Since the first day of freshman year, there has been a quiet race to build a resume that stands out against the rest. Clubs, Advanced Placement (AP) classes, leadership and numerous commitments all to create something that would stand out to universities. What started as curiosity in these endeavors may have turned into strategy, as the underlying question of “will this look good on college resumes” began to be a motivating factor. However, no matter how much is done, there is no end to a system that teaches us that achievement equates to acceptance.
Over the years, this race to build a resume that shines the brightest became the top priority. The intense commitments that were turned into bullet points with a 350 character limit on an application were all that mattered. Lots of students became fluent in the language of what achievement looked like: logged community service hours, leadership positions, awards earned.
Ironically enough, a school’s judgment is more prioritized than actually learning while in high school. Learning about who oneself is becomes a second or third priority under gaining another “president” title.
Granted, these acceptance letters and accomplishments don’t come from nothing. The hard work that is put into academic careers and extracurricular activities is undeniable, and it is commonly known that the college admissions battle is one that is getting harder to fight. Earning an admissions spot is a great accomplishment regardless of whether or not a student testifies growth to every experience.
However, the fact that college decisions have gotten more and more competitive is precisely why we cannot equate success to acceptances or the number of admissions. Achievement or how qualified a student is cannot be determined by a decision that is chosen alongside institutional needs and record numbers of highly qualified applicants.
In my experience, senior year has been heavily forward focused. Many say senior year soars by as the focus on the future that makes it seem like the present slipped out from under us. Yet, there is so much to be celebrated beyond what the next step is after high school.
Personal growth, learned lessons, new skills and strong relationships are what seniors take from high school. What was learned along the way is what sticks and defines who students are after high school and into the rest of their lives. It is the determination to keep moving forward and realization that hard things can be done.
While there are Instagram accounts announcing school commitments and AVID videos on where seniors have been accepted, it is important to ground ourselves in who we are versus where we got accepted or what the next steps look like. The colleges worn with pride on sweaters matters far less than the person wearing it.
To any underclassmen who may be beginning this race to a glimmering application, do not forget to take every experience and truly live it. Grow from what you are involved in and do what you truly want to do, not what will simply look good for universities.
To any seniors who applied in the fall, you are not an acceptance or a rejection. You are every experience, challenge and lesson that has pieced you together into the graduate you are about to be. Your value can never be measured in such a way, and there is a power in knowing that through every acceptance and rejection throughout life.
