My Regrets About Planning for College by Annabella

My Regrets About Planning for College by Annabella - September 2022 Scholarship Essay

I wish that I had grounded my expectations before seeking higher education. Last minute, before all the college deadlines, I had put myself through the stress of learning how to apply to colleges and write personal essays. I had applied to all different prestigious schools and mostly those that had free application fees. I didn't do any research into picking where the school was located or how I would be able to afford tuition. I thought, with my 4.5 GPA and valedictorian of my graduating class, that I would be immediately offered full-ride scholarships. What I eventually found out was that competition was extremely high, and everything that I worked for was considered average to the college committees. After application deadlines, I was rejected from 80% of the schools I applied to and got accepted to some random out-of-state colleges. They offered me huge tens of thousands-dollar financial aid support, but it would only cover the cost of out-of-state tuition. I would have to pay for housing, classes, and books all on my own. I didn't have that kind of money and in fact, my budget remains under a couple of thousand dollars. A part of me knew that my expectations were unrealistic, but I wanted to believe that everything was going to work out. Even if I did get accepted to UCLA or Yale, I would have been put through years of debt and student loans.

Since my parents never went to a 4-year institution and I didn't have anyone guiding me, this was a huge learning experience. With prior knowledge, I could have possibly workshopped my essay and applications months ahead of time. Most of my applications barely made it past the due date and there were more clubs and extracurriculars that I could've added. Rather than an obstacle, I understood that these decisions take months of planning and preparation. While I could have been spending that time applying for scholarships and grants, I know now what to look for in my applications. I also never considered how much money community college would save me. I will go on to finish my associate's degree, tuition completely free with over 60 credits. I will now be applying as a transfer and not as a freshman so I have a considerable advantage over the applicants. This gives me enough time to accumulate volunteer hours and work experience. I've researched my chosen 4-year college and next year I will only be applying to one school. It is the closest 4-year institution that has a great program for my major and fits exactly within my budget. With the number of scholarships I have won, I will be able to afford the first year completely debt free.

Although my work ahead will still be hard, I need to apply to more scholarships and research programs for my doctorate. I need to look ahead and plan for my career, make connections within the field and find intern opportunities. I know now the goal ahead, although just two years ago I had no clue what direction I wanted to go in. I appreciate the way things turned out but the devastation I felt after my first rejection letter was a wake-up call. I wish others had the guidance that I needed and I hope that people won't need to go through the unnecessary steps I went through. In the future, I plan to help my peers and younger siblings through the process and advise them on where I failed. I don’t think this information would have changed the perspective of my younger self, but I know I could utilize this from now on.