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The plight of college admissions has long been associated with three things: prestige, perplexity, and an overwhelmingly stifling amount of pressure. For many, the competitive environment has necessitated a lifeline, an anchor to stabilize yourself before your sanity goes overboard. That lifeline has come in the form of online college admissions culture—a space where guidance, strategy, and shared experiences help demystify an otherwise daunting process.
Admittedly, college admissions culture does have its flaws. Similar to any corner of the web, it can easily lead to toxicity. It’s like the age old phrase: too much of anything is always bad. If you drink too much coffee, you end up crashing out. If you stay too long in the sun, you get burnt. If you force yourself to watch a hundred videos of students bragging about their accomplishments, you will suddenly feel as if you need to cure cancer to have a shot at the top 25 schools, which a few years ago were the only institutions that seem to matter in these communities.
But here’s the thing: the culture around college admissions is rapidly shifting. The typical elite universities have lost their luster after having their reputation diminished by nepotism admits and endowment buy-outs. And due to this, the community surrounding the process has adapted as well. Rather than hand-feeding you U.S. News Rankings and some muck about prestige and “name value”, the narrative around college admissions has changed to embody a more pragmatic mindset.
The community has now evolved into something far more nuanced than a mere echo chamber of “I’m applying to every top school” or “if you didn’t get into Harvard, don’t talk to me.” In 2025, it’s less about chasing the Ivy League dream and more about finding the right “fit” for you—a college that aligns with your goals, values, and financial situation. Content in the college admissions sphere has increasingly been spotlighting the growing awareness surrounding the inequities in higher education, from legacy admissions to the skyrocketing cost of tuition. The conversation has moved away from blind admiration for “top-ranked” schools and toward a more holistic approach that considers what’s more realistic. Students are now encouraged by almost every creator on the platform to consider factors like graduation rates, career outcomes, and financial aid packages when making their decisions.
What’s also often overlooked is how admissions content sheds light on the different ways you can level the playing field for yourself as an applicant. As a first-generation immigrant, the prospect of the American college admissions process was initially baffling. In the Philippines, a lot of schools, including the one I attended, have the undergraduates on the same campus as the kindergartners. I was expected to go to the same school from when I was six to 23, and it was as simple of a process as that. Now you’re telling me that in America, I have to carefully curate a list of at least eight schools, carefully consider each and every aspect of all these institutions, and manage my own grades, test scores, and extracurriculars in the meantime? Perplexed was an understatement.
Without creators online making content about the college admissions process, I still would’ve been just as lost. I’m revving up to start applying to university in a few months, and because I come from a family where almost nobody has attended college in America, it made it hard to prepare. The terminology alone—Common App, FAFSA, Early Decision—was overwhelming, let alone the strategic decisions I apparently had to make about where to apply and how to present myself. “What’s a Common App?” “What should I be putting in the additional information section?” “How do you even go about writing a personal statement?” These questions were not answered by my parents but rather online admission coaches and officers who had more experience and knowledge in the field, and could therefore simplify an initially complex, confusing, and tedious process. Other people are fortunate enough to have family or mentors that can guide them through college admissions, but a lot do not, and that’s how college admissions culture ensures that everyone has an equal shot.
One of the most significant ways college admissions culture has reshaped the process is by shedding light on the concept of holistic admissions. Gone are the days when a perfect GPA and a sky-high SAT score were the sole keys to unlocking a top-tier university. Online creators have played a crucial role in spreading this message, emphasizing that your worth as an applicant isn’t just about numbers on a transcript.
Whether it’s competitive gaming, movie reviews, or robotics, the platform encourages students to delve deep into things that they’re actually interested in. So instead of stretching yourself thin by doing a million irrelevant clubs and activities, you instead are incentivized to lean into what makes you happy, and what makes you unique as a person. This focus on individuality reduces the stress of having to do everything at once. An important (and comforting) fact that I learned from admissions officers is that college admissions aren’t looking for a perfect, “cookie cutter” applicant. They’re looking for people who could excel and thrive on their campus.
At its heart, college admissions culture exists to provide accessibility and empowerment. It equips students with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions about their futures. By breaking down financial aid options or offering tips on how to write your essays, these online communities have become a vital resource for students who might have otherwise felt overwhelmed or unsupported. College admissions content isn’t meant to crush your spirit or diminish your accomplishments. It has always been, and always will be, a tool to guide you through the tumultuous college planning process. It is there as a reminder of the fact that you don’t have to be perfect to succeed. You just have to be you.
