I’m looking through the posts here in College Confidential, and I’m starting to feel so small compared to the other applicants
I’m applying to top tier BSs. I have good grades, did my interviews well, I’m pretty confident about my essays, too. My recs will probably be good too
But I feel like my ECs (particularly community service) seem too meager compared to the other applicants…
I think some of what you see in other applicants is unrealistic. Most applicants are in 8th grade and don’t have a ton of opportunities or even know who they are yet. OAs know this. The best you can do is present yourself well, hope for the best and cast a wide net.
Keep the focus on what you HAVE accomplished.
Stay in your lane. Be the best version of you . That is all you can do. There are many great applicants out there and the competition is fierce, but I do suspect some of the stats on this site are not real as there are not enough hours in the day for some of these kids to do what they claim. Just be sure to cast a wide enough net so that you can find a school that you love and that will love you. There is no one right school. It is all about fit.
Comparison is the sneak thief of happiness.
There is some puffery here, and there is also self-selection. Having said that, at any of these BS - even the less well known ones --, there will be kids who have already done some amazing things. Most of those things will have required significant parental effort and/or expense, and AOs recognize that many families are not in a position to do this.
The AOs are looking for students who will be good community members - in the dorms, in the classroom, on the field and stage. They want kids who can take advantage of what’s being offered, engage with other community members, and want to be the best version of themselves. You can do that! Don’t worry about anyone else.
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Agree that you need to focus on yourself and not to be concerned about other applicants.
If qualified academically, the maturity of the individual applicant is possibly the next most important factor for elite boarding school admissions. Often this is discussed in an applicant’s teacher recommendations.
I understand that seeing posts about retaking the SSAT after a 95% or long lists of unrealistic extracurriculars can be overwhelming and make you feel like you’re not doing enough. It’s important to remember that these posts often don’t represent the full picture.
Focus on what makes you unique. What are your passions? What activities bring you joy? Admissions committees are looking for genuine individuals with diverse interests and strengths. Don’t get caught up in trying to meet unrealistic expectations.
My DD is applying, and she is averagely awesome in so many ways. Believe in yourself and your accomplishments. The right school will appreciate your authentic self.
This is so relatable. I’m applying for the 2025-26 school year and I’ve constantly been comparing myself to other applicants.
At the end of the day, the application is about you. Tell the admissions offices your story, what you like to do and what you’ve done. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Comparing each aspect of yourself to someone “better” than you will get you nowhere as you’re not seeing the full picture.
We’re our own biggest critics. Your application is probably stronger than you think it is.
Best of luck with your application!
I thought the same thing about my son’s application when I looked at these posts last year. He got into two GLADCHEM schools after applying to 5. He wasn’t a major athlete, was musical but not at a competitive level. He was just over the 90th percentile in SSATs after studying for most of the summer. He also isn’t a smooth talker, isn’t a minority, isn’t rich, and isn’t from an underrepresented part of the US. He had good grades but had at least one B in a major class. He had some ECs but not many, and none where his achievements would have been notable. What he had going for him was that he is a curious kid who loves to learn. He’s also kind, the type of student who teachers want in their class or dorm. Some interviewers didn’t see that in him, other interviewers really enjoyed talking with him and chatted away for over 45 minutes.
Don’t let the stats shared online scare you. Many, if not most, of the kids at these schools aren’t super stars. They are just nice kids that have a passion for learning new things. They are kids that admissions officers want living in their community.
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