Have you ever been on one of those “extreme” rollercoasters? Not some bouncy castle slide or the type of sedate ride that children under a certain height can ride but rather one of those roaring monsters where your body gets hurtled around in a small car on a tubular steel track with ups and downs, twists and turns, tunnels and frightening drops that can often make you feel worse for wear by the end of what can seem like a lifetime?
Like the riders on rides such as Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka or Steel Dragon 2000, an action-packed, rip-roaring experience is what is in store for senior students, parents and counselling teams during the application season from July to December!
As any rollercoaster thrill seeker is aware, the ride is likely to be bumpy, at times stressful and often scary. It will definitely be a bag full of mixed emotions from the anticipation at the start to the sense of relief at the end when the car arrives at the disembarkation point. If the rider is strapped in correctly and prepared for what lies ahead, the ride will be thrilling and the rider will disembark feeling elated, pumped with adrenalin and ready to clap and cheer.
On the other hand, though, riders who are inexperienced or incorrectly harnessed or both, who may have felt knocked about during the ride may find themselves feeling a little queasy as they unbuckle, shakily get out of the car and head to the nearest shady spot to recover.
If the rider, is strapped in correctly and prepared for what lies ahead, the ride will be thrilling and the rider will disembark feeling elated, pumped with adrenalin and ready to clap and cheer.
Senior students clambering onto the college admissions roller coaster face a similar dilemma. Those applicants who understand the expectations and requirements and who are correctly prepared for what lies ahead will find the process an exciting and invigorating experience and they will end the application journey ready to clap and cheer. Those applicants who are underprepared, and unsure of the process, deadlines and requirements, however, may find themselves feeling frustrated as they face unexpected hurdles in their journey and disappointed when their choices of where to study become limited.
As the supportive adults in the lives of our senior students, it is up to us to help them prepare for the ride ahead. As early as possible, we should ensure that they know how to strap themselves into the admissions roller coaster car correctly and that they feel safe and secure while they hold on tight and ready themselves for the ride to start.
When riding the college admissions roller coaster, the scariest drop may be upon the riders very quickly, especially for those who choose to apply early to their most favoured destinations in the US. Students, parents and counselling teams will only have a short span of time in a student’s senior year to be ready to submit such early applications and to prepare themselves emotionally for the possible outcomes; an acceptance, a deferral or a rejection.
Students, parents and counselling teams will only have a short span of time in a student’s senior year to be ready to submit early applications.
Those who gain acceptance will feel elated and for them, the college admissions rollercoaster ride will be over. Those, however, who receive a deferral or who are rejected, will feel a hard bump with the ride continuing with more twists, turns and maybe even 360-degree rolls ahead.
For any upcoming seniors, the college admissions amusement park opens over the summer and the admissions roller coasters will lay ready to take them on the journey of their life. It’s up to each student to choose the ride that suits their profile and their level of preparedness and so by starting their college application preparations early, including exploring their options and developing an understanding of the various admissions processes and requirements, the more likely it will be that they will meet with application success.
By starting their college application preparations early, including exploring their options and developing an understanding of the various admissions processes and requirements, the greater their chances will be for success.
A student’s experience with university applications is like a visit to their favourite amusement park. The earlier they arrive at the entry turnstiles, the more likely it will be that the crowds will be lighter, the queues shorter and the highest number of rides will be ready and waiting for passengers to get on board, from those with the steep thrilling drop early in the journey that will take riders’ breath away to those that meander gracefully around sweeping curves and reach their chosen destination without raising heart rates.
It will be, however, a vastly different experience for those unprepared, late arrivals who can find themselves standing in the hot sun with no shade in sight, competing with the large crowds at the entry gates, waiting in long queues for the most popular rides and possibly, worse still, missing out on their favourite roller coaster because the line is too full or the track is undergoing repairs!