Crazy college applications stress seniors

FRI.| 12-9-22 | OPINION

     College applications are stressful. As a senior who has three classes at Rose this year, two of which are Advanced Placement, as well as a part time job and many other obligations outside of school, it has been really difficult for me to find the time and motivation to get all of my college applications finished. 

     As the class of 2023 seniors have been moving through this school year, a lot of them have been working hard to complete their college essays and applications. The amount of application work can vary for seniors depending on how many colleges they end up applying to. All colleges require one 250-650 word CommonApp essay and most require at least one additional supplemental essay. These supplemental essays usually must be between 250 and 500 words. This might not seem like much, however, when you are applying to multiple colleges, they can add up quickly. All of the work included in

Graphic by Jake Bradsher

college applications can build up and be very stress inducing for high school students. It can also be difficult to find the time and motivation to get them all done.

     Concerning my own college applications this year, I am applying to only four schools, but I still had many supplemental essays. I had to write multiple essays for two of my schools, one essay for the additional two and even create a portfolio for one of them. This may not seem like a lot of work, but it still took a large chunk of time. Friends of mine have applied to upwards of 20 schools, and I have no idea how they manage to get their essays done while managing day-to-day school and social life, but I definitely applaud them for it. It can be really hard to balance school classes, work, normal life and college essays, especially as we move further into the school year and towards the holidays. Although most college applications are coming to an end, there are still some people working hard to get them done. I believe that although the amount of college essays makes sense for the school to analyze the skills of the applicant, there could be later deadlines and more understanding from the schools when it comes to high schoolers submitting essays. 

     Another aspect of college applications completely outside of the base essays is scholarships and honors college applications. These are optional for schools, but are generally a good idea to at least try for, as they can take off significant amounts of money from college fees or provide a more substantial education. However, they require even more essays and potentially videos or portfolios depending on the specific school. These additional essays can become overwhelming for high school seniors, and I have absolutely felt burnout over all of the monotonous essays I had to write for both my regular applications and my scholarship and honors applications. College application essays can be an insane amount of work for high schoolers who already have a lot on their plate, I hope that all of my fellow seniors are doing alright with their applications.