I just went through the application process. Here's my advice.

I spent all of high school worrying about college apps. Every second of every single day I spent thinking about what I could do to make my application better. I ended up getting rejected from my dream school, or what I thought was my dream school back then. Which leads me to my first point. 1. You are not measured by the school you get into. I know you probably rolled your eyes reading this. "That's easy for you to say." Yes, it is. It IS easy for me to say. But last year, when I was in your exact shoes, it was hard for me to say. The hard truth is that it will never be easy to come to terms with something that's hard. Accepting that, despite all the goals you set out for yourself, there is a world where you don't end up at the school you wish you did, is hard. For me, I attached myself to a school that I ended up getting flat out rejected by. It was my dream school. But over time, I stopped attaching myself to the name. I stopped caring about the ranking (get your head out of US news). I started caring about the education. Because at the end of the day, a degree from a T50 and a T20 are very similar. Not identical - obviously a T20 offers resources and notability that doesn't accompany a T50 school - but very similar. Don't forget, a college degree is a college degree. 2. You're on your own journey. Don't be a bystander in anyone else's. When I was going through the application process last fall, I was really really depressed. I felt behind in comparison to my classmates. I ended up getting deferred from my safety school, and I was distraught. My school also had one of the best college application turnout rates in years. Almost all of my classmates who ED'd were accepted to the ivies and various T20s. I, on the other hand, did not ED. How hard do you think it was for me to have to witness everyone else get into their dream schools while I didn't (my dream school had REA which I was NOT doing)? Really really hard. I spent nights crying myself to sleep over it. Fast forward to the end of March, I ended up committing to a T25 that never in a million years would I have thought I would be going to. Your journey is your own. Nobody can take that away from you. And that goes the same for everyone else in your class and in the world. We are all on our own journeys. Try not to constantly be a bystander in theirs. 3. It might not work out. Hard truth. Everyone says it works out. It, at least by the looks of it, worked out for me. But two, three years ago, I rolled my eyes every time a teacher, counselor, or college decision reaction creator would say that. Because how can we just trust that it'll work out? How? It takes immense courage and bravery to do that. And sometimes, it doesn't work out. I have friends who ended up committing to schools they didn't want to go to. I have friends who have to take a gap year because it didn't work out. But in the grand scheme of things, your future is not determined by your college commitment. I'm friends with upperclassmen who ended up going to community college and transferring to a T20. I also have friends who dropped out of college halfway through to pursue a job they were offered that pays mid-six figures. You shape your future, not a college. It's how you take advantage of your resources there that matters, not just the name. 4. Don't touch the ChanceMe subreddit. Just don't. Nothing to say. Don't read it, don't read people's stats, and under all circumstances, DON'T post yourself on there. You're giving other kids who are applying to the same schools as you advise whether or not you stand a chance at your dream school? Trust me, I used to scout that subreddit like it was my life. And then I stopped. "ISEF Finalist" this. "AIME Qualifer 10x" that. Like bro, I got so tired of seeing the same kids flexing over and over AND OVER. Just don't touch that subreddit, please. 5. Surround yourself with people who uplift you . My friends were always there for me. My parents were too. My brother was. My classmates were. And I was so lucky to have a support system like that. Please try and find that, because college apps are rough. They don't always go the way you want, and maybe they do. But it's imperative you have people to lean on when you need it most. That's all. I hope this was helpful. I'll try and respond to questions or anything in the comments. If someone posted this when I was applying it would've meant so much to me. I hope I can help all of you.