I realize as our son goes through the college application process that a college applicant is:

An earnest, yet ultimately imperfect, human being…

Raised earnestly, yet imperfectly…

By one or more earnest, yet imperfect, human beings…

Who is trying his or her darndest to appear "perfect."

It's a lot of pressure. If you let it be.

But the process all works out, ultimately.

We survived our daughter's college application process.

She found a university that offered her what she was looking for and met the other big college milestone – graduation – a few years ago.

It's all quite a journey: the application process, the college experience, graduation, and then moving out into the world afterward, contributing to it in ways that are meaningful to you and to those you serve with the work you do.

It's quite a journey when you go through it yourself, and later, when you support and advise a child preparing for that journey, as well.

And as much as anything, the process works best if you try to be your OWN best self, and present THAT in your application…rather than to try to paint the picture of some illusory "perfect" person you think the college wants, abandoning who you really are, and what you really want in your work and life.

Are you a current college applicant or the parent of one?

It will all work out.

You will find a good match.