As autumn transitions into winter, there are many things that one may look forward to. Holiday festivities begin appearing on the horizon, bringing with them a well-deserved break. For some adolescents, however, this time of year is characterized by the stressful coming-of-age ritual known as the college admissions process.

Throughout one’s years in high school, the importance of good grades is pushed constantly by teachers and counselors alike. Extracurriculars are also imposed on students, ranging from from sports to after school clubs. Teenagers are encouraged to take on as much as they can in the hopes that their lengthy resume will end up impressing the university of their dreams. 

Senior Alexis Tlilayatzi said, “I feel like it’s a lot harder to get into college now than it was a few decades ago. Back then, if you had a solid SAT score and decent grades, you were set. Now, you have to do all these things- volunteering, clubs, and so forth- if you want colleges to even consider you.”

The stresses of the application process came to a head during Application Friday at Middle College High School, which took place on November 12 and November 19.

Seniors were ushered into various classrooms to complete their UC and CSU applications as counselors busied themselves with sorting out transcripts and advising students.

“It was pretty intense. I spent over an hour making sure that my grades were entered properly, and even then I was a bit paranoid that I might have made a mistake,” said senior Ashley Navarro.

During the process, students were supplied with everything from official school documents to snacks. Once they finally submitted their application, they were given a round of applause from their peers and had the opportunity to choose from a variety of trinkets that included bags, shirts, and even stuffed animals.

“I think that the school did a pretty good job supporting us. All of the things they did took the edge off the stress,” said Tlilayatzi.

In spite of the school’s dedication to the admissions process, many students were still left anxious over their applications.

“I really appreciate everything that Middle College has done for us, but I think that it would have been better if they had given more focus to the Common App. A lot of the kids at this school want to go to places outside of California for college, and so the CSU and UC applications weren’t really relevant for them. I also would have liked it if the school had given students more information on things like Early Action or Early Decision. You know, those admissions programs where you can submit your application early and it’ll bind you to the college. I just recently learned about that, and now it’s a bit too late for me to apply Early Action anywhere,” said Navarro.

While some students have already finished all of their applications, others are just starting some of theirs.

“A lot of schools have deadlines that extend into January, so I’m still doing things like essays right now,” said Tlilayatzi.

Even for those who have already submitted, the admissions process is far from over. In the next few months, students will receive both acceptance and rejection letters from colleges. There will be more transcripts to send in, this time with an emphasis on the latter half of senior year.

Applying to college is never an easy process and the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic has only made it more difficult. To all of the seniors out there, remember that you have done a great job for these past four years and that you will eventually reap the benefits of all of your hard work.