Dec. 13, 2022
By Elida Kuka
Staff Writer
College applications are a major part of one’s experiences as a high school senior, and they often lead to stress.
Senior Laura Sanchez, who is applying to six colleges and submitted her first three applications during the Thanksgiving break, said that on a scale of one to 10, her stress level is a nine because of the application process.
“[The most stressful part is] making sure everything that I accomplished in high school is documented in my applications and that I am meeting deadlines,” Sanchez said.
She said she does not want to miss anything she has done in high school on her applications.
Sanchez said these applications have not affected her grades in classes, and she has found a system to manage her time.
“These applications are definitely time-consuming. I’ve scheduled to get all of my college-related work done on the weekends, so I complete all of my homework on Friday to have time on the weekends for my applications,” Sanchez said.
Senior Omer Basci, who is in the process of applying to eight schools, said even though he has been focusing more on applications than school, it has not affected his performance as a student because his classes are not too difficult.
“Since I submitted my applications, I am anxious about hearing back from colleges. I check my email at least 10 times a day to see if I got any decisions back.”
Basci said he has mixed emotions as he applies to college.
“As deadlines approach, I definitely do get a little anxious, but it’s kind of exciting,” Basci said.
He said he plans on completing his applications by mid-January. He said the process of applying is not as stressful as he assumed it would be.
“Nothing is really that challenging. Writing your perfect college essay might give you some trouble, but once you finish that, there isn’t anything hard,” Basci said. “It’s just tedious and time-consuming.”
Senior Yara Haidar, who applied to six colleges, submitted her final application on Nov. 8.
“Since I submitted my applications, I am anxious about hearing back from colleges. I check my email at least 10 times a day to see if I got any decisions back,” Haidar said.
Like Sanchez and Basci, Haidar said the process of applying to college has not impacted her performance in school.
“I haven’t been slacking off in school. My grades for the first marking period have all been above a 93,” Haidar said.
She said she is grateful she is able to turn to her guidance counselor Mrs. Stacy.
“Mrs. Stacy has been extremely helpful with the application process. She knows the answer to almost every question and has guided me through a ton of it,“ Haidar said.
Stacy said the first step she takes when advising seniors about college is meeting with them and discussing their plans for the future.
“I help by answering any questions they have regarding certain schools, the application process and the supplemental information for applications,” Stacy said.
She said staying organized is critical when applying to college.
“[Make] a list of the things you need to complete and the deadlines,” Stacy said. “Also, I think taking your time and making sure you are completing everything you need to do one step at a time [is helpful].”
