My Unconventional Application Story

When I was a high school senior looking at college and universities to apply to, I was totally overwhelmed by all the options presented to me. Did I want to go to a large public university? A religious school? Out-of-state or in-state? Did I want to have bigger classes or smaller classes? Ahhhhh, so many questions!

My mind swam with all the possibilities of what I could choose to the point where I felt unable to choose. 

I thought I had chosen all the schools I would apply to by January 1st, 2022, but then, I decided to impress a friend of mine by applying to the school he had been telling me to apply to since August 2021. That school was Carleton College…his mom’s alma mater.

When people say Carleton’s alumni network is strong, they aren’t kidding. Even their children are able to recognize people who would love Carleton! Just kidding, I think my friend just thought I was similar enough to his mom to enjoy Carleton. His mom is a role model to me because she is a pediatrician with a wonderful family and cute cats.

So I chose to apply to Carleton…

super duper close to the deadline. I do not recommend that whatsoever! Make sure you have enough time to complete everything in advance! It will make you feel so much better, and sometimes application websites like CommonApp will crash the same day that the deadline is.

To be honest, I ultimately decided to apply to Carleton because I saw a section on Wikipedia about Friday Flowers, and I wanted to be a part of that tradition. Then I read that Carleton is #1 in Undergraduate Teaching, has small classes, and offers great financial aid, and I ran to email my high school teachers for recommendation letters.

Now, I got really lucky with how things ended up. It’s important that you research the schools you’re applying to so that you don’t waste your time/money on a school you don’t actually want to attend. Good thing Carleton has no application fee! There’s something to be said about safety schools, target schools, and reach schools, but you shouldn’t apply to a school in Atlanta, Georgia if you hate humidity, just as you shouldn’t apply to a school for veterinary medicine if you want to be an accountant.

Your plans will–I repeat, will–change when you start taking classes in a subject. Luckily, Carleton doesn’t require you to declare a major until spring of your sophomore year. Isn’t that great? For me personally, because I take a long time to make decisions, this was a dream come true. I’m considering a SOAN and Russian double major, if you’re wondering.

Just because I was lucky with the fact that Carleton College turned up on my radar doesn’t mean that I didn’t work hard. I did work hard in high school, taking advanced classes and playing water polo and being a part of clubs. I was working really hard aimlessly, though, and that was not good for my mental health. It’s really important that you have a goal that you’re working towards because it will give you a sense of purpose. That goal should be realistic and flexible, and you should be patient with yourself, but even a non-academic goal could be useful. I always tell my friends that my goal is to have a fancy espresso machine, so I have to work hard in school and budget well in order to make that happen. That fancy espresso machine is a symbol of financial security and a fulfilling life.

At the same time, though…

you can’t plan out everything and expect it to go your way. Most everyone receives rejections and waitlists when they apply to college. I know I did…quite a few, actually. I was hurt at the time because I thought it meant I wasn’t good enough to attend those schools. But now, I realize that colleges–the ones that are worth going to, anyhow–look at much more than your transcripts and test scores when going through admissions. They’re also looking for “fit,” that is, will you vibe well with their campus and community? 

The schools that rejected/waitlisted me didn’t do so because I was not smart enough or good enough or cool enough: I just wasn’t the idea of the student they want on their campus. Does that define my worth as a person? No, of course not! The dating cliche “it’s not you, it’s me” rings so true here. Like with a significant other or a best friend, you don’t want to be at a school who didn’t enthusiastically say, “We want you at our school!” by admitting you. This is a collaborative relationship, and you shouldn’t have to change yourself in order to be loved or accepted, by a person or a college.

It took me a long time to realize that Carleton College chose me because of who I showed them I was in my application. It wasn’t an oversight, I’m not a fraud, and I definitely didn’t bribe anyone to let me in! Carleton is curating a community of Carls on its campus, not only who are here currently, but who will represent the school in a decade. Carleton is choosing its students to be its alumni, and that means that most of all, Carleton sees a potential in us that matches their goals and ideals. That potential is in you all along, no matter if a college sees it or not!

I invite you, wherever you are in your college application journey, to take a deep breath. It’s going to be okay, you are enough, and you can earn your college degree on your own terms. Have a little faith in yourself and be open to opportunities as they arise, even if they take you far from your comfort zone.