College application season continues for Costa seniors as it has year after year for the graduating class. However, current college students and Costa alumni are here to offer advice and support. Berkeley second year Austin Lee, UCLA second year Riley Yuan, and Dartmouth second year Brayden Chuang reflect on their own experiences with applications and college life, sharing words of wisdom for their fellow mustangs.
Lee is currently studying Business Administration at Berkeley. As part of Costa’s class of 2024 graduates, Lee participated in baseball, orchestra, Tri-M, National Honor Society, Asian American Club, and Card Game Theory Club. Now at Berkeley, he takes part in Ascend Berkeley (a consulting club), Scholars of Finance, Poker at Berkeley, and Haas Business Student Association (student government). Even before college, Lee underscores the importance of preparation.
“I would’ve explored more passions when I had the time in high school,” Lee said. “It’s also really important to prepare for classes, create good study habits, have the ability to socialize and converse, and talk to people about career paths.”
Chuang is a Bioengineering and Economics second year at Dartmouth. He is part of Dartmouth’s Taiwanese association, AGAPE, and in his free time plays club volleyball and teaches snowboarding. Previously at Costa, Chuang was involved in basketball, orchestra, Growing Green club, and Asian American club.
“I also wish I had explored more hobbies,” Chuang said. The amount of clubs can be overwhelming and some are quite competitive. Figuring out what you enjoy first will help you feel more prepared.
When applying, Lee recalls applying to a diverse range of schools by fit, location, and strengths. However, looking back he also realizes the importance of a school’s atmosphere.
“I went based on major, prestige, and rankings for my program,” said Lee. “I should’ve looked more into the culture of the school, but thankfully it worked out. It didn’t work for everyone though.”
Likewise, Chuang took into consideration factors for each school when he was a Costa senior. He wanted to make sure that the place he ended up at fit his needs.
“I first made a list of all the possible factors to consider, like location and dining hall food, and weighted them differently,” Chuang said. “I ranked people and school size as my most important factors and talked to upperclassmen at those schools to see if their experiences fit my interests.”
On a similar note, Riley Yuan when applying to colleges picked where to apply based on the environment best suited for himself. He is a second year UCLA student currently studying Computer Science and is a part of ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) and the Korean American student association (KASA). At Costa, Yuan led a club called Environmental Investments, where he taught the financial benefits of ESG investing strategies, and was also a part of other clubs like the Asian American club and the Pets of the Homeless club.
“I knew I wanted to be in a city, so I did not apply to schools that were not near major cities, even if they were highly ranked,” Yuan said. “Knowing what you value and visiting schools are the best ways to find your fit.”
Yuan also stresses the importance of getting a head start with essays. Supplemental essays for many college applicants seem like the most daunting part of applying, but it is also the most time consuming.
“I wish I started my essays sooner,” Yuan said. “They play a bigger part in some school applications than I thought they would, and I think my success rate would have been higher had I started writing and revising sooner.”
Although Costa seniors are currently sharing a wave of stress during this application season and are comparing applications with each other, it is helpful to be reminded that individuality and individual fit play significant factors for colleges.
“Don’t compare yourself to others. They say that comparison is the thief of joy, but I think it’s also the thief of authenticity,” Chuang said. “Everyone’s on their own timeline, so be yourself and do the things you enjoy.”
Before college starts, it’s helpful to prepare yourself for college’s new environment and academic rigor. Yuan stresses that the summer before college starts is a great time to relax but also plan for the forthcoming years.
“Talk to students that go to the university to see if you can get any insider information,” said Yuan. “You always want to be prepared, so having someone help you understand what to expect is extremely valuable.”
College applications do not have to be overwhelming if you are applying to universities that spark your interest. At Dartmouth now, Chuang had applied on a whim and would have reapplied to the same schools “without a doubt.”
“I love it here,” Chuang said. “A good rule of thumb that served me well is to apply to any school you would go to if you got in.”
At Berkeley, Lee recollects on how the people around him got sick due to lacking a well-balanced lifestyle whether it be sleep, diet, or carelessness.
“Freshman year is fun because you’re constantly going out and afraid to say no, but please keep your well being in check,” Lee said.
Chuang builds on this, stressing the value of gaining well-needed rest to keep moving forward with the days.
“Sleep!” Chuang said. “If you build a solid sleep schedule, I promise you that the rest will follow.”
For Yuan, time management can and will facilitate important parts of college like academics, networking, and personal time. He reminds Costa seniors that being in control of your day and sticking to a plan is important.
“Of course you have to be flexible and most of the best college memories are made on a whim, but in general it’s good to have a consistent routine,” Yuan said.
Success in college will vary for every Costa senior, but Lee, Yuan, and Chuang, all emphasize that classes need to be approached differently than they had been at Costa.
“Start studying for exams early,” Yuan said. “In high school I never studied for tests for more than a day or two, but that isn’t viable in college.”
In contrast to Costa and other high schools across the nation, colleges and universities are much bigger institutions and have varying teaching styles. Professors that teach on the undergraduate level play a significant role every semester according to Chuang.
“My professors have had the greatest impact on my class experiences,” Chuang said. “I wish I had spent more time researching my classes and especially the professors that teach them.”
Just like at Dartmouth, Berkeley and undergraduate institutions alike have thousands of students and hundreds of scholars in each class.
“Professors matter a lot more than teachers at Costa,” Lee said. “They can make or break the same class.”
Lee and Yuan both agree that college is a part of life that reveals self-dependence and responsibility. Classes are much more self-taught and students “cram and self study a lot” according to Lee.
“College is definitely less strict than high school, but that is both a blessing and a curse,” Yuan said. “No one is on your back watching you, so you have to be able to manage your time to balance your academics, social life, and sleep schedule.”
Of course, sleep fosters fresh adventures for the next day and can be coupled with good grades and a social life. With the right amount of sleep, college provides a venue for young adults to go outside of their bubble and create memories that last a lifetime.
“Don’t ever be afraid to say yes to new things,” said Lee. “Everything you do and everyone you meet in college is a new experience.”
College is a time for graduating seniors to live a home away from home, and it’s on the individual to do that. Yuan reminds Costa students that it is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
“Regardless of where you end up at, the experience will be what you make of it,” Yuan said. “You definitely shouldn’t compare your time at college to anyone else’s.”
Overall however, Chuang reminds Costa seniors to slow down and take in the last year of high school. Not only does graduating grant Costa students vastly new opportunities, it marks a significant end to childhood and living at home– possibly.
“This summer might be your last summer to relax and have fun,” Chuang said. “Go do spontaneous things with your friends and make memories that will last.”
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