The Waiting Game

Tick tock. Tick tock. At this point, if you're a senior, you may have already submitted your Early Decision I application to Tufts. You may be in the midst of culling recommendations from your teachers or preparing your personal essays for the January deadline. You may or may not be at your wit's end.

Everyone says that the senior year of high school is the most fun, but, honestly, as the college search process becomes more and more cutthroat and complex, it's easy to lose sight of this fact.

Like many of you, I went to a high school where kids felt they were vying for the same spots at elite institutions. One admissions officer jokes about so-called "helicopter parents"--the ones who breathe down your neck and unintentionally exacerbate an already stressful atmosphere.

One of the best decisions that I made as a junior was not to tell anyone my SAT scores, GPA, or what schools I was considering/visiting/applying to in the fall. Some people found this odd, but, as I watched my friends judge themselves against one another, it felt good to be somewhat removed from the drama. From April 2003 onward, I knew that Tufts was the school for me--but I didn't make this common knowledge until December of that year, when I was accepted. I spent the rest of my senior year doing extracurriculars and getting to know my fellow seniors--instead of competing against them.

So, relax, breathe, and trust that the decision is out of your hands. Admissions officers are arbiters of applications--not applicants. (Read Jacques Steinberg's "The Gatekeepers;" it's a fascinating look at the admissions process and it reminds you that it's all an imperfect science.) It's not a personal slight if you don't get into a school, and, hey, in the long run, you'll probably wind up at the institution that is right for you. College is pretty fantastic no matter where you go.

Remember, nobody's perfect: I failed my driver's license test twice and still got into Tufts.