Senior Spotlight: The College Maze
- miagroeninger5
- Feb 21
- 3 min read
By: Serena Zhang '28 and Maria Salyards '28

The college process can feel like a daunting maze for many high school students, with applications, essays, deadlines, and decisions that swirl together into a whirlwind of both excitement and anxiety. For those who have made it through, the journey contains valuable lessons about planning, perseverance, and self-discovery. So, what is the experience like through the eyes of Cate’s seniors? How did they navigate through this critical period? What advice do they have for students stressing over their applications and wondering how to start?
A question commonly asked by juniors preparing to enter the college counseling process is, “What do you wish you knew?” Several seniors emphasized that they wished they had known earlier how unique and unpredictable each student’s journey would be. Lucy Guilbert-Neal ‘25 reflected, “You can’t anticipate anything, and so many people are in so many different shoes, and I wish I knew that I was not going to have a clear answer.” As Lucy said, everyone’s process is different, and even when students try their best to think ahead, it does not always go as planned; this is precisely what Lucy pointed out as the most difficult part of the application process. The seniors’ collective insights highlight the significance of flexibility. Even with careful planning, the process can take unexpected turns, which makes it challenging, yet meaningful. Every student has something different to offer, and it is essential to keep that in mind throughout the whole process.
The seniors offered a few suggestions for juniors wondering how to spend this upcoming summer. Daisy Gemberling ‘25, committed to Yale University advised, “Pay attention to what you pay attention to. Be strategic about it.” In other words, students must know their strengths by paying close attention to their extracurricular activities and passions. She also emphasized the importance of starting the process early. Daisy suggested writing essays over the summer, mainly because senior fall is stressful. However, Lucy added that what is written over the summer will usually not be the same as what is ultimately submitted. “There will be multiple rounds of revision with the counselors and peer editing, so going into senior year with a draft is the perfect start to the year,” she noted.
Lucy also pointed out that it is crucial to remember that everyone’s admission process looks different. For her, she applied to many colleges through early admission and applied for scholarships to most of them. Lucy advised students applying for scholarships to “know the level of financial support of the schools you are applying to.” Some schools tend to offer merit aid while others offer need-based aid, so it is highly crucial that students understand what type of financial support they are applying for. She also encouraged everyone interested in applying for scholarships to communicate with their counselor clearly throughout the process.
When asked what could be improved about the college counseling program, many juniors suggested more one-on-one meetings with the counselors. Naomi Chen ‘26 mentioned that although the group meetings have given them a general idea of what lies ahead, it would be very helpful to have individual meetings with the CoCo office starting in sophomore year as well, since many students find it challenging to start the process early without direct guidance.
While the college application process may seem daunting, the seniors’ advice holds a key message: trust yourself, stay strategic, and lean on the resources around you. With good preparation and a growth mindset, Cate’s juniors can and will confidently approach this critical time with confidence, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead!
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