The Instagram page devoted to admissions at Bronx Science is filled with activity, and the term 'undecided' is scarcely noticed.
In the competitive academic environment of Bronx Science, students face pressure to curate a cohesive identity that can be clearly conveyed in college applications. One platform where this identity is celebrated and shared is the Instagram account @bxsci2025seniors, run by the Bronx Science Senior Council.
The account serves as a source of inspiration and information for many students, showcasing the college commitments of seniors and their planned academic and career paths. However, some students, like Lara Adamjee '25, opt not to post, knowing they plan to major in communications and economics at Northwestern University.
Sefa Anha '27, on the other hand, decided to pursue a career in business after considering being a dermatologist in her ninth-grade year. The account's influence on students' decisions and self-perception can be multifaceted.
One significant impact is on decision-making. These pages often showcase the experiences and achievements of current students, which can influence high school students' perceptions of different colleges and universities. By highlighting student government activities, leadership opportunities, and community engagement, these pages can make certain institutions more appealing to prospective students.
Another impact is on self-perception. The success stories and achievements featured on these pages can motivate high school students by demonstrating what is possible with commitment and hard work. This can boost their self-confidence and inspire them to set ambitious goals for their future.
The account also provides role models that high school students can look up to, helping students envision themselves in similar roles and feel connected to a broader community of like-minded individuals.
Social media platforms like Instagram play a crucial role in making this information accessible and engaging for a wide audience. Instagram's visual nature and interactive features make it easier for high school students to engage with and relate to the content shared by college student governments.
However, the account can also be a source of stress and insecurity for some students due to the prestige of the universities other students are attending. Some students, like Maxwell, choose to apply as undecided to college to avoid being pigeonholed into one specific category.
By the time they reach their senior year, many students at Bronx Science have already spent time crafting a "narrative" for their college applications, including their advanced academic classes, extracurricular activities, family background, and core values.
Despite this, there is immense diversity in the plans of study announced on the page, with some students undecided about their major, even ones who applied to schools with specific majors. Of the current 248 posts, only 13 students have labeled themselves openly and proudly "Undecided."
In American universities, students may enter undergraduate studies without a specific major and declare a major at the end of their sophomore year. The ongoing debate on whether colleges prefer a student who is well-rounded or a student who has a "spike," or a particular focus and aptitude in a narrow field, continues to shape the strategies students adopt in crafting their college applications.
The @bxsci2025seniors Instagram page, with nearly 2,000 followers, over double the size of the senior class, continues as a senior council tradition because all students deserve to feel celebrated when making this important decision.
- The @bxsci2025seniors Instagram account, featuring student journalism and showcasing seniors' planned academic and career paths, serves as a source of inspiration for many students, shaping their perceptions of different colleges, universities, and career choices.
- Literature about the success stories and achievements of their peers can motivate high school students, demonstrating what is possible with commitment and hard work, boosting self-confidence and inspiring them to set ambitious goals for their future.
- The account, also providing role models for high school students, helps them envision themselves in similar roles, feel connected to a broader community of like-minded individuals, and embrace the diversity of plans of study among their peers.
- Social media platforms like Instagram, with their engaging features, make information about college student life, education-and-self-development, lifestyle, entertainment, and even unprecedented decisions like being "Undecided" more accessible and easier for high school students to relate to.
