Growing up, we all had dreams and aspirations for what we wanted to be. Some of us wanted to be doctors, police officers, scientists, lawyers, or maybe veterinarians. However, the process to get there can be long and intimidating, yet exciting. For many students, it starts with a series of applications. For those who do decide to apply to college, applying and getting accepted is often a daunting and stressful experience.

“Finding my way through the application process and where to apply confused and stressed me out so much,” said senior Paxton Stauffer.

Many factors play into each application. Essays and personal statements, standardized test scores, picking a major, letters of recommendation, transcripts, application fees, resumes, and deciding where to apply can all be extremely stressful to students. 

The college application process can be both overwhelming and intimidating. In a recent poll sent out to Norwin High School students, 43 percent polled started the application process their junior year, and 49 percent at the beginning of their senior year. Additionally, the leading two stressors of college applications are essays and scholarships according to Norwin students.

For many students, writer’s block is very real. When it comes to essays and personal statements, students are given almost free range to write about them. Their obstacles, realizations, achievements, or defining moments in their life. But for many students, this is incredibly difficult, especially when it comes to picking a topic. 

According to College Raptor, “One of the biggest reasons students stress about the essay portion is because they put it off for too long.” 

Common App posts updated prompts for students to use almost every year. College essays are a chance for students to showcase themselves in a way that can not be conveyed from a transcript. Although they are important, many students feel they can make or break an application. This can be true for highly prestigious schools, but a less-than-perfect essay is not going to ruin the chances of getting into a good college.

“I hate sitting down to write essays because it is such a long process and I won’t submit an essay unless I’m completely satisfied with it,” commented senior Audra Fedor. “I applied to ten schools, so the amount of essays to write seems overwhelming, especially once you have to balance applying to college as well as staying on top of school work.”

On top of essays, choosing locations and majors are extremely difficult decisions for students. Many students do not know what their exact goals are for their futures, let alone where or what they want to study. 

40 percent of Norwin students voted in the poll that “MAJORS” are the most important thing to look for when applying to colleges.

“Choosing a major is stressful because you are choosing what you will potentially do for the rest of your life,” added senior Grace Roman.

Many students feel extreme pressure to know exactly what they are majoring in and have their lives laid out in front of them. However, a lot of students change their major or field of study, especially after their freshman year of college. 

According to the University of Tulsa, “About 80% of students in college end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times throughout their college career.”

Although students may be stressed about choosing a major on their application, most people find themselves in college, therefore it is common for students to change their majors. Another leading factor that contributes to stress in college applications is time management.

“It was just stressful trying to get everything done in time,” stated senior Lauren Palangio.

With so many components and factors within applications, many students are quickly overwhelmed, especially when applying to multiple schools. Additionally, most teens have homework, jobs, and sports already taxing them. It is important to start early to allow time for breaks.

According to Very Well Mind,  “Research shows that large numbers of teens are dealing with mental health challenges before starting the college application process, which can make them more vulnerable to rejection. Over 30% of kids ages 13 to 18 have issues with anxiety. About 13% of kids ages 12 to 17 deal with depression. The additional pressure of having the perfect test scores, grades, essays, and extracurricular activities to get into college adds to the tension they feel.”

The college application and admissions process can be daunting, intimidating, and stressful, especially since there is a lot of uncertainty involved. It is important to start early to have the time to give yourself a break. Apply to safe schools, stay organized, start early, but above all, trust the process and take care of yourself.