A year ago this week was my Ivy Day, the long-awaited day when the Ivy League releases all of their admissions decisions at the exact same time on the exact same day. Even though my Yale acceptance letter had come a couple of months earlier, after opening my last college decisions I was thrust into the throws of indecision. There is so much I wish I could have told a very stressed out 17-year-old Rhayna. In an effort to give other people the advice I wish I had, I talked to some of my friends who went through a similar college decision process just last year to see what they would tell their senior self.
Cal
Tell me a little bit about your college decision process in just a couple of sentences: My decision was acutally pretty easy. At Yale I could find the kinds of theater I would find at a conservatory while also having the tight knit feel of a liberal arts school while also having the resources that come with a large research univeristy. Yale was a clear first choice for me because no other school checked all three of those boxes.
If you could tell your senior self one thing while you were deciding on a college, what would it be: You made the right choice. I think I would also remind myself to more than anything make sure I could see myself being happy at whatever school I would choose. I think in picking a school you can get so caught up in the opportunities that are available that you might lose sight of more internal concerns.
Ciara
Tell me a little bit about your college decision process in just a couple of sentences: It was relatively easy decision to make for me. The deciding factor for me was the community and the history at each of the colleges I decided between. I loved Yale’s traditions and other options felt too secluded.
If you could tell your senior self one thing while you were deciding on a college, what would it be: Don’t stress out about it, you know yourself, you know how to make a decision. You’ll make the right decision, just listen to yourself.
Emmitt
Tell me a little bit about your college decision process in just a couple of sentences: Mostly my decision was easy because I liked a lot of little things like the residential colleges and the little communities you can grow. I thought that the activites that Yale offered were very interesting and exciting and fun. I visited Yale’s campus and it was beautiful and close to a city and there are a lot of opportunities for humanities people to thrive here.
If you could tell your senior self one thing while you were deciding on a college, what would it be: Everything will work out, don’t stress, you’ll make the right choice for you and that’s all that matters.
Paola
Tell me a little bit about your college decision process in just a couple of sentences: I decided to go here because of the community. It was a hard decision process for me because I was always interested in going to a political science and economics institution but when I was able to see the Yale community I knew I would click socially. I ultimately chose Yale becuase it fit my academic, social, and financial needs.
If you could tell your senior self one thing while you were deciding on a college, what would it be: Make sure the reason you pick your school is becuase it will fit your needs not because it will fit exterior pressures.
Deciding where to college is a big decision, probably one of the biggest decisions high school students have made in their lives to date. However, taking the next step in life is extremely exciting and when it comes down to it if I were to tell my high school self one thing it would be that everything will work out in the end.
