In 1636, Harvard University was founded, earning itself the epithet as “the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.” And while there is still controversy surrounding the validity of this claim, with the University of Pennsylvania and College of William & Mary also vying for the coveted title, there is no denying that universities have had a significant presence in American society for centuries.
Colleges have evolved from exclusive institutions reserved for wealthy white men to a a socially accepted and expected rung in the educational ladder. While there is still a wide racial gap in the amount of people obtaining college degrees, more high school graduates are enrolling in universities than ever before. And while the spike in students pursuing higher levels of education should be applauded, more people applying to colleges translates to fewer openings. This inevitably leads to increased competition, so it’s no surprise that these days applying to college feels like playing the most intense game of musical chairs ever.
I have never been a fan of musical chairs, or any game involving the high stakes that come with one-winner outcomes. It is this distaste for competition and probabilities not in my favor that has made applying to colleges a stressful ordeal, to say the least. In the good old days, it seems that good grades and a strong essay were enough to gain entry into any number of colleges. But now, with a surplus of students competing for a limited number of spots, the expectations of applicants have become practically unattainable. To get into a “good” school, you have to present yourself as the ideal student, including (but not limited to) boasting a flawless GPA, a number of leadership positions, and participation in a variety of sports and extracurriculars. And you can’t forget about those SAT and ACT scores!
These unspoken requirements of college applicants are daunting enough, but for those with the audacity to apply to the brand name schools, the expectations are even higher. I have come to the conclusion that my only chance of getting into Stanford, a private university with such a low acceptance rate it’s practically taboo to even apply, is to find the cure to cancer, win an Olympic gold medal, or, if I want to take the easy way out, start my own multi-million dollar business. Given the likelihood that I will not be accomplishing any of the above, I have accepted that, like every game of musical chairs I have ever played, the odds are definitely not in my favor.
However, my cynicism is balanced with the belief that things work out the way they are supposed to, and I will end up at the university I was meant to be at, top choice or not. While I do not want to downplay the difficulty of the application process, and all that it entails, I do believe that in the end it will be worth it. In my attempts to be the perfect, well-rounded applicant desired by most colleges, I have pushed myself to be the version of me I can be, and it has opened the door to some incredible opportunities. For that reason, I can look back on these past few months with not only immense relief that I have survived the application process, but a sense of gratitude for the personal growth I gained from the experience.

Jasmine Weis is a senior at Benicia High School

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