As a sophomore, I have been told by advisers that I should not be worried about college yet, and that I have time to get answers about the college admissions process later. However, college doesn’t always feel like a distant subject when faced with course selections and a competitive student culture where the topic is always in conversation.

A recent survey conducted by The Urban Legend found that 71.8% of 124 student respondents want or wanted Urban college counseling to begin earlier. To combat college-related anxiety, Urban should help students work through this stress beginning in sophomore year. 

The college process is stressful, and as an underclassman, much of that stress can come from not knowing what the process will look like. “The actual steps to applying can be confusing, … [and] there is also a sense that one’s college choice sets the tone for everything that comes after,” said Lauren Gersick, co-Director of College Counseling. 

At Urban, college counseling kicks off during fall of 11th grade. Juniors and their families meet with their assigned college counselor to reflect on their high school experiences thus far and begin looking at what the college process will entail. 

The college counseling department leans away from formal discussions of college before 11th grade to allow underclassmen to focus their attention elsewhere. They believe that, while not formally engaged in the college process as freshmen or sophomores, students begin to develop skills that will be important in the future.

Despite this, underclassmen would benefit from college conversations beginning earlier. For many students, concerns around college begin well before junior year. “I started thinking about college in my eighth grade year,” Kaya Downs ’27 said. “I have an older sibling and cousins that went through the college process while I was younger, so it was just something that was always on my mind.”

Ninth and 10th graders are encouraged to direct their college-related questions to other Urban adults. “College counselors work really closely with the grade deans and advisors to make sure that they … are well-equipped to answer all questions related to college [from] ninth and 10th grade[rs],” Gersick said. “If the grade dean can’t answer it, they will call us in.” 

Gersick added that part of preparing for college comes with being an Urban student. “We actually embed the most important parts of the process for ninth and 10th graders into other parts of being a student at Urban: learning to stay organized, learning to reflect on one’s learning [and] finding ways to connect with others,” Gersick said. “Introducing formal college programming in 10th grade would actually distract from the work we feel is most important.”

Despite the ability to seek guidance from other Urban adults and the incorporation of skills within the curriculum, students should be able to meet with college counselors regarding their concerns about college no matter their grade. 

Many students already take college into consideration when choosing courses and making other academic decisions, so guidance from college counselors—rather than other Urban adults—could help alleviate stress. “If you start [college counseling] in sophomore year, by junior year, every student could be … much more confident and prepared [to] take a lot of steps by themselves,” Matteo Barbagli ’27 said.

Tenth grade college counseling would allow students to feel more prepared for when college applications become more relevant. College counselors could introduce themselves to sophomores and explain the timeline to help younger students get an idea of what the future might entail. Opening up the college conversation could also help students keep future opportunities in mind during course selections. Additionally, those who plan on taking standardized tests could get help with scheduling and organization, and students could begin building relationships with their college counselors earlier on. 

Some colleges and universities have preferences for what classes students should take in their ninth and 10th grade years. “I think Urban could have put more emphasis on what colleges are looking for when you’re a younger student, because at the end of the day, Urban is a college preparatory school, so I think that would have been helpful,” Charlotte Lefkowicz ’25 said. 

Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, provides students with a 10th grade college prep checklist. “[10th graders should] meet with [their] school counselor or mentor to discuss colleges and their requirements,” Federal Student Aid wrote.

Students need guidance not only to help them through the process of applying to college, but also to feel prepared for what is ahead. Whether or not college-related anxieties are already present, the college counseling department should be more available as a resource for tenth-grade students.

Kaden Pasha ’28 said, “For people that don’t know how the [college] process works or who don’t have older [siblings], … getting an overview in sophomore year would [be] a reality check.”