As college admissions season approaches, seniors are looking forward to their acceptances and juniors are looking to prepare for next year. This crucial time for a large number of high schoolers brings feelings of both excitement and anxiousness, as students explore the complex nature of college admissions.
For many seniors, the anticipation of college acceptance letters is exciting. As seniors reflect on their high school journeys, they often feel a whirlwind of emotions.
“The stressful part of it was waiting all of that time, especially for Creighton, it took two to three weeks to get it back, which was really anxiety-inducing,” senior Ethan Nottingham said.
“I wasn’t all that stressed about it. It was unfortunate because I had to think about the future and nobody likes to think about the future,” senior Ethan Heidzig said. Seniors differ in their feelings about the college admissions process, but those interviewed note the anxiety that comes with thinking about their future.
Looking at what colleges to apply to can add to the anxiety of the process. Knowing your personal beliefs and what matters to you in college are important factors. The importance of your personal beliefs is important in this selection.
“I decided because I had some family ties to some of them and they had good programs of what I’m going into, political science and history, and also the others of them because they are closer and they have a lot of that hometown feel,” senior Kolby Cameron said.
“I decided based on what I wanted to major in and how I felt about the college,” Nottingham said.
Juniors are facing the daunting task of admitting college applications and juniors have several strong opinions on several aspects of the college admissions process.
“The grades are a constant stress and I do think that grades are more important than extracurriculars. That being said, I’m involved in a lot of extracurriculars and I do think that’s what makes high school enjoyable, but in the end, it’s kind of all about grades, just because it does have an effect if you want to get into colleges,” junior Roosevelt August Wilken said. “It is very scary but I think if you have a college in mind that you’re committed to going to then that makes it a little bit easier,… so I have a decent idea for how to admit for it, but it is very daunting,” junior Rugor Aden said. As juniors prepare for the next stepping stones of their life, many are left wondering how to balance academics, extracurriculars, and college applications.
As seniors wait for their acceptance letters, they have valuable advice to give to juniors about navigating the complexity of getting into college.
“Just do it. Just don’t put it off. Do it early enough so you get the good discounts and the free applications,” Heidzig said. Taking initiative and starting early now can make a big difference in lessening the stress of college applications.
As the admissions season unfolds, it’s clear that preparation is key for both seniors and juniors. As seniors reflect on this complicated journey and juniors start to unravel this mission, supporting each other through the good and the bad can help bring both grades together.
