Amanda O’Dea, Editor-in-Chief

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like a total phony writing college app essays?

We’re asked questions like If your life was a novel, what would the title be? and What metaphor do you think is the most powerful, but also most dangerous? Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the next 650 word essay I write is about the sandwich that best represents my personality.

The thing is, no human has their life completely figured out at age 17. We don’t know everything—or even anything, really. That’s why we’re going to college, after all: to learn. So why do they ask these questions? Is it to determine which students have the most of their lives figured out? Is it to find who is the most confident, the most sure of themselves?

Maybe partially.

I think more than that, it is important to realize that colleges know we don’t have everything figured out. They know we’re only 17. They know we have a whole lot more life to live.

So what does this mean?

Well, it means that the best we can do is be honest. I was watching this video the other day about how technically anyone can get into Harvard. It’s pretty easy to cheat your way through the SAT, to make up a bunch of extracurriculars, to write your own recommendation letters, to pay professionals to compose the perfect application essays.

But why on Earth would you do that? It makes no sense. That’s not you. Not only is said method insanely unethical, but it’s not how you want to go through the world.

Colleges want to know you. You are the one applying to college, not some made-up, perfected version of yourself.

Be honest and show them who you are. Be yourself. If you’re funny, be funny in your essays. If you prefer a more flowery loosey-goosey tone, go for it. All this talk about “giving the colleges what they want” literally makes no sense. Never change yourself for anybody, not even a college. The college that is right for you will want exactly what you give it.

Now I know I’m just some random senior and you shouldn’t listen to me, because what the heck do I know?

But you know what I do know?

That you should stop worrying about how you look to colleges. Don’t craft yourself to be some person you know you’re not. Be you, and the school that is meant for you will love just that. But again, what do I know? I’m 17.