UC High seniors are currently experiencing a collective sense of panic as they frantically work on their college applications. Whether they are planning on attending a school across the country or just a few minutes away from home, all students are doing the same thing — trying to impress the admissions departments of their dream schools.
These colleges are looking for the best of the best. Every aspect of the applicant’s life is taken into account; so much so that students feel pressured to improve in every way possible in order to make themselves seem worthy of acceptance. More and more kids are adding to their prospective resumes by joining clubs, taking harder classes, and getting involved in extra extracurriculars. The everlasting search for unique qualities that will make students stand out among their peers is a grinding one.
According to the website for the Mercer Island Reporter, “Colleges want to see a student who has devoted him or herself to a handful of activities if they have done them with energy and enthusiasm, in order to make an impact on either their school or their community” (mi-reporter.com). But how large is the hand we are referring to? No one seems to have the answer.
In addition to this madness, different schools have different application processes. It seems that the most worrisome aspect of the majority of applications is the dreaded “About Me” essay. Senior Brishann Scott can attest to this. “It’s difficult to get a bunch of information about yourself. Sometimes you’re too modest but you need to not be,” she said. Many students are not sure of the amount of self-praise to include in their applications, as it is important to incorporate the most interesting parts of their lives, but it is also essential to appear as a level-headed person who would thrive in a college environment. As it turns out, flaunting a more perfect version of yourself on paper is not the easiest task in the world.
Senior Connor Mullaney is applying to college earlier than most seniors through exclusive early action. This process allows students to apply to one select school without having to commit if they are accepted. “I’m really not getting much help from the busy counselors right now because they have to focus on helping people who do it at the normal time,” he said in reference to his early November deadlines. “So it’s been kind of stressful trying to get everything in by the early deadline and not having much help on it.” Hopefully he started working on his applications earlier than the dawdling majority of seniors at UC High….
It’s obvious that those working on college applications are desperately looking forward to a time a few months from now, when they will thankfully be all done. But it’s wrong to wish your life away — especially when it comes to the time when kids must actually decide which school they wish to attend. Regrettably, that time of post-application bliss is a story for another time, folks.