I started making my college list around this time last year and, after starting with a list of 30 schools, I cut down the list to the starting 14 just by doing one step: searching the college on TikTok. Without realizing, I found myself in a loophole of comparing colleges, campuses, aesthetics, or “Day in My Life’s” and fell for the glamorization of college life. 

In one 30 second video, I would get a grasp of the social scene of a school, how happy the students were, how pretty the campus is, and where I would fit in. Once I started visiting colleges for myself, I realized that a 30 second aesthetic video with a country song in the background is in fact not the proper way to choose a college. 

Unfortunately, the college search has turned into content, clout, and comparison. This generation of high school students, including myself, have been deciding our futures based purely on aesthetics. 

The algorithm constantly feeds posts, videos, and even influencers that lead to subconscious upward comparison. And it leads to people making quick accusations like “they look like they are having more fun” or “they are happier.” 

I believe that a huge factor of schools becoming popular is majorly based on what people are seeing online. This also leads to seniors hyperfixating on one school and becoming very closed-minded about others, which is not a great idea in this era of mass deferrals and waitlists. 

We have seen a recent rise in college-aged influencers that post the most glamorized parts of their life. I believe that the success of Alix Earl opened up the door for others to become influencers in college. I can agree being an influencer is a dream life, but, as we watch these videos, it’s important to remember that there are many factors that contribute to your college decision other than what social media offers. 

One day, I was explaining to my mom how torn I was on where to apply and commit and began showing her my favorited TikToks to have her help me where I would fit in. She looked at me, shocked, and began telling me how, when she went to college, there was nowhere online to compare schools, find friends, or even find a roommate. She said that, while that had its cons, it was a much better way to go into college. It stopped online comparison and led to her finding an amazing friend group without all the expectations and pre-judgment that happens on social media. 

So, my advice to you seniors, as we commit to colleges and make big decisions, is to remind ourselves that what we see on social media is the most glamorized parts of each person’s life and each college. Don’t let yourself fall into the doubts and comparison before you even go to college, because, no matter where you go, you will find your people.