College Application Season Has Arrived! There is nothing quite like that first feeling of Fall when the morning temperature dips into the 40s. The air is crisp, the humidity is low, and the promise of the mid-70s by afternoon makes for perfect days in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. I’m pulled to get outside and hike the Belknap Range, or put my kayak in Knowles Pond and spy on the loons. Soon enough, they’ll be on the move, with winter on the distant horizon. 

 

But other feelings come at this time of year, too: chaos, worry, excitement, and joy, all wrapped together. In my role as Co-Director of the College Counseling Office (CCO), I get a bad case of the Sunday Scaries. COLLEGE APPLICATION SEASON HAS ARRIVED! My weeks start with long to-do lists: Which college reps are coming this week? Who needs help with their college list, application work, essay review, or teacher recs? Am I on top of my own Counselor Recommendations, and are there things on the horizon I’m missing? This has been the rhythm of my professional life for the last 28 autumns. I embrace the rollercoaster, knowing full well that the ride can be scary and uncomfortable, but I take comfort in knowing. Knowing that, in the end, everything comes together. 

 

While I’m accustomed to the rhythm, worry, fright, and joy that come with applying to college, it is the first time for my students and many of the families I work with. At Tilton School, we firmly believe in knowing, supporting, and challenging students to do hard things well. In many respects, applying to college is the culmination of the Tilton experience. 

 

At the end of spring, our rising seniors completed their Beyond the Hill (BTH) exercise. BTH is a wonderful program in which we ask 11th-grade students to prepare a presentation discussing the post-Tilton plans they’ve been researching, discussing, and weighing. Each student presents for 10 minutes, highlighting their college search, career thoughts, and hopes for the future. BTH is a powerful exercise where students advocate for themselves, receiving feedback from members of the Tilton community. And now, as our students begin their senior fall, those ideas and hopes are right in front of them. It gets real. Just as fall’s first crisp morning jolts my soul, our students are facing a new and ever-growing to-do list of applications, financial aid forms, and emails. It can be a lot. And while the College Counseling Office will be their guide on this journey, it is the entire Tilton community that has prepared them to be their own best advocates, to tell their stories, and to do a hard thing well. 

 

I have learned to embrace the Sunday Scaries. As the calendar rolls into October and the November application window creeps ever closer, that sense of reassurance stays with me. While there will be many ups and downs and the ride may get worrisome, I know there will be successes throughout the year. From college acceptances and athletic signings to reframing setbacks and sharing high-fives of pure joy, the CCO will be there every step of the way, providing critical feedback and encouragement to help Tilton’s students be their best selves, knowing the celebrations for Tilton’s Class of 2027 will be many and mighty!