Application overload
The stress and time of college applications can be a challenge
The temporary adrenaline rush from procrastination mirrors the scariest roller coaster in Six-Flags. The gut-wrenching feeling of regret while looking down from the top of a roller coaster and the escalating anxiety when you look at the 20-page paper that needs to be completed in just a few hours leads to the same question: what did I get myself into? When you’re finally done, you feel so accomplished that you are willing to do it all over again. This endless cycle of self-inflicted suffering damages your cognitive abilities and physical well-being.
October 2, 2015
College applications are the looming dread hanging over each high school senior. After surviving through freshman, sophomore and the rigorous junior year, high school students entering their final year of grade school have to face the ominous step of actually applying to college.
As exciting as the prospect of going to college and starting the journey into adulthood is, the process is overwhelming, stressful, tedious and even confusing at times.
Most applications, such as the Common Application and ApplyTexas, open Aug. 1, preceding when schools get back in session for the new school year. This gives seniors a mere few weeks to wrap their minds around what the college applications require.
As soon as schools start and high school seniors go back to their curricular and extracurricular routines, time is limited and starts going by extremely fast. If balancing AP classes, SAT and ACT preparations, work, community service hours, and sports practices was not burdening enough, the addition of college applications can become too much.
The easiest and most efficient way to conquer college applications is to set aside ample time to complete each step well before application due dates. However, with the busy life that accompanies being a high school student, it’s hard to keep up with college applications.
If you’re lucky enough, you can hit multiple schools with one application, but many schools have their own individual applications. Each of these applications come with its own set of requirements, which means you have to add in more essay prompts and teacher recommendations.
In a perfect world, one essay, a set of academic statistics and a list of extracurricular achievements in a single application would be enough to apply to every college of your choice, but colleges are as unique as the students that apply to them and each has its own desired requirements.
Unfortunately, the multiple applications mean having to spend more time working through each one. Realizing that the first semester of your senior year will consist of writing several essays and applying for dozens of scholarships can be a real stresser. By the time you are done with just the initial steps of applying, chances are that you have your Social Security number and exact class rankings memorized to the core because of the many times you have had to type them up.
Even though college applications are strenuous, hard work does lead to the best results. Dedicating yourself to perfecting your college applications can be one of the greatest things you can push yourself to do. After months of personalizing and showing off your high school career, you will finally have the chance to step into the next chapter of your life. Getting the acceptance letter from your dream school is most definitely worth the hours spent stressing over college applications.
