As the school year begins, most students focus on getting acclimated to their new schedules and responsibilities for the year. Seniors, however, must balance the weight of the present and the future as they tackle both their normal school year and college applications.
On August 1, the Common Application opened for seniors around the world to begin working on applications to the more than 1,100 colleges and universities the platform houses.
Students and counselors alike emphasize the importance of time management so the admissions process doesn’t get too daunting.
“If [seniors] did their essays in the summer like we requested, it’s not a whole whole lot to do,” counselor Sharla Guess said. “The good part is, it’s during the first semester, so if they set some goals for themselves, they won’t get behind in schoolwork and can complete all of their college applications as well.”
Getting a large amount of the process done over the summer has also been a popular option for many students.
“By getting most of the college application done during the summer, you’ll be able to allocate more resources and time into your academics and your extracurriculars, because your college apps will be done already,” senior Daniel Yi said.
Seniors are also practicing strategies to manage their time during the school year and create a balanced schedule.
“When I was picking some of my courses this year at Reedy, I specifically chose classes that I was able to have some spare time to implement some of my college app time into,” senior Lexy Kendrick said. “That, mixed with taking time after school or over the weekend to focus on more of the holistic goal of college apps, has helped me balance it greatly.”
When managing challenges that students may face, counselors stress the breadth of resources they have at their disposal.
“They always have their counselors. They also have Xello, which is a very good help to find all of the college information that they need,” Guess said. “Come talk to your counselors, because we can help you figure out why you’re overwhelmed, and then give you some strategies to work through what’s overwhelming you.”
When making a college list, seniors often prioritize specific factors that are important to them in potential universities to apply to.
“Some of my priorities are the programs that go into my field that I’m wanting to pursue,” Kendrick said. “I look into the professors and their interests and passions, because I know that that will be implemented greatly into the coursework that they provide; also the social life, like, who, who am I around?”
Students’ experiences at Reedy have also shaped their interests and what they are looking for in a school.
“My orchestra director had a big influence on my choice to pursue music,” Yi said. “The science department [at Reedy] is very good, and that’s also another reason why I wanted to major in pre-med.”
“I took the AP psychology class my sophomore year, and that launched my passion for psychology,” Kendrick said. “Throughout my high school experience past that, I’ve kind of fallen into these different classes that have helped me to pursue that even more, and it feels like a very strong narrative that has started in my life, and I wish to continue it.”
Throughout their high school career, many seniors have developed interest in a ‘dream school,’ often their most ideal choice for where they aspire to spend their undergraduate career.
“My dream school would probably be Rice. Rice is special to me because it has one of the best music programs in the world, and Rice also has the full scholarship program if you’re within a certain economic range,” Yi said. “So I think getting into Rice would be first economically viable, and I’d be getting very a good education for my degree.”
Some students’ dream schools are special to them for more than just academics.
“My dream school is Abilene Christian University,” Kendrick said. “It has a great Christian community and it also has a wonderful psychology program and wonderful professors along with it, and it seems like a great community and way to find my identity through college.”
Counselors emphasize the importance of seniors having a strong support system throughout the process, especially from parents.
“Hopefully they can have good conversations about the colleges that they want to go to, and that their parents will take them on visits,” Guess said. “I think visits are super important so that you can actually see where you’re going and see if that’s a fit for you.”
As early deadlines grow near, seniors are reminded of the growing uncertainty of the admissions process, but stress that trying one’s best is more crucial than the outcome of the decision.
“I feel like if you tried your very best, you did everything you can, and the result is not what you expected, then there’s no reason to be sad about it,” Yi said. “You shouldn’t beat yourself over it because you tried your very best.”
Seniors also emphasize the importance of cherishing their final years of high school despite juggling decisions pertinent to their futures.
“Honestly, I’m remembering that while this is a very important and crucial time in decision making, it’s also my senior year of high school,” Kendrick said. “While I am preparing for a new chapter of my life, I’m also reminiscing with one that’s also closing. To keep them separate, but also very intentional in their own ways, has helped me to not only prepare for the next section of my life, but also to enjoy this one as well.”
