With the release of the Common Application essay prompts on Feb. 27, juniors are beginning to realize that the college application process is quickly approaching. For students preparing to apply during their senior year, the prompts serve as one of the first reminders that college planning is becoming more immediate.
The Common Application, often called the Common App, allows students to apply to hundreds of colleges using a single platform. The application includes sections for academic history, extracurricular activities and a personal statement. The essay prompts students to reflect on experiences such as personal growth, meaningful interests or challenges they have faced, making the writing portion one of the most personal aspects of the application.
Junior Alena Pascal said that seeing the prompts brought a mix of emotions and made the process feel more real. “I feel excitement and nervousness. Things feel more serious instead of something people simply just talk about,” Pascal said.
Along with those emotions, Pascal said she has also heard about the amount of effort required to complete the application. Advice and experience shared by older students have shaped how she views the process. “I’ve already heard that the essay and activity sections can be tedious and require a lot of time and reflection,” Pascal said.
The personal statement can create pressure because it asks students to explain who they are beyond grades and test scores. Rather than focusing on academic performance, the essay encourages students to reflect on experiences that shaped their identity or influenced their goals.
Junior Jude Doan said guidance from counselors has already begun influencing how he plans to approach the application process. “My counselor suggested starting early and writing ideas for the essay before senior year. That way, it doesn’t feel rushed when applications actually open,” Doan said.
Doan said beginning the process early may help make the application feel more manageable as deadlines approach. Taking time to brainstorm ideas allows students to reflect on experiences, interests or future goals that could shape their personal statement. It also pushes them to think carefully about what they want from a college and how they want to present themselves.
While juniors are just beginning to think about their applications, teachers who have already experienced the process offer another perspective. Social studies teacher Amy Pollin said pressure around college has remained strong over time, especially in communities where attending college is often treated as the next step. “I grew up in this area, and I still think there is pressure then and now because the expectation is that you’re going to school,” Pollin said.
The pressure can feel even greater now because students often submit applications to more colleges than in the past. Now, digital applications make it easier to apply more broadly, which can raise competition and make the process feel even more intense for students as they compare themselves to their peers.
Beyond academics, Pollin said, financial planning is one part of the college search students may overlook. “Loans need to be a conversation in the family,” Pollin said.
Students should understand what they can realistically afford before making decisions, since a lack of planning can leave families facing debt that they did not anticipate. Even looking into a college’s financial condition is worth considering before committing because that stability can affect their experience after enrollment.
As the process begins, juniors are left to balance pressure, ambition and uncertainty while trying to answer a question beyond the application itself: what kind of future do they actually want?
