The year 2025 was a significant one for seniors at the school. From prom to graduation, the end of senior year represents not only leaving high school but also the beginning of college. For many, the college application process has not been easy, but for some, the outcome made the struggle worthwhile.

Ever since Sara Marta participated in her middle school’s “Legally Blonde” musical, she knew she wanted to go to Harvard.

“I guess I was inspired by Elle Woods,” Marta said. “She is even my yearbook quote now, because that is how it started.”

However, gaining admission to Harvard—where the acceptance rate is just 3%—is not for the faint of heart. Since discovering her dream, Marta has worked relentlessly to achieve her Ivy League goal.

“In the beginning, it started out as a dream,” Marta said. “Then I started working toward it, and when I got to high school, I began to see my work pay off.”

While Marta pursued Harvard, senior Nyla Elder worked toward her top choice, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), which has an out-of-state acceptance rate of 10%.

“UNC was definitely my top choice because it had everything I was looking for,” Elder said.

After years of preparation, both Marta and Elder received acceptance letters to their dream schools. Given the highly selective nature of Harvard and UNC, their achievements raised a common question for students: How did they do it?

College admissions are stressful, especially in Arlington’s competitive academic environment. Many students wonder: What makes an application stand out? How many extracurriculars are enough? What advice works for applying to selective colleges?

In a joint interview, Marta and Elder answered these questions—and their responses were enlightening. According to them, college applications are less about statistics and more about genuine passion and purpose carried through high school.

“You have to stand out for them to choose you, so work with what you are passionate about,” Marta said.

Talking about interests is not enough.

“I think it is good to see a candidate who is pursuing their interests and not just saying they want to,” Elder said.

Achieving academic excellence comes with sacrifice. Many students wonder if the benefits of working constantly in school outweigh the experiences they miss out on. Marta and Elder, like many others, had regrets.

Marta said her main regret was tied to course selection—a time of year many students dread.

“There were certain classes I thought I should take just because they would boost my GPA and look good, but I ended up being so miserable that I did not want to do the work,” she said.

Elder’s response centered on dealing with rejection—something most students experience during the college application process. A rejection can feel like a personal failure and lead students to question their worth.

“My number one tip would definitely be: do not be discouraged by a rejection,” Elder said.

A major aspect of today’s college culture is the comparison of results, often amplified by decision reaction videos on platforms like YouTube. These videos go viral during college decision season and can intensify self-comparison.

“I think just keeping the whole picture in mind is important,” Elder said. “There are so many applicants, and they can only take so many. Do not take rejection as something personal, like, ‘They do not like me,’ or think there is something wrong with your application.”

So, what exactly did Marta and Elder do to earn their acceptances?

For Marta, her leadership roles and community involvement stood out.

“I have had an internship since my freshman year in research,” Marta said. “I am interested in medicine, so I try to show that through volunteering at the hospital. The Fauci program definitely helped me. I also think leadership helped. I am the president of our school’s MSA (Muslim Student Association), and I also started the Charity Basket Club and served as president.”

Elder emphasized her dedication to public health, which she highlighted in her extended essay.

“In my extended essay, I wrote about breast cancer disparities between races and how we can mitigate the gap,” Elder said. “Black women have a higher chance of getting breast cancer than white women.”

As graduation approaches, Marta and Elder expressed mixed emotions about leaving.

“I have really mixed feelings,” Elder said. “I am excited to leave and start a new chapter of my life and experience life outside of Arlington, because I have lived here all my life, but it is kind of sad at the same time.”

Marta shared a similar sentiment.

“I am excited to be moving on, but at the same time, it is a bit nostalgic,” she said.

Although they are leaving soon, both had final advice for students hoping to attend competitive colleges.

“Keep in mind you only need one acceptance,” Elder said. “That is really important. Just make sure you have perspective when going through college applications.”

Ultimately, both emphasized that college applications should reflect genuine passion and purpose.

“You really want the work that you are doing to have some kind of purpose,” Marta said. “Whether it is for you, your future, or your community, it has to mean something. You cannot just do it to do it.”