Photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org
By Erica Jwa
As February approaches, most seniors have reached the end of their college application process. However, there is now the stress of simply waiting; many are concerned about the outcomes that will determine the direction of the next four years, muddled with the uncertainty of decisions from a mysterious board of strangers. To provide insight on the perspectives of seniors awaiting their results, the seniors of The Spartan staff shared their experiences and thoughts regarding one of the most turbulent and taxing times of their lives.
In terms of general thoughts regarding the whole process, many relayed that a hefty burden was lifted off their shoulders after their last application was submitted, including Sports section editor Nick Tomlinson and staff writer Ethan Chen. Almost everyone expressed that the past months of mulling over which out of hundreds of colleges to apply to and potentially attend, writing essays, and ruminating on their chances of getting into certain schools were highly stressful. While it’s a great relief that this period is now over, the arguably equally stressful game of waiting for decisions is now afoot. Some are excited and some are anxious to hear back from their schools, especially those that applied Early Decision 2 to their top choices. Josie Springer shared her incredulousness about having to make decisions potentially impacting the rest of her life at the age of 17 or 18, a sentiment likely shared by many. On the other hand, she also appreciated the sense of control in being able to select your place of living and area(s) of study.
As for advice for incoming seniors, several people emphasized one tip, perhaps the most important: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Whether it’s exploring your interests through clubs, pondering what school environments you’d like to immerse yourself in during college, researching schools you may be curious about, or thinking about what topics you might consider writing about for your Common App essay/personal statement, starting early on some of these steps in your freshman, sophomore, and junior years can make your senior year of high school significantly easier. Nick also suggested sharing your essay with friends and/or family for honest feedback. Considering our tendency to focus on schools’ school rankings or fixate on a few top choices, Co-Editor in Chief Samuel Hudson advised to keep in mind that “every school ha[s] something unique to offer, whether that [is] incredibly specific classes or even the more affordable price of a lot of the UCs”.
Although our community is well-known for placing a heavy emphasis on college admissions, our staff wants to reiterate that (although cliché), no college results define your worth. Whether you attend PCC or Harvard in the fall, your efforts, character, and accomplishments will retain the utmost merit regardless of anything that happens. As our Co-Editor in Chief Lauren Lee so well put it, “Prestige doesn’t matter… It’s important to choose a school that best fits you and… prioritizes your happiness and well-being.” To our seniors: please hang in there! You are seen, appreciated, and capable, and your hard work is commendable. We’re incredibly proud of you for all you’ve achieved throughout your years of schooling, including completing and submitting applications, and look forward to seeing what amazing feats you all will accomplish in the years following high school!
