The seniors would tell me this every year, but I never believed them. They would say “College application season is worse than freshmen year and junior year combined.” Now as a senior, I finally believe it.

As you start the college application process, you need to figure out what your priorities are. This can include a variety of factors: location, academics, sports, affordably, and many more. Once you decide which of these factors matter most to you, pick six to eight schools that fit your criteria.

Picking schools can be quite stressful and overwhelming, I know trust me. You need to pick a few schools that you statistically fit into, a few schools that are a bit out of your academic range, and maybe one or two dream schools that are more out of your range than others.

I know applying to a large number of schools is very tempting, but you must consider the cost of college applications. Unless you qualify for a fee waiver, just to have your application considered, you must pay from $50-$80 to most four-year colleges or universities.

Furthermore, since we are not required to submit test scores this year, those applying to colleges should focus on their essays and presenting themselves accurately to admissions officers. If your extracurricular/clubs are running this year virtually, I would recommend investing your time in them as well.

The college process is always stressful. However, the corona virus has made it a little bit more stressful this year due to not being able to visit schools, and not receiving in-person advice from teachers and other mentors. 

This article is a very brief overview of the college process, although if you are completely lost, I hope I gave you a place to start your journey.

I wish all my fellow seniors luck, and I can’t wait to see where we all end up!