Applying to college is one of the biggest decisions in a student’s life, and it is of the utmost importance, due to the fact that they are tasked with deciding where they will spend the next four or more years of their lives. Applying to college is hard for teenagers because no one knows how they will spend the rest of their lives. While the decision is not completely binding, choosing a major holds a lot of weight. Many students applying to college are not even of legal voting age, which begs the question, should high school students be tasked with choosing their career path?
Several students at Hudson High School responded to survey questions about the college admission and application process. Based on the responses of 30 seniors, they are applying to an average of about seven colleges, each of which with their own supplemental essays and requirements. 26 of 30 surveyed students responded that the college applications process has caused them a significant amount of stress for the future, and many agree that it puts too much on their plate. Many students agreed that the application process has limited their free time, and the task has added stress on top of their many classes, extracurriculars, homework, and more. About the increase of pressure, one student said “applying to college has made my life harder as I try to balance all of my responsibilities. Each school has unique requirements which can be a lot to juggle when applying to several colleges. Even after submitting applications, external pressures and nerves have bothered me as I await decisions from schools.” Speaking of external worry, 80% of surveyed students responded that they feel pressure to apply to certain colleges, and would feel as if they had less worth if they were not accepted into the same schools as some of their peers. These conditions of worth may come from friends, family, teachers, or even themselves. Students at Hudson High School often excel academically, but are often too hard on themselves to meet standards.
Many students responded that they would appreciate more guidance throughout their journey of applying to colleges. Some students responded that they felt alone during their process, and that they were incredibly overwhelmed by the deadlines, forms, questions, and more. Several students commended the guidance counselors for their help throughout their journey. When asked how the school and its resources have helped them throughout the application process, one student responded that “the senior meetings and help from guidance has been great, but I still feel confused a lot. My counselor has been available and understanding with my questions, however I would appreciate a little more direction. Schoolinks has been helpful too, but a little bit difficult to transition from Naviance as a senior.” Another student was thankful for access to the HHS Writing Lab to help them with their college essay drafts. One student said he was thankful for his teachers who not only provided letters of recommendation, but helped him handle the entire process.
Clearly, students are stressed when applying for college, but have been aided by the school’s resources. The main issue with college applications is balancing them with other parts of a student’s life, as many survey respondents declared. One student said, “I am employed, working over 20 hours weekly, and have to manage a social life on top of my current homework levels. The college application process could be easier if teachers and the administration gave students more leeway and aid.”
One idea to solve the stress of college applications is a semester-long course to help students to finish applying, or help those that do not plan to attend college plan for their futures. A class like this would be helpful for seniors because they would have guidance from teachers or counselors, and it would allow them to have more free time outside of school. This could work well because typically, senior year is when students have the most flexibility within their daily schedules, and it would provide them with an opportunity to ask the questions they want while being productive. “More time allotted in school to ask questions and work on applications would be helpful,” said one student. Another possible solution would be lowering the level of homework assigned during senior year. Obviously students do not particularly enjoy homework and some of it is necessary to the learning process, but a lower quantity of it would give students and applicants more time to work on their applications and think about their future.
The college application process is one that is flawed and anxiety-inducing, but certainly necessary in order to plan for the next four or more years. Hopefully the students and the school can grow together to proactively determine a potential solution to ease the process.
