Easing the Stress of the Search

Whether you’re a student in the midst of the college search, or a supportive parent or guardian, feelings of stress and anxiety can be ever-present. At each stage in the application process, and even after arriving on campus, students are faced with tough decisions and lofty expectations. This week on Admissions Beat, host Lee Coffin, dean of admissions and financial aid at Dartmouth, discusses with his guests steps that applicants and their families can take to acknowledge sources of stress and manage it. They also give advice on how to discover opportunities for exploration—even joy—while being “present” in high school, and simultaneously discovering and pursuing a college where they might build on those experiences. Dean Coffin is joined by Maria Morales-Kent, director of college counseling at the Thacher School in Ojai, California, and Mary Pat McMahon, vice provost and vice president of student affairs at Duke University.