A New Take on the College Admissions Process: A Potato’s Perspective

When looking for a children’s book on which to base my latest blog, the cover of Michael Ian Black’s I’m Worried caught my eye. I thought about how the potato with a furrowed brow stands in sharp contrast to the Positive Potato, a small, crocheted character with an uplifting sign, that sits on my daughter’s chest of drawers. As I thumbed through the book, I learned that the potato in I’m Worried dreads the future because he ruminates about all the bad things that might happen. Images spanning two pages indicate a seemingly endless list, everything from pop quizzes and spilled French Fries, to lightning and volcanic eruptions. There is even an alien, chef’s hat on his head and spatula in his hand, perusing with his one eye a cookbook dedicated to potato recipes! 

The cute pictures led me to grin, but I simultaneously felt a twinge of sadness. College counselors know that high school seniors seeking college admission can be like the potato, torturing themselves about things beyond their control. One might dismiss some of their worries as “silly.” To the students plagued by them, however, they are anything but. Moreover, we see how what-if thinking can spread like wildfire, as it did in I’m Worried, when the flamingo gets caught up in his friend’s fretting. And, we are like the little girl, unable to provide reassurance that nothing bad will occur. Translated into admissions terms, we cannot spare students and families the painful reality: the possibility of a denial. As the girl reminds the practically begging potato, people cannot predict the future. That is surprisingly easy to forget when you and those who you care about must cope with uncertainty.

All college counselors can do is to adopt the girl’s approach and point out that good can come from unexpected difficulties. Upon reflection, everyone can recall a time when things had a way of working out. We have been like the potato, who received a scratch ‘n’ sniff “Power to the Potato” sticker when the doctor treated bruises sustained from rolling off the table. We have been like the flamingo, who discovered that bologna was a tasty sandwich alternative after getting his beak caught in the sticky peanut butter jar. We have been like the girl, who proudly sported a cast covered with her friends’ cool designs during her recovery from a broken arm due to a monkey bars fall. And college counselors have lots of stories about how students who did not attend their “dream school” for various reasons wound up being incredibly happy since they made the most of where they went.

The desire to shield oneself from possible discomfort remains strong, however, and that sometimes leads to irrational behavior. As the potato and flamingo literally do in I’m Worried, we may be tempted to wrap ourselves in bubble wrap, and that can create real problems. The potato finds it stifling; the flamingo’s movements are restricted; and we don’t develop the practical and emotional skills necessary to cope with challenges. Students who procrastinate in an attempt to avoid the stress inherent in crafting compelling Common Application essays and supplements fail to submit high-quality writing, if they even make deadlines in the first place. Procrastination also can turn into a habit, one that might prove detrimental in college and beyond. Worrying, or “bubble wrapping,” as the girl in the story observes, is not the answer.

What is the answer? The I’m Worried friends conclude that they should concentrate on the here and now rather than worry about what might be. That is essentially what Ms. Honan, Dr. Abate, and I tell our crew, too. We advise seniors to invest as much effort as possible into their applications rather than expend critical energy sorting through guidance from well-meaning Aunt Bertha and neighbors of Aunt Bertha; doing online research from what are actually less-than-reliable sources; or trying to mold themselves into family friend X who graduated from Y University. The extent of the application effort could make a profound difference, not just between a “yes” or a “no,” but whether one has peace of mind upon hitting the submit button. 

So, seniors, put in the work now so you can rest assured that you did all you could to put together strong applications that do you justice… and then get on with your life. Cherish time with your family and friends who have supported you through the long and arduous admissions process. Try that new thing you put off doing until after applications were in. Delve into your classes for learning’s sake rather than just to boost your GPA. Stay busy enjoying the one year of 12th grade you will ever have, and the weeks and months will fly by. Before you know it, everybody who cares about you – including us! – will celebrate the conclusion of your successful W+H career. And, maybe, just maybe, someone will give you a Positive Potato as a Commencement gift.