Keeping the Faith Through the College Application Process 


For millions of high school graduates across the country, attending college is not only a rite of passage, like the independence that comes with learning to drive a car. It’s also a necessary next step that could significantly influence the trajectory of one’s life for years to come.

Even so, the application process can be daunting at best, now that colleges and universities have gotten so much more competitive.

Having a solid faith in God can help mitigate the anxiety and stress.

Roughly a quarter of high school seniors apply to seven or more colleges. By some estimates, the number of students enrolled in some form of higher education is expected to increase to 23 million by 2020 — about seven percent of the current U.S. population.

Yet for all the nail-biting that accompanies the college admissions process each spring, having a solid faith in God can help mitigate some of the anxiety and stress along the way.

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus instructs: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

High school senior Lauren Burke, based in Washington, is putting those words into action.

Related: Staying Open with Our Faith and Sharing It with Others

“My faith helped me stay calm during the entire [application] process,” she told LifeZette. “I kept remembering that God has a plan for me, and what is meant to be will happen. I just need to trust in Him and keep praying I get in and adjust well to wherever I am supposed to go.”

That’s not to say that Burke, who is Greek Orthodox, did not experience moments of self-doubt. The most challenging part of the process, she said, was comparing her test scores, grades, and extracurricular activities with current college students and thinking she didn’t measure up. Burke is planning for a career in business (marketing and management) and applied to Chapman University, Pepperdine University, Endicott College, and the University of Redlands — originally her top choice.

Related: Tim Tebow: A New Sport, the Same Focus on Faith

She is still keeping an open mind about where she’ll begin her college career. She has narrowed it down to Endicott in Massachusetts and Redlands in California. To her credit, she’s in the enviable position of having been accepted to both universities.

“I feel nothing but relief and excitement. It’s the best feeling ever because you realize everything you have worked for — in school and sports — was worth it,” said Burke.

She added, “Faith plays a huge role in my life. I have a great connection with God, and I have put my trust in Him. I can’t wait to see what the next chapter brings.”