topics ranging from my interest in a school to the three words that best describe my life. Answer: providential, earnest, and excited. Of all the schools that I applied to, seven were “safeties,” meaning I was more likely than not to get in, four were “targets,” for which my grades and scores made me a strong candidate, and 12 were “reaches,” schools with the most competitive and unpredictable admissions practices.

Why would anyone in their right mind subject themselves to this much work when they can only enroll in one school? Why pay application fees, some of which top $80, for so many schools? Turns out, among my friends, many of whom attend some of New York City’s most competitive public and private schools, this is becoming an increasingly common practice.

The trend is not limited to my social circle or New York City students. In recent years, the Common Application, a platform that allows students to use one application for the majority of U.S. colleges, has made it easier for students to apply to multiple schools. And with fee waivers, which I qualified for, the Common Application has given students the ability to apply to a wide range of schools at no cost. Since schools that accept the Common Application may ask for supplementary essays, the number of schools I applied to was limited only by my own time, effort, and sanity. For instance, the University of Pennsylvania asks you to write a thank you note to someone who you’ve yet to thank, and Columbia University asks you to list the literature and media that has had the most impact on your intellectual development.

Additionally, in recent years, the Internet has popularized what is called the “shotgunning” method — that is, applying to many elite schools at once in hopes that at least one school will accept you. Essentially, “shotgunners” believe that because they have no insight, year to year, into the exact mix of qualities and skills a school is looking for, they might as well spread out their options in the interest of finding one singular “match” school.

And since many prestigious colleges went test-optional during COVID — meaning SAT and ACT scores are no longer required for admissions consideration — the Common App saw a 30% increase in total applications, which resulted in an even lower percentage of applicants getting in.

I am no expert in college admissions, but I have spent hundreds of hours applying to colleges. In the interest of benefitting future applicants and providing some insight into what it’s like to apply to college, here are some of my biggest takeaways from the whole process.

Strive to be yourself and find your authentic voice.

I’ve always thought that “be yourself” is a reductive piece of advice, but having been through the application process, I have to admit that it’s true. In my case, I wrote about my love for cycling around New York City and my passion for Russian literature. Colleges want to know what makes you unique, and your thoughts and emotions are a large part of that. To that end, rather than inventing aspirations and exaggerating your experiences just to appeal to an admissions officer, you should genuinely believe what you’re writing. If you don’t, why would the person reading your application believe it?

Stay organized or waste hours of your time.

If you’re like me, and you find it hard to keep track of things in your head, a spreadsheet or document that contains or links to all your college application-related materials will be invaluable. I’d say that more than anything else, following my college counselor’s recommendation of using a spreadsheet saved me tens of hours of my time, and made my life 10x easier. Added bonus: Keeping track of the total number of supplements I had left to do was motivating as well as therapeutic.

Love your schools, or you won’t love applying to them.

Applying to so many schools is not for everybody. In fact, if you don’t truly love a school, don’t feel pressured to apply for the sake of prestige or name value. Without a genuine interest and passion for these institutions, it’ll only be a matter of time until you burn out and the quality of your applications suffers. For instance, I wanted to attend college in the Northeast or California, so I made the difficult choice to take great schools, such as the University of Texas at Austin and Vanderbilt, off my list.

The process is temporary, but the takeaways are forever.

After writing so many essays about my experiences, interests, and desires, I realized that my supplemental essays were emblematic of what I wanted out of life and my college experience. For example, after I began writing about my intended major (economics), it occurred to me that what I’m truly passionate about is policy’s intersection with economics and mathematical modeling. After I began writing about my most treasured extracurricular experiences, it became clear to me how much I valued using my voice as a tool to impact my community and effect change. I believe that writing about your genuine interests is more valuable to you than simply trying to present something that you think will appeal to colleges.

Find ways to avoid (my archnemesis) procrastination.

As I started writing my essays, I struggled a lot with procrastination because I worried that no matter how artistic or beautiful the essays I wrote were, I’d still be rejected from a school. Over time, I’ve learned that this is a natural emotion. But once you fall into the trap of thinking this way, you’ll waste so much time that the quality of your work will suffer. Thankfully, I got around these thoughts by staying off social media, taking consistent, relaxing breaks, and practicing mindfulness. For example, I found it to be particularly helpful to take a “mental reset” every few hours; I did this by jogging along the East River, getting boba with friends, and going to the gym. After my brain and body took a break, I found it to be a lot easier to pour my thoughts onto paper and discover prior flaws or mistakes in my writing.

Now that I’m essentially done with the college application process, I’m extremely excited for admissions decisions over the next couple of months. But in the short term, I face the alarming, perennial beast: senioritis. I’ll take my time to address it after one … more … episode … of … “Suits” on Netflix.

