Why Juniors Should Start the College Process
- Maureen Carson Scudder
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
First, the not whys:
Because it’s a race
Because the earliest or fastest wins
Because those who seem ready are the best equipped, the best qualified, the best
The real why:
Because they’ll enjoy it
Have your doubts? I get that. Your junior might not seem ready. Your junior might not talk with you about colleges, about scheduling tours, about potential majors. Your junior’s schedule might not have an inch. Practice, games, SAT prep, work, it feels like there’s no spare time nor energy. Your junior has other things on their mind — tomorrow’s test, Friday’s presentation, next week’s project. Or they may appear to have nothing on their mind. (TikTok doesn’t count as “on their mind.”) Still, I swear there’s a good chance your junior is ready and willing to talk about college. But only with a stranger.
More about the stranger-magic in a minute.
Talking about the college process can begin with talking about college applications — applications being the operative word. This conversation doesn’t mean talking about the future, not exactly at least. It’s more talking about who they are today, and that’s not threatening. Answering straightforward questions about who they are, right now, from an untangled and impartial someone is simple and revealing. I didn’t understand the power of objectivity until somewhat recently, probably because I bathed in subjectivity for decades. Writing instructors and fiction fans are like that: we love rolling in the gray. So, to be clear, talking about applications, not a ten-year plan, and talking with someone objective, not the people who made them, are key.
Maybe you’re conceding that your reluctant junior would answer questions from a third party. Heck, they just answered a boatload of questions from relatives over Thanksgiving. But are you still doubting that they’ll enjoy talking about the college process or college applications? That’s fair. Yet, here’s what I know: teenagers like talking about things they care about. It’s natural. And teenagers aren’t asked often enough: “What do you care about?” Teenagers like big-picture questions about themselves, as long as the conversation is private and relaxed, as long as there’s no performance element, no classmates scrutinizing, no parents eavesdropping.
Teenagers also enjoy thinking about what their biggest fans would say about them. I like asking: “How would your grandmother describe you?” (Grandparents know their grandchildren are perfect, so they’re a great gauge.) I also like asking what they think their favorite teacher or best friend might say about them. It’s fun to watch kids step outside themselves and look sidelong, back, and down at themselves through rosy, rosy glasses. Why wouldn’t they enjoy it?
As for the stranger-magic, it’s real. The distance works. An unbiased ear aside a warm heart, that’s where it begins. Teachers grade them, school counselors recommend them, bosses evaluate them, and parents feel responsible for them. A college application coach? They listen to them. Boy, that’s easy to enjoy.
So assure your junior that they can enjoy the college process. It’s the truth. They can enjoy unraveling the mysteries of the process. They can enjoy knowing what's coming, what’s expected, what’s not. They can enjoy thinking about who they are and what matters to them. They can enjoy talking with an objective someone who isn’t knotted up in their shouldas, wouldas, or couldas. They can enjoy the college process because, frankly, it’s meant to be enjoyed.
If your junior hasn't yet started their college process in a formal way, I hope they will begin today because I know that starting will help them enjoy it.
Maureen C. Scudder is an independent college counselor specializing in essay advising. From strategy to submission, she guides clients through the college application process. Visit maureencscudder.com to learn more.
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