Op-Ed: Why Parents and Students Shouldn’t Stress Over College Admissions

Here at Thesis, we’ve written a lot about college admissions – from our advice on the early stages of planning to this weekend’s piece about visiting prospective colleges. It’s something parents and students think about a lot – as well they should, because sending a child to college is a complicated and expensive process that requires a lot of planning. But with all of the energy we put into the admissions process, it’s easy to get tunnel vision. All too often, parents and students internalize the idea that college admissions status defines young people, with acceptances serving as a measure of their worth and a predictor of their life trajectories.

In a recent New York Times op-ed, colunnist Frank Bruni confronts this idea and eloquently refutes it, reminding us that we get out of college what we put into it. In the end, Bruni argues, the prestige of one’s alma mater will not determine one’s success in business or in life. So why should we impute such pressure, such fear, to the college admissions process?

If you’re the parent of a soon-to-be college student, you need to read Bruni’s article. Share it with your child, too. And remind them that no matter where they’re accepted, you will always love them.