David - University of Chicago - Class of 2013

As early as eighth grade, I was lurking around online college admissions forums that stressed prestige over fit. I began to think that a college degree wasn't worth anything if it wasn't from a college with a household name.

Letting my college list get ahead of myself

If I had to change one aspect of my application experience, it would be the colleges I put on my application list. I never understood the concept of "fit" until the beginning of my senior year—too late to visit other schools I had begun to consider.

After my applications were in, I started sleeping on a lot of friends' dorm floors. I realized that there were college qualities that I both loved and hated. At University of Virginia, the academics and the campus were major draws but the students weren't really my type. At William and Mary, it was the opposite. University of Chicago possessed all the positive characteristics of the colleges that I visited but none of the negative.

While my list consisted of excellent schools, it had few true "fits." I wish I had spent some more time looking at liberal arts colleges, such as Claremont McKenna, Middlebury, Oberlin, and Reed.

A happy outcome nonetheless

University of Chicago had been my first choice from the start, not because it is well known, but because of the small undergraduate student body, a location in a city with a rich history and culture, the reputation of its international relations program, the Hogwarts-esque architecture, and opportunities for research (thanks to a high demand for research assistants for graduate students). I also liked its quirky undergrads, whose motto is: "If I had wanted an A, I would have gone to Harvard" and who organize the largest scavenger hunt in the world. I spent a lot of time on Facebook and online discussion boards speaking with current students at University of Chicago. This gave me different perspectives on social and academic life there.

Saying no to Virginia Commonwealth University and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill was extremely difficult. I grew up with these two schools and both acceptances were elating. Since the cost of attendance at the three colleges was nearly identical, I decided not to go with these schools because University of Chicago offered all that I wanted.

My ups and downs

Organization was the most challenging part of preparing 14 applications. The Common Application was a godsend, but the supplements were overwhelming. With ten different essays to write, I made sure to compose my essay for the University of Chicago (the first and most difficult essay I wrote) in such a way that I could use it for nearly all of my essays. A head start on the essays during the summer allowed me to focus more time on my academics and the logistics of the applications.

What I learned

Keep it simple. The college admissions process is very stressful, but it's only as stressful as you allow it to be. You've done all you can do by the end of your junior year (unless you decide to take standardized tests at the beginning of your senior year). After submitting your applications, realize that you have no control over what happens. Just make sure you call your admissions counselor and introduce yourself, even if you're shy. From February to mid-March, forget about applying to college and enjoy your last year in high school.

The money factor

Thankfully, I am getting excellent financial aid from the university. Grants, scholarships, and work-study will cover most of the costs. I will have to work another job, along with my work-study, to help my parents cover their contribution, but working for my education will help me value it more.