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What I wish I knew – Juliana Shugar ’23

The college admissions process can be a scary time. Trying to figure out where you are going to spend the next four years of your life can prove to be a daunting task, but the process is different for everyone. Some people know from their first year of high school where they want to go, and others, like myself, will take a little bit longer to make that decision. In retrospect, looking back at my application process, there is something that I wish I knew. I was researching so many different schools with different programs in different states and it got quite overwhelming. Juniata was one of those schools, but I had no clue that it would be the college I would pick. Looking back, I wish that I knew that I didn’t have to worry; that I would pick the right school, and for me, that school was Juniata College.

I ended up applying to 11 schools, and visited almost all of them at least once. I did my research on them yet it was still difficult for me to decide. I eventually narrowed it down to Juniata and two other colleges. I was stuck on those three for a while, until I did my second visit to Juniata during the Top Scholar Day. After that event, after talking to students and asking questions, after going on a tour and meeting with professors, I finally felt ready to commit. About a week after I got home, I sent in my deposit to Juniata and felt so relieved that the process was finally over. But I was still worried. Worried that I had made the wrong choice. I transferred high schools my sophomore year, and I didn’t want to have to go through that process again.

However, looking back now, while incredibly happy at the school I chose, I wish I could tell myself to relax. I wish I could tell myself that I had made the right choice, even if I did not know it at the time.

After committing to Juniata, I was nervous about my selection, but then my mom told me something that made it all seem better. She told me to have confidence in my decision. I had done my homework on these colleges, and I should trust my choice. And that is what I would like to pass on.

To any of you out there who are currently going through the college application process, do not worry. Trust your instincts. You may not know it now, but you will make the right decision when it comes. Take a breath and relax, because the right school will find you, and for me, that school was Juniata College.

-Juliana Shugar ’23, Spanish and Secondary Education POE,
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