Juliet Fang
Northwest Asia Weekly
Emilia Gunan
Every May, millions of high school students hit the “Accept” button on their college application portal, promising the college they’ll spend the next four years.
They have officially completed their college application – a daunting, overwhelming, stressful and mentally challenging process. And with the uncertainty of the pandemic affecting the Class of 2026 over the past two years, it will only get harder to apply to college from their sophomore year onwards.
“When the pandemic started, my day-to-day consciousness was completely overwhelmed. My friends and I both felt completely lost,” said Emily Chen, a high school student at Buchanan High School in Fresno, California. “With the sudden shift to remote learning, not only has my grades been made more difficult than ever, but my summer internship has also been postponed and my debate competitions have been canceled.”
These extracurricular activities—summer camps, science fairs, club events—have become increasingly important as students try to differentiate themselves from an increasingly large and competitive pool of applicants. According to data from college admissions website College Confidential, the number of applicants has jumped in the past two years, in part because of test-optional policies. Harvard’s acceptance rate fell to an all-time low (3.19%), joining Stanford (3.95%), Brown (5%) and UC Berkeley (14%). What do all these numbers mean for students? Stress, and a lot more.
“My mental health took a hit, like so many of my classmates,” said Emilea Okayasu, a high school senior at the University of California, Fresno High School. “I was isolated, so I was locked in my room most of my junior year, confused and stressed about what to do for the next four years.”
“I was navigating the college admissions process almost on my own, and it was very difficult. You can’t screw up and forget to file, especially for things like financial aid. Worse, I don’t have anyone like a counselor Help me within reach.”
In fact, the admissions process is often ambiguous as colleges require multiple essays, financial aid documents, transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation in their applications.
Without in-person access to school counselors, many students have to answer tough questions themselves: Should I take the SAT? How many colleges did I apply to? Which?
How does financial aid work? What activities do I participate in?
Christie Saetang, a high school senior at Orange High School in Orange, California, found herself having a hard time answering these questions.
“I already had a college plan in my sophomore year: get good grades, get good grades on the SAT, participate in extracurricular activities, and make meaningful connections with teachers. The pandemic has put that all behind me. All of a sudden, I felt like I had nowhere to go, everything I did wasn’t good enough, and I would never get into college. It was a tough time.”
She cites internal and external stress as the source of her anxiety.
“I’m afraid of failing. But I’m also afraid of disappointing my parents and family because I’ve always felt pressure to get into a good school. The whole atmosphere of admissions at my college makes me feel like if I didn’t get into Stanford, the Ivy League or Massachusetts Polytechnic, I would lose a career opportunity.”
The story of Saetang is very common. Culture and parental expectations are frequent issues for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) high school students. Not only is educational prestige valued (eg, as Stanford students), but many AAPI families with immigrant backgrounds—especially East Asian families—see college education as a return on years of investment in elementary and high school education, music lessons, and school tutor.
According to Alison Singer of The Huffington Post, “From [strict AAPI families] Big rewards are expected, and attending an Ivy League school is an integral part of the plan. “In essence, going to a “good school” means better opportunities at graduate or professional school, which means higher-quality career options, which means financial security for the future.
This is a mostly false assumption. Elite undergraduate schools are not “feeder” schools of elite graduate schools. At Harvard Business School, for example, the undergraduate schools represented are as diverse as the students themselves. Often, the path to a career isn’t as rigid as one might think.
Saetang, Chen and Okayasu, who planned to attend UC Berkeley, USC and Barnard College respectively, are now happy that the college application process is over.
“When I got into Berkeley, I was relieved,” Saetang said. “I was happy to be accepted, but looking back, I know I could have been happy at any number of schools. It took me a while to get out of that mindset that my worth was measured by my accomplishments. I guess that How unreasonable that mentality is now, but it felt real to me at the time.”
She wished the high school freshmen good luck and bravery.
“Try not to care what other people think, especially those you won’t see again in a few months. Outside of school, I would say that I wish Asian American parents and extended families would understand Stanford better Or Harvard is not the end goal, but it will take some time.”
“It’s bilateral, you know. They just genuinely want what’s best for us.”
Juliet can reach info@nwasianweekly.com.
