Since the moment I entered school my life has revolved around preparing for college. Taking certain classes, being on the honor roll, joining clubs, volunteering, and many other aspects were all determined by what would look good on an application. Of course, that's a very cynical way of looking at it. There was always more to my actions but the main reason that people constantly threw in my face as my motivation was to get into a good school. Around this time last year I began looking at the colleges I would apply to. It was a long and difficult process, filled with stress, tears, and anxiety. On one of these exhausting nights, I wrote this poem about being "sold" the idea of college. I hope it can provide some relief to people who are going through the application process now to know that most of us felt the same way.
The College Commercial
Let me set the record straight
You want me to pay about 60,000 a year
To get a good education for some
Paper documentation saying
“This one’s good enough for participation in society”
What about the last 12 years, do they not matter?
Your free trial period has ended
So grab onto your
Credit cards, pay checks, and minimum wages
And feed them into the fees of our profiting ways
BUT WAIT there's more!
Screams the college infomercial
Before you ship and handle yourselves into our privatized circle
There's some things to be done, some dues to be paid
But we promise, OUR unique institution is worth it at the end of the day
Write us an essay
650 words or less
From your last 6205 days tell us a story that stands above the rest
Because we expect people to fit into a page and a half
We've heard it all before but you can try to make us laugh
Put your life in the hands of one or two teachers to write letters of recommendation
And then wave your rights to view them to prevent deviation
From the truth
After all trust is a four letter word
When “u” is not involved in what others observed
Cram for SATs
Twice for good measure
It could mean the difference between a rejection or acceptance letter
Add the essay for an extra 15 dollars more
And our recommended practice books from the college board store!
Don't feel too pressured, study months in advance
...Even though most colleges are making them OPTIONAL - DON’T TAKE THAT CHANCE
When the Common App is completed and the tests are over
The essays, the campus tours, have all been mulled over
When you've realized your life has been uneventful and bleak
When you've cried more tears than the water you drink in a week,
The time has finally come to wait for the acceptance you seek
After paying an application fee ranging from 40-80$.
Rejection isn't free, you know.
