Senior year can be an exciting time, with students looking forward to concluding their high school careers and participating in senior class traditions. However, it also marks the beginning of the daunting college admissions process, which students must learn to juggle with their schoolwork and extracurriculars.
After a year of distance learning, some have found readjusting to in-person school to be an additional burden. “I think it’s harder to balance school and college applications now that we’re in person. I think there’s a larger workload now, on top of clubs and other extracurriculars. In general, I’ve had less time to work on college applications after school started,” Thomas S. Wootton High School senior Elizabeth Ipe said.
Others face personal challenges that make this process particularly difficult. “I have been prepping [to apply to colleges], but I have ADHD inattentive type, so it’s been tough to focus and diligently work on finalizing my list of colleges. I finally started drafting my essay, but during the summer and I just filled out the miscellaneous personal info about me to get it out of the way. I have started the process. It’s just been hard to juggle it all with all the stuff I do in school,” Clarksburg High School senior Ishika Naik said.
From writing supplemental essays to creating resumes, college applications are a multi-step procedure. A strategy many students have found helpful is taking it one step at a time. “I have already filled out the forms that my teachers asked [for] in order for them to start my recommendation forms. I’ve also completed inputting my basic information on Common App. However, I need to start my essay and supplementals,” Northwest High School senior Mihika Panicker said.
Time management and organization are also essential when balancing schoolwork and college admissions. “I find it helpful to put aside time for working on college applications as soon as I arrive home after school. That way, I definitely make sure to finish my homework that day but I also get to work on college applications,” Panicker said.
“I made a spreadsheet, which really helps me stay organized and helps me focus on what to work on. I also made a massive folder of everything I’ve written, [including] my personal statement, supplements, resume, and more,” Ipe said.
Many seniors have tapped into online resources to streamline their college applications. “I used Google Docs to help make myself a timeline [of the college admissions process], as well as Niche for finding colleges and scholarships,” Naik said.
Overall, seniors are learning to balance college applications with schoolwork and are diligently working towards the ends of their high school years.
Article by Hannah Rah of Thomas S. Wootton High School
Graphic by Charles Wang of Walter Johnson High School