What’s Fueling the Burnout?

Here’s what your teen has been watching unfold this year in college admissions:

• Over 50% of spots at top colleges were filled through early decision and early action
• Public flagships like Georgia, Michigan, and UT Austin are now “reach” schools for many
• Standardized testing is back—and quietly reshaping the admissions landscape
• Highly selective majors like business, computer science, and nursing rejected students with perfect grades and strong résumés

Even students with 4.0+ GPAs, robust activities, and thoughtful essays saw disappointing results. Your teen is hearing about it—in the hallways, on TikTok, and through older friends—and internalizing a scary message:

“If even they didn’t get in, what chance do I have?”

That pressure is real. And it’s shaping how students are thinking (or not thinking) about college right now.

Understanding Burnout by Grade—and How It Affects College Planning

Freshmen: The Foundation Year Feels Heavy

Freshman year begins with energy and excitement. But by spring, many students hit a wall—especially when they realize high school isn’t just harder academically, but more complex socially and emotionally.

What it means for college planning:
This is the time to build confidence, not pressure. Freshman year doesn’t have to be perfect—but it should be reflective.

How to support them:

• Celebrate personal growth: time management, self-advocacy, or new friendships
• Help them pick one summer activity to try—something new, low-stakes, and interest-driven
• Begin casual exposure to colleges: a walk on a local campus, a virtual tour, or exploring what majors even are

Sophomores: Direction Feels Fuzzy

Sophomore year often brings the dreaded middle-of-the-road feeling—too far from the start to be new, too far from senior year to feel urgent. Many teens start to lose motivation right when college planning starts to matter more.

What it means for college planning:
This is the time to build a sense of direction. It doesn’t have to be locked in—but your teen should start connecting their interests to potential college majors or career paths.

How to support them:

• Choose one interest to deepen this summer—through volunteering, shadowing, or a short online course
• Encourage them to keep a “curiosity journal” of what topics, classes, or problems they enjoy
• Visit one campus—virtual or in-person—and talk about what kind of learning environment might suit them

Juniors: The Classic Spring Slump

By the end of junior year, many students are burnt out from standardized testing, APs, leadership roles, and the early stages of college list building. There’s pressure from every direction—and it often shows up as procrastination or avoidance.

What it means for college planning:
This summer is mission-critical. It’s the season to build momentum—not perfection—for applications, testing, and finalizing the college list.

How to support them:

• Co-create a simple “College Start Plan” for summer: When will essays start? What testing still needs prep?
• Break college planning into 30-minute blocks—no marathons, just progress
• Give them a two-week break after finals before jumping in—mental rest leads to better work

Seniors: Emotionally Spent

Seniors are either coasting toward graduation or feeling stuck in disappointment about admissions outcomes. Whether they’re celebrating or second-guessing, many are emotionally drained from the intensity of the admissions season.

What it means for college planning:
Now is the time to focus on closure and transition. If they’re still finalizing decisions, they need calm support. If they’ve committed, they need space to reflect and look ahead.

How to support them:

• Celebrate the whole journey—not just the final result
• Help them look forward: explore orientation info, potential roommates, or fun courses at their future school
• If they’re feeling disappointed, shift the focus from what didn’t happen to what’s next: how they can own their experience wherever they land

Practical Ways to Rebuild Motivation—and Reconnect to College Goals

1. Shift the Questions

Instead of asking: “Where do you want to go to college?”

Try asking:

• “What kind of problems do you enjoy solving?”
• “When have you felt most energized in school this year?”
• “What kind of college experience would you want—big city? small school? research-focused?”

Purposeful questions build momentum toward college planning that feels meaningful—not performative.

2. Celebrate What’s Working

As the year ends, teens often forget how much they’ve grown. And many assume they’re “behind” in college planning—when they’re really just tired.

Try this:

• Make a list together of “10 things I’ve learned or accomplished this year”—including emotional wins
• Show them where they are in the college process—not just what’s left
• Keep a running “done” list of small wins (e.g., attended a college fair, improved study habits, explored three majors)

3. Design a Summer That Supports Their Growth

Summer should refuel your teen—not drain them further.

Focus on:

• Restoring energy: sleep, screen breaks, time outdoors, hobbies without pressure
• Rebuilding momentum: light test prep, short-term projects, early essay brainstorming
• Reconnecting with purpose: volunteer work, internships, job shadowing, or meaningful conversations with mentors

Don’t Mistake Burnout for Disinterest

Sometimes, end-of-year burnout masks something deeper—like anxiety, perfectionism, or depression. Watch for:

• Major sleep or appetite changes
• Withdrawal from friends or refusal to attend school
• Negative self-talk around failure or being “behind”
• Avoiding all college or future-related discussions

How to help:

• Say: “You don’t have to have it all figured out—but I’m here to help you sort through it.”
• Normalize therapy or school counseling as tools, not signals of crisis
• Let them hear you model emotional care: “I took a break today because I felt overwhelmed too.”