Valentine’s Day is often seen as a celebration of love, but today, we want to extend that sentiment beyond the traditional meaning. This is a day to express our gratitude—to you, our students, parents, and educators—who have been part of this journey with us. Your trust, engagement, and dedication inspire us every day, and we are honored to be part of your path to higher education.
Applying to university is not just about grades, test scores, or extracurriculars—it’s about growth, resilience, and self-discovery. Every student who has sought guidance, asked questions, or taken the time to explore their options has shown remarkable courage in shaping their future. We see your hard work, and we appreciate your determination.
As a small token of appreciation, we’re thrilled to share something special with you—the prologue of our upcoming book, How to Think Like a Philosopher to Get into University. This book is designed to help you navigate the uncertainties of life after high school, providing a compass for your academic and personal journey.
So, as you celebrate today—whether with friends, family, or simply by taking a moment for yourself—remember that your journey is uniquely yours. And we are here to support you every step of the way.
Prologue: Charting Your Own Course
Imagine standing at the edge of a vast, uncharted land, clutching a blank map. The landscape before you is breathtaking—mountains stretching toward the heavens, rivers carving their way through valleys, forests teeming with hidden life. But the map in your hands is empty, and it’s your task to chart a path through this wilderness. There are no footprints to follow, no signs to guide you. The only tools you have are your curiosity, intuition, and a compass that sometimes seems to point in conflicting directions.
This, in many ways, is what it feels like to be a high school student preparing to step into the unknown terrain of adulthood. You’re handed a blank map and expected to make decisions that could shape the rest of your life. What will you study? Where will you live? What kind of person do you want to become? These questions, though daunting, are also thrilling. The answers are entirely up to you, and the possibilities are endless.
Yet, standing at the edge of this metaphorical wilderness, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The modern world, with its relentless pace and endless options, can make decision-making feel like an impossible task. Social media bombards you with curated snapshots of success—students getting into Ivy League schools, landing prestigious internships, or starting multimillion-dollar companies before their 20th birthday. It’s hard not to compare your blank map to their seemingly well-drawn routes. But here’s the secret: most of those maps are as messy and improvised as your own will be.
This book is your compass. It’s not a step-by-step guide or a definitive answer to life’s big questions, because those don’t exist. Instead, it’s a collection of stories, philosophies, and practical tools designed to help you navigate your unique journey. Think of it as a series of lanterns lighting the way, illuminating paths you might not have considered.
Throughout history, great thinkers have grappled with questions about purpose, growth, and decision-making—questions that are as relevant to your journey as they were to theirs. Take Socrates, for example, who famously declared, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” What he meant was that a meaningful life requires introspection, a willingness to question your assumptions and explore your motivations. In the context of your own mapmaking, this means asking not just what you want to achieve, but why.
Then there’s René Descartes, whose method of doubt challenged him to question everything he believed in order to arrive at the truth. Applying Descartes’ philosophy might mean questioning conventional wisdom about what makes a “successful” life. Is it the Ivy League acceptance letter? The six-figure salary? Or is it something more personal, more authentic? As you sketch out your map, remember that the best paths are often the ones you carve for yourself, not the ones others have drawn for you.
One of the greatest fears when staring at a blank map is the possibility of making a wrong turn. What if you choose the “wrong” major, the “wrong” college, or the “wrong” career? This fear is natural, but it’s also paralyzing. The truth is, there’s no such thing as a perfect path. Even the most carefully planned routes will encounter detours, roadblocks, and unexpected opportunities.
Consider the story of Mary Anning, a self-taught paleontologist from 19th-century England. Born into poverty, Mary’s path was anything but conventional. She spent her childhood scouring the cliffs of Lyme Regis for fossils to sell, a far cry from the academic halls of her male contemporaries. Yet her discoveries revolutionized the field of paleontology and earned her a place in history. Mary didn’t start with a clear map, but her curiosity and determination guided her through uncharted territory.
Like Mary, you might find that your path zigzags in unexpected ways. Perhaps you start out in computer science but discover a passion for environmental policy. Maybe you transfer schools, take a gap year, or change majors halfway through college. These detours aren’t failures; they’re opportunities to refine your map and discover what truly matters to you.
As you embark on this journey, it’s important to remember that the goal isn’t just to reach a destination—it’s to grow, learn, and evolve along the way. In Greek mythology, the hero Odysseus spends ten years trying to return home after the Trojan War. Along the way, he faces countless challenges: battling monsters, outsmarting gods, and resisting the lure of temptation. But these trials aren’t just obstacles; they’re what make him a hero. By the time he finally reaches Ithaca, he’s a different person—wiser, stronger, and more self-aware.
Your own journey will likely be less dramatic (no cyclops, hopefully), but the principle remains the same. The struggles you face—whether it’s a tough class, a rejection letter, or a period of self-doubt—are the crucibles in which you’ll forge your character. These experiences will teach you resilience, adaptability, and the value of persistence.
Every great journey begins with a single step, but that step doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s okay if your map starts out messy, if the lines don’t always connect or the compass wavers. The act of moving forward, of taking that first step into the unknown, is what matters most.
As you read this book, you’ll encounter stories of students who took bold steps, philosophers who questioned the status quo, and practical tools to help you chart your own course. You’ll learn that high school grades aren’t the final word on your potential, that visiting college campuses can transform your perspective, and that choosing a major is less about predicting the future and more about aligning with your values and interests. But above all, you’ll learn that the map is yours to draw. The journey is yours to take. And the only way to discover where it leads is to start walking.
So grab your map, your compass, and your sense of adventure. The wilderness is calling, and it’s time to begin.
Happy Valentine’s Day, and thank you for being part of our Pathways.
Leave a Reply