A soul sister’s take on the college application process

When we felt heartbreak, Etta had our backs. When we needed inspiration, Ella was our girl. When we had doubts, Aretha slapped us across the face.Through music, human experiences are made universal. Many great singers have acted as painters perfectly illustrating the feelings of a listener. Few singers compare to the ladies of soul. From Adele to Tina, we have learned to be independent women (and men) and overcome feelings such as hatred and sorrow and envy.Although they never sang about the college process, their masterpieces were still able to get us through the emotions that overcame us during it. Through tireless research and a fine tuned selection process, Natasha and I found soulful songs that eased our soulful woes.For many, the process begins with college touring. During this stage, you are exposed to a wide variety of schools. You begin to fall in love with certain schools as all of them encourage you to apply. For that reason we chose “When You Believe” by Mariah Carey featuring Whitney Houston. This powerhouse diva duet not only reflects the hope that consumes you but the line “There can be miracles when you believe” captures that moment when you first dream about an acceptance letter.Next comes the dreaded application process. From essay writing to extra curricular compiling, many feel overwhelmed yet still hopeful for their future. Only Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” captures this emotional cluster #$@% of a period. The song’s message captures that tenacity we must all harness to plow through the application process.From December through April, many, including ourselves, begin to feel the dreaded envy that comes with this process. As your Facebook newsfeed is flooded with early and regular decision acceptance statuses, your world begins to crumble. All of a sudden you cast yourself as the bridesmaid. For that reason, we picked Etta James’ jealous lover tune “All I Could Do Was Cry.” Etta croons about losing her man to another woman, a feeling all to familiar to losing your college to another student.However despite the plethora of acceptances, waitlists and denials that follow, many end this process in a stage of euphoria. The moment the process ends and you decide on your school. Plenty of songs capture moments of joy but Odetta’s rendition of “Glory, Glory (Lay My Burden Down)” is superior in its capturing of that feeling of satisfaction after completing an arduous journey.In the end, these legendary ladies prove that even the college process can be captured by their universal songs.