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In my years as a college admission counselor, I’ve witnessed countless high school students approach my office with the same worried expression. They present meticulously crafted lists of extracurricular activities—often an impressive but exhausting array of clubs, volunteer positions, and leadership roles. And then comes the inevitable question: “Is this enough to get me into my dream school?”

Many families approach college counseling with the misconception that an advisor’s role is to simply tell the student what to do to gain admission to a “better” college than they could if they were to apply on their own: Which extracurriculars will give them an edge?

In the previous post, we examined how college offers far more than job training or prestige. This second installment of “The Hidden Purpose” series will focus on uncovering how high school similarly contains hidden values that go unnoticed when viewed merely as a college admissions strategy.

When families sit down in my office to discuss college planning, I often notice subtle but important differences in how they view the purpose of higher education.

It’s not a mystery that most students equate the “best college I can get into” with one that is prestigious or well-known by others. And I empathize with those who want to feel like their hard work in high school is validated by admission to a college that feels like a just reward.

I recently met with a potential student client and their family. The student was serious about their academics and had many compelling ideas about their future.