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College Admissions- the World's Worst Lottery

Updated: Oct 12, 2021

by Sophia Sullivan


12 years, 2,592 hours, 72 classes, 6 AP tests, 15 clubs, and 100+ volunteer hours. That is not including the early mornings, sleepless nights, skipped concerts, missed opportunities with friends, and a few breakdowns.


All for what?


Education was my first love and with that I was willing to give up the little joys of concerts and late night hang outs to give it my all. As a young girl in an unstable home, I found solace among the many books and math problems, but as time went on our relationship turned sour. No longer was it a passion for learning but a race to ensure a bright future. As I fell deeper into my relationship with education, I became isolated from the world around me, losing the healthy balance of work and play. On the nights I missed out with my friends or my dad's gigs, I justified it with my dreams of attending a school like UC Berkeley. Constantly reminding myself that giving my all to my education now would grant me freedom later.


At the end of the 12 year journey, I finally reached the emerald gates of Oz, only to look behind the curtain and realize there was no wizard that would grant me access into my dream school. The grand expectations of what was at the end of the 12-year-long yellow brick road was nothing but a regretful feeling of missing out on the magic of being a teenager in exchange for a cord around my neck at graduation. The perpetuated promise that giving yourself entirely to education would open the door for any college and future you wanted was a lie. Skipping out on that concert, missing out on a night out with my friends didn't put me any closer to my dream school, it only robbed me of memories I would have cherished for a lifetime.


When the time came I applied to 16 colleges. A little overboard I know, but even with my academic achievements, college admissions is brutal. I ended up getting into three schools. Although I loved two of the schools, the mountain of rejections left me questioning my 12 years of sacrifices and hard work. Quite honestly it was a slap in the face to receive a rejection from a school where I checked every box. While I believe the admissions process will eventually put you where you're meant to be, a lottery system of acceptance really makes you question the rules of the game.


This is not being said in the hopes that I will inspire anyone to give up on school, but to save you from the heartbreak that many seniors across the nation have faced. There is no reason to sacrifice your mental health, childhood, and friendships for a system that sees you only as a number and not a living, breathing person willing to cough up the $75 application fee to even have a chance at their school. Enjoy the time you spend in high school, because while it may not be the best 4 years of your life, it is time to learn skills for life and enjoy youth. Don’t allow school to consume those 2,592 hours because once you're standing on the field at graduation, you’ll see that those who found a balance between it all are going to the same college as you.


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