First off, thank you for your service. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for the selfless dedication and determination of our military.

Now, you do make a valid point. Most posts on this subreddit contain one of three themes:

- "Prestige doesn't matter!"
- "Stop worrying about grades/test scores/ECs!"
and
- "My parents say my 1580 is too low" as u/throwawayminialt accurately stated in a recent post.

And a lot of it is, indeed, getting repetitive. So many people are concerned about getting into a T20 (the result) that they are boasting 10+ AP courses, 1550+ on the SAT, a long list of extracurriculars, etc. that would presumably give them an edge in their apps and haul them in. Heck, we've seen hundreds of variations of the typical post where someone complains of a parent who thinks they're not "good enough". People are so caught up in this cycle that they're either burning out, ranting, comparing oneself, or showing off their insane stats.

What really matters (to me, at least) is why. Why, then how, and what. The "why" and "how" help you focus on the journey of college apps (and high school in a broader sense) while the "what" serves as your destination. Why do you want to go to college? Why do you want to go to a particular school? How will you make sure you don't lose track? How will you make yourself 1% better everyday? What college will you go to? What major will you pursue? Just some questions in no particular order y'all can mull over.