College: We're In This Together

Maddie Gaffney

10.9.20

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College. The word itself is daunting, frightening, exciting, and thrilling depending solely upon one’s perspective. College, for the majority of high school students, is viewed as an aspect of their lives they are expected to accomplish, including decisions such as choosing a major, location, size, and a school that will provide the necessary amount of education one will need in order to succeed. As this is a stereotype we are all more than accustomed to by now, college should not be a burden, especially the application process. 

As a senior at STEM, especially during this pandemic, the unknown of the future and college has weighed heavily on my shoulders. There was a time where I was consumed by the stress of the college process and the plethora of instructions and guidelines we have to follow. I found myself avoiding college altogether due to the stress it caused. I was overwhelmed by a process I did not understand and the thought of not physically being able to interact with my guidance counselors frightened me. I was confused, scared, and my motivation was lacking significantly, however as I said previously, college should not be seen as a burden. 

The college process and college as a whole are so easily overwhelming. College is something completely different from anything to which we are accustomed to. The application process is something we have never experienced. Moving away from home and starting a new chapter in life is something with which we have never had to familiarize ourselves. Choosing how far we want to travel, what we want to study, how we want to live our lives is simply and utterly nervewracking. I have been there. I have been in that position of stress and confusion, but I have also overcome it. 

College can so easily be seen as a burden due to the amount of work it takes to not only apply and be accepted but also choosing the school at which one wants to spend the next four years of life. It’s scary. However, it doesn’t have to be. It wasn’t until I took a tour at a university I was interested in two weeks ago that I completely fell in love with everything college can bring and the power I have to create the future I want for myself. One thing that resonated most with me after my tour was that my tour guide described having options, a copious amount in fact, no matter what school one attends. Majors, clubs, friend groups, sports, academics, and so much more abound. Not only did this make me hopeful, but it made me realize the excitement college can bring and established the reassurance that it is okay to not have everything figured out immediately. 

College can be terrifying, yes, but the one reality I want the current seniors, juniors, and underclassmen to take away from this article is that college is one of the most exciting and monumental aspects of our lives. Just imagine for a second, how absolutely insane it is that you have the ability to find yourself as an individual, on your own, in a whole new environment filled with hundreds, and probably even thousands, of people from all over the country and from some other parts of the world. Imagine how incredible it is that you have the chance to choose the life you want to live, take classes that you are passionate about, surround yourself by people who share your similar interests, experience life on your own, with nothing but the world at your fingertips. The process seems daunting, and trust me, I am still terrified to this day, but I am most importantly more exhilarated by the future I have the power to create. 

At the end of this article, I am going to include a timeline of sorts regarding the college application process that I hope is helpful for my upcoming Class of 2022 and the underclassman as well. Just know, it is more than okay to feel a bit intimidated, but it is even more important to realize how absolutely exciting your future can be. Our guidance department at STEM is truly one of the most incredible resources I have ever experienced and, even throughout this pandemic, they have helped us with the college process so much. Needless to say, you are never alone.

For once in your life, you have the ultimate decision to express yourself in the ways you want and create a future that you know will represent who you are as a person. You have the extraordinary gift to make your future yours. Therefore, do not be afraid, be excited.

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Timeline

*This timeline, by no means, is set in stone. It is simply what I found to be useful.*

• By January of your junior year, you should begin thinking about what you want your life to look like once you graduate high school. Write a list of all the possible aspects of your life in which you wish to participate in or accomplish. 

• Begin researching colleges through Naviance that connect with your interests and preferences. Naviance is your best friend. It has everything you would possibly need to decide whether or not a school is fit for you. From average GPAs, school sizes, majors, sports, where you fall regarding acceptance, cost, etc., Naviance has it all. 

• By the beginning of your summer going into your senior year, you should try and have a list of at least 6 to 8 schools. Safety, reach, and target. Safety schools are schools into which you undoubtedly think you will be accepted. Reach schools are schools that may be more difficult for you to achieve acceptance, whereas target schools are the schools at which you believe you will be accepted and are the schools you are most interested in attending. It is important to have a sufficient amount of both safety and target schools in mind. 

• Once you have a list of colleges that you know you are interested in and have programs you know you will enjoy, it is important to visit campuses if possible. It is definitely hard during this time in our world, but sometimes stepping foot on campus makes all the difference as to whether or not you see yourself going there. 

• In July, you should begin creating an account on the Common App or the Coalition App. Both are websites that are used primarily for applying to colleges. It is important to know that not all colleges are linked to either website and may require a more personal application on the college’s own website. 

• You should also email 2 to 3 teachers who you know you will want to write your letters of recommendation during the summer and no later than the first few weeks of school (for early decision applications). 

• Once school starts your senior year, your literature teacher will help you with your college essay, which is a basic requirement in the college application process. The college essay provides an opportunity for you to elaborate more about yourself by answering a writing prompt. 

• Once your college essay is done, your applications are filled out on the common app, coalition app, or the college websites as a whole, all you have left really is just a click of a button to finalize all of your applications!