Coping tips for college admissions' anxiety

As the new year rolls in, seniors are still dealing with the heavy anxiety that comes with college decisions. While many colleges have released their Early Decision and Early Action results, there are still schools that have not sent out Early Action decisions. Not to mention, a whole other round of Regular Decisions will leave seniors on the edge of their seats until March or possibly even April.

The Sabre asked one of St. John’s very own college counselors, Mr. Chernick, for advice for seniors.

The first piece of advice is something Mr. Chernick believes applies not just to higher education but also to personal career goals and life beyond college. “The next year does not predict what will happen five years from now, so don’t feel like everything is riding on these moments and decisions. All you can do is trust that you tried your hardest, and remember there are multiple paths to building the future you want,” said Mr. Chernick.

The second piece of advice is to keep trying new things. “Many people have a sense of what they think they want to do, which causes them to write off new opportunities that may lead to new interests,” said Mr. Chernick. He also added, “These next couple of years are the best times to try new things and explore your interests.”

The last piece of advice is to “make meaningful connections and hold onto the relationships you build in high school, because years from now, what we will remember are those connections, not the quizzes or exams that we stress over today.”