I learned today that a student I counseled through the college admissions process back in 2001 is now married—he and his wife are expecting their first child.
Back in high school, he was one of those good students who worried a lot—about his GPA, his SAT scores and whether or not colleges would appreciate the community service he’d done. He worried about the one B he’d gotten on his report card, whether or not his essays would be good enough, and if the colleges really would be able to decode the complex system of weighted grades his high school used. He was a good kid who worked hard and wanted to go to a good college.
How much do you think he’s worrying about those things now?
His grade in Spanish, his SAT score, and whether or not UC Berkeley said yes don’t matter anymore. That’s all part of his high school past. He's got bigger things on his mind now, like becoming a parent, navigating fatherhood, and saving for his child’s college education.
There’s nothing wrong with a student or parent worrying (a little) during the college admissions process. Going to college is something that carries enough weight to deserve a little worry now and then.
But you can manage those worries a lot better if you remember just how insignificant most of them seem one day.
There’s a reason nobody’s ever said:
“My wife gave birth to our first son today. I really wish I’d gotten a higher score on the math section of the SAT back in high school.”