Today we continue with item 5 on Marilee Jones 10 tips for the college search.

7. Confront your fears as you go. You will certainly feel fear and judgment as you evaluate colleges. You may feel that you aren’t smart, ambitious, athletic, involved, or creative enough as you look at the happy, smiling faces of college students in catalogues and websites. Notice your fears as they surface, and face them straight on. Remember that no one is everything. No one is perfect, and perfection is not expected. Keep thinking that there is a college out there perfectly suited to you and that you have plenty of time to find it.

Fear: It keeps us safe. Applying to college, like asking for a date, is a risk–someone may reject you. But fear is also what helps us grow…When we live beyond our fears, it helps us be bigger. A great book on the subject is Feel the fear and Do It anyway.