The college application process can be a stressful time for seniors, whether it affects their daily schedule, quality and time spent on school work, or even causes them to quit other extracurricular activities or sports to make time. Not only is the process difficult to understand and complete ‘well,’ the time and thought required for essays can steer students’ attention away from school.

Senior Charlie Balian’s day-to-day life changed completely from junior year to senior year, including the summer going into the start of this year. “It takes away my free time, as it is my free time now. Any time that I am not doing homework, at work or school, or playing soccer, I am doing college applications instead of, for example, playing video games or hanging out with friends more,” Balian said.

Balian’s perspective on college applications has changed since a year ago, much like other seniors. Although rising seniors expect the process to be grueling and hard, Balian thought it wouldn’t be as bad as everyone said. “I think a year ago I thought it would be a little easier and less time-consuming than it actually is, but now my perspective has changed and it seems to be one of the top priorities in my life for months. Even some of my summer, like others’, was taken away by doing college applications. It has been hard to balance applications with school, soccer, work, and homework,” Balian said.

Senior Miles Sklar also finds the college application a difficult process, although his process is unique to other seniors. As he is applying to schools for film and acting, he needs to prepare for auditions as well as prepare a great resume in the field in order to get into a top notch acting school. “I get one opportunity to make it into each school with an audition. It is not something that can be revised or done over like an essay, meaning that this is something that is harder to perfect and takes a lot of time to prepare. This tests my time management skills like every other senior applying for college right now,” said Sklar.

Another senior also finds it hard to balance her application process with her day-to-day activities, which include volleyball, being a student leader, and keeping up with homework. Senior Naima Cho-Khaliq has gone through a different process than most, as she is looking to be recruited to play volleyball in college. The process as a recruit is not only a distinct process, but also a difficult one. “Getting good film for recruits to see but also keeping up with good grades, especially for Division 1, 2, and 3 sports is a lot. Most importantly, finding a good school for volleyball and for my education, a school that fits all my needs, is my top priority, which is a part of the process that I can relate to with other students,” Cho-Khaliq said.

No matter the process and route students go through, everyone has their own pathway that can be difficult to find. The college application process is all about finding the right fit school: size, specific major, city life, academic program, sports programs, and even Greek life. College can determine an applicant’s future, which is why students make applications such a high priority.