’24 BISV Senior College Application Interviews and Advice: Meryl Zhang

Disclaimer: This interview consists of opinions based on different experiences from different students. While this publication may be used to gain some insight into the college app process, please remember that there is no “perfect formula” for getting into college and college applications vary by person. What works for one person may not work for another! Use your best judgment when taking advice from these interviews.

All interviews with The Quill are done with permission from the students. In order to protect their privacy, they may opt to be anonymous or just use their initials.

Alina: It’s currently 10:01 AM, and we are sitting in the Industrial Chemistry Capstone classroom looking at homeroom slides. It is Jan 9th, 2024, and College App[lication] Season is almost over. Do you still have any apps to submit? How are you feeling?

Meryl [thinking]: I finished all my apps. I just have to wait for…you know…my decisions.

Alina: Are you prepared for [college] interviews? Excited?

Meryl: I guess that I’m excited but I’m more worried that I’m not going to get an interview.

Alina: I believe that you’ll get one.

Meryl: Just one? [P.S. She did get interviews afterwards.]

Alina: No, more. I think some schools had people sign up for interviews because it was optional, so the slots were all full soon, but anyways…some of my colleges didn’t ask, so I just checked their website. How do you feel about senior year being almost over? Do you feel old?

Meryl: I have a senior project after that, so… I’m going to be at home, but it doesn’t feel like the school year’s gonna be over just cause I have so much more work to do. Okay, this is getting off-topic. It reassures me that there are people older than me.

Alina: That’s targeted.

Meryl: Are you going to look up “senior questions” again? [laughing]

Alina: I don’t know what you’re talking about! Is there a school in particular that you really want to get into?

Meryl: I guess that most of my Regular Decision [RD] schools are more wild cards, while my Earlies [Early Decision/Action schools] are more balanced, so obviously I’m anticipating my RDs more.

Alina: When’s your earliest decision out?

Meryl: Probably March. But for Earlies, probably end of January.

Alina: Okay so last question. Could you give some words of wisdom to the underclassmen reading this?

Meryl: I thought this was about college life…Um, start your apps early? Like everyone says this every year but do not do them on the same day they’re due, like some people have.

Alina: Not gonna lie, I did it all day like during Winter Break though.

Meryl: Okay Winter Break is fine, but just not on the same day it’s due, like some people you may or may not know. Write your CommonApp essay over the summer, cause that one is pretty important. Oh and if you don’t get in, don’t freak out and rewrite everything but if you do have an idea of how to make it better, you should probably rewrite it.

Alina: Thank you for interviewing. No no not interviewing, thank you for this interview Meryl! [Meryl laughing]