Get Rid of Imposter Syndrome During the College Admissions Process

In December of my senior year, I answered an unexpected phone call. Sitting at my kitchen table with my dad eagerly eavesdropping beside me, I received news that I’d been invited to interview at Boston University’s seven-year medical program, one of the most competitive direct admit medical programs in the country. I entered the direct med application process with low expectations; I thought I’d maybe pick up a few interview invites and decide to go the traditional route after failing to get into a program of my choice. So, an interview invite from one of my top choice programs only a month after I applied came as a shock. Naturally, I felt excited, but an unpleasant feeling quickly followed; I was confused. Questioning whether or not they invited me on a fluke, I failed to understand why a program of their caliber would want me. 

As more invitations and acceptances rolled in, the same pattern unfolded: excitement, then confusion. As a senior in high school, I lacked the confidence to recognize why competitive schools wanted me. I viewed myself through the words and numbers I typed on the common application and found them rather uninteresting. 

When I clicked “view decision” on March 24, 2020 and read “Congratulations!” on a Northwestern University letterhead, I felt excitement beyond belief. Immediately, I saw myself beginning a new chapter in Evanston. Hesitation, however, soon followed. How would I keep up with the rigor of a top ten school? Did I even belong there? Doubt crept where my excitement once bloomed, leading me to almost commit to a different school. 

At this point, I knew I had some work to do. I no longer wanted to doubt myself at every turn, questioning whether or not I belonged. Over the past year, I’ve worked continuously to deconstruct the imposter syndrome I developed through years of academic perfectionism and unfair comparison. Defined as a consistent doubting of your abilities and talents, imposter syndrome affects many students, especially during the college applications season. If you’re feeling this right now, know that you’re not alone. I found that many of my friends in high school experienced the same things. When I got to Northwestern, it seemed like many of my peers were on the same journey to overcome imposter syndrome.

Now a rising sophomore in college, I feel so proud of the progress I’ve made. Though I still doubt myself from time to time, I no longer question whether or not I deserve success. When I accomplish something, I feel pride instead of confusion, but I’ve also learned to not pride myself on accomplishments alone. I can confidently say I’ve overcome my imposter syndrome during my time in college, and here’s how I would’ve done it as a college applicant: 

Celebrate the little accomplishments 

Focusing on minor failures, like missing an interval at a swim practice or missing a few questions on a test, fueled my imposter syndrome; it’s hard to feel deserving of something when the things that you notice about yourself are things that you’re not proud of. Mindset is so pivotal to building confidence and enjoying success. It’s the key to overcoming imposter syndrome. 

When you start to focus on the little victories, all of the abstract things that you love about yourself come into focus. It is second nature to celebrate big victories. The night I received my first medical school interview invitation, my parents took me to dinner and we celebrated together. While it’s not feasible to go out to eat for every minor accomplishment, it’s important to find ways to celebrate the little things that go well for you. Whether you cook your favorite meal at home, grab a latte from your favorite coffee shop, or take your dog for a walk on your favorite set of trails, there are so many exciting ways to reaffirm your everyday wins. Over time, focusing on the things I got right every day helped me to recognize things about myself that I was proud of, easing my imposter syndrome.

Spend time doing things that make you feel good about yourself 

In high school, I often found myself stuck in the mindset that I needed to be “well-rounded”. To me, that meant being good at everything all of the time. This mindset is wildly unrealistic and can lead to deep insecurity. It’s okay to be bad at things! Being bad at one thing doesn’t take away from your ability to excel in other things. 

Now in college, I focus my time on things that make me feel good about myself. I discovered that I love to create; writing makes me feel confident and informed, and so I spend my free time writing. Some of my friends love fitness and feel most confident in the gym. If you find something that makes you feel like a rockstar, run with it. It’ll only make you more passionate and confident, the two traits that keep imposter syndrome at bay. 

Stay off of forums

Just like focusing on your failures, comparison breeds imposter syndrome, especially on forums that emphasize the importance of statistics in college admissions. I made the mistake of browsing College Confidential while I applied to college. Pages upon pages of people posting their “perfect” statistics with a school list that matched mine only built on the doubt that already lived in my mind. It’s important to remember that stats are one part of a very complex and nuanced picture. When you scroll through page after page of impressive stats, know that you’re looking at digital representations of people and not people themselves. There’s so much that can’t be captured in the College Confidential “post your stats” template. Getting lost in the glamour of perfect SAT scores and GPAs on the internet can make you lose track of things that make you a stellar applicant that can’t be quantified. 

Affirmations

By now, you may be sensing a recurring theme: mindset is everything. Simply taking time out of your day to verbally reassure yourself can help you to feel more comfortable and confident in your abilities in the long run. Here’s some affirmations aimed specifically at curbing imposter syndrome during college applications: 

• “I deserve the success in my life.”
• “I am strong and capable.”
• “I don’t need to be perfect to be successful.”
• “My opinions are important and valuable.”
• “I am an asset.”
• “Even if I’m not accepted, I am still great at what I do.”
• “I belong.” 

Final Thoughts

Though working on these things keeps imposter syndrome at bay, it’s important to note that deconstructing imposter syndrome is not a short project, but rather an ongoing journey. 

It’s not something that happens overnight, and it’s certainly not something that goes away permanently. But the conscious effort is worth the feeling of accomplishment when you’re finally able to celebrate yourself without question. I would know.

[by: Preeta Kamat]