The first college application deadlines are just a few weeks away, with November 1 and November 15 being the earliest Early Action deadlines. College applications are probably the most important thing one will do in high school, and it’s absolutely bonkers to think that our next four years and beyond rely on one online application.
The college process is quite a doozy, so I wanted to check in with our seniors and get the scoop on how their applications are going:
Brooke Skipton ‘24 gives a little insight into her application process: “The UC app has taken me the longest because I keep going to start my PIQs [Personal Insight Questions], and then I get overwhelmed and stop.” When asked how far along her apps are, she said, “If I’m going to be honest, I couldn’t tell you. I’m not a very good judge. Probably about halfway done.”
Senior Siena Lopez gets candid about how overwhelming college applications can be: “I’ve been doing rough, and I’m struggling to find the motivation to start filling out my Common App right now. Some of my applications are directly through the schools, so that makes that process a little bit easier.” When asked about what the hardest part of the college application process is, Siena says, “Definitely writing your personal statement. The supplemental essays get you too because some are very specific and some are very broad.” Some schools require the silliest questions on their Common App question section, like Chapman University asking “What is one dish you would make for the school’s admissions team?”
Makayla Palos Rodriguez ‘24 talks about her college process and how it’s quite unique since she’s applying for numerous Musical Theatre programs across the country. She says, “You must first apply academically to the school. Then you send in a pre-screen. After, they’ll bring you in for an audition, an interview, or both. I have four songs and four monologues, and I’ll pick which to do based on what the school wants to see.”
Although she isn’t pursuing an artistic path like Makayla, senior Mallory Mojica-Ye offers how her applications are going: “Honestly, I thought I was really behind, but I’ve been catching up. I’m done with most of the forms and information, and now I am writing essay drafts. It took a while, but now that I have my hook, I think it’s a bit easier. I’m mostly applying to in-state schools, so I really only have three applications to do. If I were to give any tips to underclassmen, I would say writing down your thoughts as bullet points is the biggest help for essays. Don’t just word vomit.”
Aspiring architect Sara Garcia ‘24 gives her best college application tip: “I use Google Docs in a folder to organize which applications are for which schools. I recommend this because it prevents all work from being lost if Common App crashes or if it doesn’t save.”
I 100% agree with Sara. I would also recommend creating an Excel spreadsheet to organize the colleges you’re applying to, their acceptance rates, due dates, and any other important information regarding the applications.
Lastly, when asked about how her college applications are going, senior Keira Lambert just said, “No.” Relatable.
But at the end of it all, no matter what happens during this college application season, just know that you will end up where you are meant to end up. Stay strong, seniors – we’ve got this!
