My College Journey, by Tessa Payer ’16 – Part 2

April 2015

It was the last day of spring break, and instead of spending my time at home relishing in my last moments before the final push toward AP exams and finals, I found myself on a college campus. Not that I was complaining—it was a beautiful day, a gorgeous place, and I found myself rethinking what I had set my heart on almost a year ago.

So how did I get to that moment at the end of spring break? I’ll back track a bit to before spring break, in the freezing month of February. Midterms were over, everyone was wishing for spring, and we juniors received our college counselor assignments. Along with these came some paperwork to fill out, including questionnaires and personality tests. I wasn’t really sure what help these would bring to the college process, but I filled them out truthfully and went into my first meeting with my college counselor, Ms. Myra Simpson, with a bit of apprehension. I was nervous about what we would talk about and what changes might be made to my list of colleges. However, all my fears were alleviated during the meeting. We talked about the different colleges I had visited and why I liked them, and Ms. Simpson put a couple more on my list to think about.

I was excited to research the new schools and get one step closer to finding the place I would call home for four years. I left the meeting with heightened spirits and continued to diligently fill out paperwork, such as an activity sheet showcasing my various extra-curriculars throughout Middle and Upper School and another more personal packet that asked me questions I hadn’t considered before, such as “What two things would you want a college admissions officer to know about you?” or “What is your favorite quote and why?” It took me a good hour to get all the answers down, but it didn’t feel like a wasted hour. I really had to think about myself and my true feelings to write my answers down, which might seem strange because this is the college process, not a self-enlightenment journey. But, I think the two are more related than they seem. To pick the right college and find the place you’ll be happiest, you have to know yourself and know what makes you comfortable and happy—filling out all the questionnaires, while tedious, helped with this process.

The Thursday afternoon before spring break started, I had another meeting with my counselor, only this time, my family came with me. I and many of my peers dreaded the family meeting, but it is a normal part of the Ranney College Guidance Office’s counseling steps and, in the end, it seemed there was nothing to be apprehensive about. We were able to look over my grades and talk about college options as well as class options for next year. My parents were able to ask any questions about the upcoming years and a few hours after the meeting ended, my family and I were on the road for another college visit.

We planned three college visits for spring break, each vastly different from each other. One was a small school in the middle of rural Ohio, another slightly larger school in Vermont, and the third was an Ivy League school in New Jersey. I was excited for all the visits and ready to get on the road again and fall back into the college trip vibe.

Ohio was fun; the college was a wonderful place, and even though it was in the middle of nowhere, it seemed as if there was a lot to do on campus. My family and I went to a choir concert during our stay there, and it was then that I felt that we were really seeing what the school had to offer. Informational sessions and tour guides can impart anything about academics and student life, but seeing a concert that isn’t being put on for the sake of those visiting the school and seeing members laughing and enjoying their time onstage was a real treat. The experience got me excited for college; to think that maybe one day I would be on that stage, and another junior in the audience would be watching me and thinking about applying.

At first, I was a bit nervous about Vermont. Ms. Simpson had recommended that I visit the school, and it was the first one that my family and I were visiting that we hadn’t thought of ourselves. However, once I listened to the informational session and went on a tour, I fell in love with the school. My tour guide had such genuine enthusiasm about the school and wasn’t afraid to be goofy while showing us around. I immediately picked up on the vibe of acceptance of all quirks that emanated throughout the campus and realized that it was something I wanted out of college; to be accepted for being goofy and nerdy at times. I realized that if Ms. Simpson had never recommended the college for me, I probably never would have visited it, and I definitely did some mental thanking while on campus.
Then, I rethought everything.

On my last day of spring break, I visited the NJ Ivy League. It’s a challenging school to get into—and that was really all I knew about it apart from the fact that a Ranney alum who goes there. I thought that I might not like it; my mind had been consumed with a dream of attending a smaller historical college in Virginia for years, and yet, I stepped onto campus and fell in love. From the beautiful architecture to the prestigious academics, I loved it, and I began to see myself spending four happy years there.
So, what did I learn about the college process this semester?

First, fill out the paperwork! The questions force you to think deeply about yourself and really consider what you’re looking for in a school. Second, your college counselor is there to help you, so listen to them. If I hadn’t listened to Ms. Simpson, I probably wouldn’t have visited that small school in Vermont and found another school I would be happy spending four years at. And third, you might be in love with a school and think that you’d only be happy there, then find another place and totally rethink your life, and that’s completely fine. As a junior, you don’t have to make that decision yet. Be open to anything and everything, and if you have to rethink your dream because you find another dream school, that’s okay! You’ve still got time to decide and the more options you have, the better.

Read Tessa's Part 1 essay from the fall of her junior year