College Apps Check-In: Class of 2022
To celebrate the recent spooky season and the end of Early Application season, here’s an inside look at the college application process for some of Stanford OHS’s seniors, because what’s scarier than college apps?
For many, entering senior year is a pivotal moment––it’s the bridge between childhood and adulthood. While there’s a rush of excitement about finally getting to leave for college, or relief over having been able to make it through OHS, there’s also bittersweetness as we begin to say goodbye to those around us and prepare for a new life. However, most seniors have to tackle a huge obstacle before any goodbyes can be said: the dreaded college application process. Whether you’re applying to two schools or twenty, it’s no doubt that applications are rigorous, gruesome, and completely frustrating. In honor of the spooky season and the November 1st Early Application/Decision Deadline, I wanted to check in with some seniors and ask them about how the college app season is treating them thus far.
The Schools
Arguably the most important question: where will you apply? Where do you want to go?
Student Vikram Arumugham is applying to ten universities, including Stanford University, University of California - Berkeley, University of California - Los Angeles, Santa Clara University, University of California - Davis, Southern Methodist University, Baylor University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, and Rice University.
Ilana Nguyen tells us she’s applying to fifteen schools and Sophie Panigrahi is still finalizing her regular decision list but, “will probably be applying to [two] schools Early Action and [ten] schools Regular Decision!” Gloria Kroodsma is applying to 11 schools, with six Early Applications and one Early Decision. I am applying to twelve schools, including Columbia University, The Juilliard School, Harvard College, New England Conservatory, Boston University, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, The New School at Mannes, the Royal College of Music, and three safety schools.
Early Action or Early Decision
Once you have your list of schools, the next decision to make is how you’re applying. Should you take the risk to bind yourself to a school through ED or are you comfortable with submitting earlier applications to multiple places through EA? Perhaps you’d rather submit a Regular Decision for every school!
Arumugham is applying Early Action to Stanford University. Panigrahi is “applying Early Action to one of [her] dream schools as well as a few likelies” and so is Zoe Huml! Meanwhile, Nguyen is applying Early Action to MIT, Caltech, Santa Clara University, and The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I personally will not be applying EA or ED to any program (although I did turn in auditions to the RCM, and expect to hear back in mid-December).
The Major
The question that so many of us are eager to figure out is what do we want to pursue?
For OHS students, our broad studies in STEM subjects to core classes in philosophy have left many undecided but looking into multiple career paths. Arumugham tells us he’s “not certain about my intended major, but I think I will likely major in some sort of engineering like bioengineering or biomechanical engineering.” Panigrahi is also a bit undecided but thinks she will pursue a pre-med track. She also “would love to major in something like neuroscience or human biology” since she is a “huge fan of humanities, though, so I know I want to minor in philosophy, art, literature, or something along those lines!” Huml reports that she’s not sure of an exact major, but knows she is “very interested in psychology and neuroscience and definitely wants to pursue those topics once in college.” Nguyen is looking forward to a major in “computer science, with hopefully a focus on AI, social good, and education!” As for me, I’m pursuing a Voice and Opera major but am also hoping to double major in Creative Writing!
College App Process
As Early Application/Decision deadlines loom over seniors’ heads and the process continues, I asked our students how they were doing in terms of progress they’ve made.
I’m glad to hear from Arumugham that the process is going well for him at the moment: “I’ve nearly completed the Stanford early application, and I’ve completed a lot of work that I can reuse for other applications with a few adjustments.” Similarly, Huml says that “as a whole… the process is going quite well.” She also shares some progress she’s made in terms of handling her stress, saying that, “when starting out it definitely felt a bit overwhelming, but now that I am nearing the Early Application Deadline, I feel like I have my ideas more under control and a handle on what I want my application to show about me.”
Nguyen shares that despite “some bumps along the way… the process has gone pretty smoothly for me” and how grateful she is for having “a really great support system (shoutout to my mom, friends, and college counselor!)” She also offers a humorous joke (or not really a joke…) about only having had “two or three mental breakdowns so far, so…” As a fellow senior, I’m sure we can all relate to this last part! Panigrahi offers some wise words by saying that the process is quite “stressful at times, and I would be lying if I said that it is entirely fun. That said, I really think that all of us will end up exactly where we belong, even if that’s incredibly hard to keep in mind all of the time.” Kroodsma explains that, “the college application process is a bit rough, especially in combination with coursework and other commitments.” Personally, the process is going pretty well! I’ve still got some audition videos to record and five more applications’ to finish up but I’ve been glad to complete some apps and also be accepted into one of my safety schools!
Pros and Cons
While we can all agree that senior year is stressful when we consider all the work that goes into applying to colleges, the whole time certainly has its pros and its cons.
First, looking at the worst parts of the application process:
Arumugham: The worst part about the application process is definitely the number and type of essays that are required. As I said, often there’s quite a bit of essay writing that can be reused in later essays, but the amount of writing needed can still seem overwhelming at times. Also, personal essays are different from the sort of writing done at OHS, so it requires a lot more introspection and analysis of oneself.
Huml: I would say that the worst part of the process is having to juggle the applications with everything else going on, as managing can be quite intense.
Nguyen: The worst is the bouts of self-doubt and the nagging feeling of not being good enough.
Panigrahi: I think that the worst part about applying to college is all of the waiting! As an impatient person, it’s so hard to wait to find out what school you might end up at, but I think I’m slowly learning to be a little more patient.