If you’re a senior, chances are that by now the application process has come to an end, and most results are already in for those who applied early. So now what? This is a great time to research and apply for scholarships. Many scholarships are seen as hallmarks of commendable work and some scholarships may even grant you extra access to research or study-abroad opportunities.
There are several types of scholarships available to college students. To help you get started on your search, LF Educational Consulting expert counselor have created an introduction to the four basic types of scholarships. It’s important to keep in mind that there are different criteria and benefits associated with each type, so read on for more information.

Need-based
Need-based scholarships are distributed by the college or university and are generally awarded using the information provided by your family on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile). The award is based solely on income and reported assets, meaning there are generally no additional essays or requirements to fulfill, though these scholarship grants will vary in amount for each university. The difference between these scholarships and other types of financial aid, such as student loans or work study wages, is that you don’t have to repay the funds via monthly payments or through working on campus. In recent years, some schools, such as Vassar College, replaced loans with grants and scholarships for students whose families demonstrated a certain amount of need. However, in light of current economic conditions and shrinking endowments, at least one school, Williams College, has had to abandon this policy (beginning with the class entering in the fall of 2011).

Merit-based
If you excel in academics, the arts, sports or a particular extracurricular such as chess or debate, your college may take this into consideration when it comes to financial aid (they definitely already noted your achievements during the admissions process). As with need-based scholarships, merit-based scholarships may be awarded from your school without the completion of an additional application. However, some schools do require additional essays, activities, or applications for their merit-based scholarships. You should research available scholarship opportunities at the schools to which you have applied. You can often find this information by using the admissions or financial aid page on each college’s website. You can also contact the admissions office.
Many independent organizations have established scholarships devoted to recognizing accomplished students. We have included information on these in the “Specialty Scholarships” section below.

Career-based
Career-based scholarships are often awarded to students entering into specific or high-need fields such as education and healthcare. They help reduce the cost of education for students entering careers that benefit society, particularly because those careers may be less lucrative in the years immediately following graduation. For example, the Journalism Education Association awards scholarships to students majoring in education who intend to teach journalism. Some of these scholarships are contingent on working in a particular field, such as cardiovascular nursing. Overall, they tend to not be as competitive, due to their specialization, and they may help to distinguish your resume for future employers and graduate schools.

Specialty Scholarships
Specialty scholarships award money to students who have a specific background, interest or ability. You can find one for almost any passion you may have, such as environmental sustainability, vegetarianism or diplomacy. Also included in this category are regional scholarships and scholarships based on heritage or personal attributes.
Capitalize on your unique skills, talents and interests by applying for one of these. Often times, the purpose for these scholarships is to allow the recipient to have time to pursue their interests and to reward his or her achievements. For example, the Public Relations Society of America Foundation has several different awards specifically for undergraduate students who show promise in the field of public relations.

It can be difficult to research all the different scholarships that might be available to you.

If you’re wondering where to look, you can start with a scholarship search engine, which will often help match your interests and background to available awards. This is particularly useful for these smaller, specialized scholarships, as they may not be advertised elsewhere. Be wary of scams and use trusted sources like www.FastWeb.com and www.FinAid.org. As with all sites, even those you may trust, you should use caution or ask a parent before submitting any personal information. You can also speak with your high school’s college counselor or contact the financial aid office of the college to which you’ve been accepted for more information.

Scholarship Tips and Hints
Reach out to any organizations to which you or your parents belong. For example, if your family belongs to a volunteer organization, such as Kiwanis, inquire into their potential scholarship options.

·  Constantly update your search. New scholarships become available all the time, and announcements and deadlines don’t always correspond to other admission dates. Furthermore, if your GPA or test scores change, you may be qualified for additional scholarships.

·  Read the fine print and follow instructions. If you’re applying for multiple scholarships, you will have to keep track of many different dates and requirements. Use a calendar to help you establish goals and deadlines for completing applications.

·  Generally, if a scholarship asks for an application fee, it may not be legitimate. You should not have to pay money for the opportunity to earn money. While this is a good rule of thumb, if you are unsure about a potential scholarship you should conduct additional research. You can do this through the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org), which advises students to watch out for phrases like, “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.” and “We will do all the work.”

·  Nationwide corporate scholarships often offer large rewards. For example, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awards between $10,000 and $20,000 to its recipients.

·  Your summer job might be more profitable than you thought. Many national retail and food service chains offer employee scholarships. Taco Bell, McDonalds, and Borders are just a few.

Applying for scholarships can potentially bring in important financial assistance and the process may help you develop important academic skills, such as the ability to communicate clearly and prioritize multiple deadlines. Now that you’ve got a few ideas, use the research skills you picked up during your college search to compile your list of possible scholarships. A few extra hours of effort may result in new opportunities, as well as additional honors commending your years of hard work. Good luck!