By Rebecca Nussbaum
As early applications are being submitted, college is a main topic of conversation on campus.
The seniors’ energy has changed noticeably over the past six months.
The then juniors returned from their spring break college tours sporting sweatshirts from their favorite schools, excited about the prospect of attending any one of the fabulous colleges that they had visited.
However, now that they are fully immersed in the college process, the low admission rates seem much more ominous and they are more apprehensive about their potential admittance.
While some people remain very open about their application process, many seniors hesitate to share their personal information with everyone.
And that is absolutely fine, I’m all for privacy. But if you don’t want to tell people where you are applying, then don’t talk about it!
Much of the time, even the secretive seniors want to talk about their applications, so they end up sharing cryptic pieces of information. They engage you in a college-based conversation and almost beg you to ask where they are applying just so that they can remind you that it is a secret.
There is something self-righteous about this—it feels as if you want to believe that we care so much about where you are applying that we want pry into your business.
And while it is true that many juniors have a newfound interest in the college process, it is simply that – an interest.
Frankly, we do not care that much about where you are applying. By speaking in circles to avoid giving away the identity of your chosen school, you just come off as self-important.
We know that most seniors apply Early Decision to schools that are difficult to get in to, and we don’t expect you to get in to Stanford just because you are applying there.
All seniors are going through the same thing – everyone is nervous and anxious, and next year the juniors will be in the same position.
Why should your secret be guarded more heavily than everyone else’s?
So seniors, stop with the game. Either be open about your process, or don’t talk about it at all. The half conversations need to stop.