Kroodsma: The worst being revising all these supplementals and worrying about how I’m presenting myself through my writing.
Manning-Bi: I have to agree with my classmates on every point mentioned. Of course, the additional workload of having to complete what feels like an endless number of essays can be frustrating and exhausting at times. I’ve also had a lot of moments of doubt, where I wonder if I’m pursuing the right major, applying to the right places, doing anything right, and even feeling like there’s no point to what I’m doing.
But to end on a lighter note, here are some mentions of the brighter, happier parts of applications!
Arumugham: The best part about the process is probably being able to look back at all your accomplishments over the years and feel proud of yourself and confident in yourself, but it will likely feel quite nice to be finished with the application process as well.
Huml: I would say that the best part of the process has been the self-reflection! Though it has been a lot of work, I have also found the process of writing my essays enjoyable as it has allowed me to recognize what in my life has really shaped me.
Nguyen: The best part is reflecting more about yourself and getting excited about college!
Panigrahi: Personally, the best part of the process for me is being able to look forward to so many exciting things that we will get to experience in college, no matter what school we end up at! I also feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself through the application process. For me, I like to find little things or little facts about the schools that I’m applying to that make me excited. When you’re picking schools, you sort of learn about the things that you value, what excites you, and what will make you happy, so I like to think that I’ve gotten to know myself better through this process.
Kroodsma: The best part of the process is learning about all the exciting paths and options from here.
Manning-Bi: The best part of the process is being able to know that you’re creating a pathway for the next four years of your life! As someone who has wanted a certain career for a while, I’ve always looked forward to becoming a senior. Although it’s daunting and scary, I’m trying to remind myself at how amazing the outcome will be for me and my classmates!
Advice and Strategies
In order to provide some helpful information for students not yet seniors reading this article, I asked the class of 2022 what piece of advice/strategies they would give for future students embarking on the college app process.
Of course, the most repeated piece of advice is to… start early! Arumugham knows that although “it is fairly common advice, I would recommend starting college applications as soon as possible and trying to get as much work done as you can before senior year starts.” He tells the Pixel Journal that even though he started early, he still felt somewhat overwhelmed in the last few months with schoolwork and midterms as well as college applications. If you’re looking for a place that can facilitate and help you with starting earlier, Arumugham advertises that “the college essay workshop that takes place during the summer is a great opportunity to get started, so if you can, you should definitely sign up for it.” Nguyen concurs with this advice: “The classic: please, please start early.” In addition to the college app workshop, she recommends that you “use the summer to attend a bunch of virtual visits, narrow down your list, write a few essays and fill out the initial application information! Your future self will definitely thank you.” I heard this advice countless amounts of time leading up to my senior year but now that I’m there, I can completely understand why I was urged to listen to this advice, if not anything else.
Paanigrahi follows up on this by saying that in addition to starting your applications ahead of time, “finishing your standardized tests and starting to write your essays over the summer can be so helpful.” As someone who had to retake her ACT in September and knew that it was possibly the last chance I had to reach the score I wanted, I would second this by saying to please plan for your standardized tests! Although Covid played an unwanted factor in affecting our ability to test and receive test scores, please plan in advance if you will be taking a test-optional route or if you will be submitting scores. Either path is perfectly fine, but save yourself the stress of having to decide this a month before your applications are due.
As for additional advice, Huml writes that “this sounds cliché, but my piece of advice is to be genuine! No matter which topics you end up choosing to write about, make sure that your voice comes through because at the end of the day that’s what colleges want to hear.” In a similar vein, Nguyen says that when writing essays, “don’t put too much pressure on yourself for them to be ‘perfect’! Write them like you’re explaining a situation or topic to a friend, and the words will flow much easier and show more of your personality.” Panigrahi also taps into her love for philosophy, telling us that, “On a philosophical note, my parents are always reminding me that everything happens for a reason (though I sometimes don’t believe them, haha!). My philosophical piece of advice is to know that no matter how stressed-out you are (and I am quite the stress-case), everything is going to work out!” Kroodsma provides a three-step plan for success: “Get started early, use a spreadsheet to compare information about colleges (as well as deadlines), and apply only for schools you think you truly want to attend (this will also make supplementals more manageable!)” My additional advice would be to do your best to keep a healthy mindset during the process to save yourself a lot of meltdowns and stress! It’s so important to maintain your mental and emotional health because this is a draining time. Remember that no matter how overwhelmed you are feeling, there are so many resources there to help you. Whether it’s a counselor or instructor at school that can support you or a friend or family member who can lend an ear, you’re not alone as you go through this process.
Overall ‘Senior Mood’
Finally, after looking at the technicalities of the college app process, I asked each student what they were feeling right now.
Arumugham: The overall “senior mood” I’m feeling right now is probably mostly eagerness to be done with early applications with also a bit of exhaustion and anxiety from school and college applications.
Huml: My “senior mood” is definitely excited, but also a bit nostalgic. It feels surreal that I’m already a senior and that I’m applying for college, and I keep having to remind myself to enjoy my senior year rather than to try and rush ahead to the “finish line.”
Nguyen: Tired honestly. The whole process can be pretty draining and feels really long.
Panigrahi: The ‘senior mood’ that I’m currently feeling is excitement mixed with a lot of exhaustion. Being a senior and looking forward to college is so, so exciting, but I am definitely experiencing some sleep deprivation!
Kroodsma: *Insert an emoji of a skull*
Manning-Bi: Definitely exciting and tiring, but also apprehensive because there’s no clear path as to what’s next!