The first semester of senior year is a time all seniors dread. Whether you’ve overheard the murmurings of seniors complaining about applying to colleges or witnessed one of their crash-outs firsthand, you know that college application season is upon us. The fishbowl, the student library where seniors occupy their free time, is filled with talk of college essays, recommendation letters, and the ever-nearing deadlines. Every senior’s mind is consumed with thoughts of where they will go next as they plan for their futures. Now, it is time for them to open up their Apply Texas or Common App accounts, and begin the exhilarating– or exhausting, depending on who you ask– process.
It’s a new and nerve-racking task, as seniors must assemble every single instance from their entire high school careers to present to colleges. Every club, award, volunteer hour, achievement, and GPA point will contribute to the story they put together. Whether they’ve dreamed of going to Harvard since they were little or have known their destiny lies at UTD, all applications matter, and every detail counts toward forming the perfect application.
Although it is stressful, seniors have help from the most qualified of guides: Mrs. Sonya Badr. She has guided the seniors: ensuring that they are on the right track, keeping their documents organized, and assuring them every step of the way,.
However not all students are stressed. “All my Texas schools are done!” Lyane Sawas says when asked how her applications are going. With Texas Fee Free Week having passed recently, most students took advantage of it and submitted their applications early, saving hundreds of dollars in application fees. For many seniors, this week was “lock in week,” in the words of Kulsum Zubair, an opportunity for them to focus on nothing except college applications, and get everything done without having to worry about the extra costs.
Even with deadlines in mind, the process is more than just submitting forms. “Honestly, the hardest part is balancing all my dual credit classes with the applications.” Amna Hassan admits. Like her, many of the seniors are having to learn to juggle all their tasks effectively.
When the seniors were asked “what advice do you have to your past self?” they responded with honesty. “I wish I started earlier when applying, especially when working on my essay so that I wouldn’t be so stressed for time.” Lena Elnager says. Many seniors share this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of early preparation and time management. After all, the application is a reflection of years of dedicated time and hard work, so it cannot be done in a day.
However even amidst the worry and stress, it is important for everyone to work hard and trust in their efforts. Seniors should remember that every essay they polish, every application they submit, shows all their growth and hard work, and will pay off when they receive their acceptance letters in hand. Most importantly, everyone needs to remember that at the end of the day, all decisions lie with Allah, and their duaa is the most beneficial thing they can do to aid themselves.
