The Right Angle(a): Future to be Determined

ANGELA YANG
Editor in Chief

For the majority of my life, I’ve been under the very strong impression that I have a very clear idea of the person I am and the person I strive to be. Unfortunately, there is nothing that has made me doubt this more than college application season. I find myself molding and crafting my essays and personal statements so that I can become the person I think the schools I’m applying to want me to be.

I’m obviously not the only one currently undergoing the stress of trying to plan out my future as best as possible. Even so, it’s important to keep in mind that these next few months don’t necessarily determine the course of our lives. Now I’m not saying that we should all completely disregard the college application process, but we do need to keep in mind that the college we go to (or don’t go to) doesn’t determine our path in life; our futures are forged by our drive to succeed, not the prestige of the school we go to. As much as attending certain “elite” schools may influence how we’re viewed by future employers, it seems that the “little fish in a big pond” effect is actually more detrimental to our future success than the “big fish in a little pond” effect. Feeling comfortable in your own skin at a less prestigious school is far preferable to doubting yourself and feeling unconfident at a more elite school.

Ultimately it’s clear that, while we can’t all be the perfect student for admissions officers, the most important thing is to anchor ourselves to reality. We need to accept our limitations and understand what environment will be best for us, all the while still daring to dream big.