Manifesting Your Dream College in 2025
For me, vision boards started in 2020 when I was waitlisted at Vanderbilt. I did a LOT of things to help get myself off the waitlist, but one thing I tried was I made a collage of myself on Vanderbilt’s campus, complete with pictures of the campus, pictures of myself, and encouraging quotes. It helped me stay focused and hopeful. Fast forward to today - I’ve turned this practice into a New Year’s tradition and swear by it for both my personal goals and for helping my college consulting clients.
In this email, I’ll walk you through how to create your own vision board to clarify and manifest your college goals (or just goals in general) for 2025!
What’s a Vision Board and Why Does it Help?
A vision board is a collection of images, text, colors, and sometimes even video or audio that captures the essence of a big idea - like getting into your dream college. Think of it as a creative snapshot of the feeling you want to manifest. A vision board helps:
Clarify your vision: Pinpoint the type of campus culture, academic environment, and personal growth you crave.
Spark inspiration: Discover new ideas and possibilities you might not have considered.
Keep you motivated: Having a visual reference of your goals can be incredibly powerful on tough days.
Communicate your aspirations: Show friends, family, and mentors what you’re aiming for and why it matters.
How to Create a Vision Board
1. Gather Your Supplies
Board Base: Use a cork board, framed bulletin board, or a piece of paper cut to fit your space.
Fabric (Optional): If you want to add to the board’s background, grab some sturdy fabric!
Pins or Map Pins: Keep pushpins handy for easy rearranging.
Visuals & Words: Print photos of your dream campus, quotes that resonate with you, even snapshots of clubs or scholarships you’re aiming for.
2. Choose & Arrange Your Visuals
Start with Inspiration: Pin the image that excites you the most in a central spot - maybe the entrance to your dream school or its iconic building.
Group Similar Items: Place academic inspiration (like top majors or honor programs) together, sports or clubs in another section, and personal goals in another.
Add Motivational Words: Include phrases like "Accepted!" or "Scholarship Winner" .
Play with Layout: Go for neat rows or a lively collage, it’s all about what sparks your creativity.
3. Secure & Display
Pin or Staple: If you’ve covered your board with fabric, staple it on the back. Use pins to attach your images so you can easily swap them out later.
Find the Perfect Spot: Mount it above your desk, lean it against a shelf, or stick it on your closet door, somewhere you’ll see it every day.
Make It Accessible: Keep extra pins nearby so it’s quick and easy to add new ideas.
4. Keep It Evolving
Swap Images: If your goals change or you discover a new dream school, don’t hesitate to replace old pictures or quotes.
Celebrate Wins: Move completed goals to a separate "victory" corner or create a mini success board.
Stay Inspired: Clip out new quotes, articles, or pictures that catch your eye and pin them up right away.
5. Engage with Your Vision
Daily Motivation: Take a moment each morning or evening to look at your vision board - envision yourself walking across campus or leading a club.
Reward Your Progress
Share the Excitement: Show it to friends and family!
By keeping your aspirations in plain sight, you’ll stay motivated- especially when deadlines loom or the admissions process feels overwhelming.
If you have any questions or want personalized guidance to make your board (and your college plans) even more powerful, just reply to this email!
Best of luck (and happy vision boarding!),
Melina Kazanas
P.S. - Have a high-performing high schooler w/ a 3.7 GPA or higher? We'll help get them into at least one of their top 5 dream colleges...and if we don't get them into at least one of their top 5 dream colleges, you don't pay us a penny. Seriously. College admissions isn't rocket science...but it is a science. And we've cracked the code...year, after year, after year. You can learn more about our world renowned all-inclusive, start-to-finish college coaching here and to see if your family qualifies for an introductory call.
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