Students across the nation are scrambling to put the final touches on their beloved college applications.

College application season is upon us, and high school seniors around the country are putting their finishing touches on the applications for the schools of their dreams; or rushing to get started.

“I went on many college tours, looked at the various programs offered, factored in the price, and chose which universities fit me best,” said Roman Lopez.

For Lopez, he did his homework and made a decision that was best for him. Other high school students struggle to be satisfied with their academic status and spend too much effort trying to reach for the unattainable.

The stress that seniors go through this time of year, making sure their applications are picture perfect for the hyper-picky admissions officers, is unrivaled. They are somehow expected to fit a whole life —  around 18 years of experiences — into a couple questions and an essay on an application form. 

The whole idea of college is flawed because it forces students to highlight the most impressive parts of themselves. It can be stressful deciding which parts of yourself you want to emphasize, and what you don’t: all to present the best possible case to the admissions officer reading your application. College has become more of a “How do I get into the best school” and less of a “I want to go here because it is the best fit for me”. 

“I have felt more pressured about going to the ‘best school’ that I can get into that I didn’t even think about where I actually want to go,” said senior Doug Bombard. 

Moreover, the stigma around such “elite” schools carries more weight in their academics than what the colleges actually have to offer. Some of the professors at prestigious colleges are very accomplished individuals who are leaders in their field of study. They all would have relatively the same amount of knowledge on the subjects, especially on low-level courses taught to undergraduate students.

In “How Much Does Getting Into an Elite College Actually Matter?” 

by “In 2014, the economists Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger published an analysis of the benefits of attending a highly selective college. They found that, after statistically controlling for students’ SAT scores, economic background and college ambitions, the long-term financial returns are ‘generally indistinguishable from zero.’ Students who are poised to succeed tend to do so even if they don’t get into the Ivy League.”

Many students today go to certain schools solely based on their prestigious standing, rather than actually researching and figuring out which schools fits the student best. So in the end, is there really that much of a huge difference?

Nonetheless, every year an increasing number of students check the boxes on their Common Application for an increasing number of universities, hoping that they get into the “best school” on their list. Students and their parents pressuring them need to reevaluate their priorities when it comes to college and make a decision that is truly best for themselves.