Seniors Stress about the Future

Source: American Brain Foundation

By Duaa Elbasheir '27
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For upcoming high school graduates, the school year has more to it than homework, tests, and extracurriculars. College application deadlines add another layer of pressure as they work to figure out where they want to go and what they want their futures to look like.

Senior Sofia Symolon said choosing a major and writing a Common App essay have been two of the most taxing parts of the process.

"Writing my Common App essay was tough to write about myself," Symolon said. While the process can feel overwhelming, Symolon said she tries to handle it "one day at a time" while weighing her options for next year.

Senior Ameyalli Chavez-Aguilar said it has been "good but also confusing." For her, one of the most nerve-racking parts has been keeping track of deadlines and making sure everything is finished on time.

"Making sure you have everything before the deadline like teachers' letters of recommendation, essays, and so much more is stressful," Chavez-Aguilar said.

Even with the stress of deadlines, Chavez-Aguilar said she has been able to balance applications with school and her other responsibilities. She is also looking forward to what comes after high school.

"I’m looking forward to seeing the school I’ll be attending and meeting new people. It gives me the motivation to finish up my senior year strong," Chavez-Aguilar said.

For Amina Korkutovic, the applications themselves have not been the biggest problem. Instead, she said the FAFSA has been a stressful part of the process. She also said she finished important parts of her application over the summer. For her, the college experience is something to look forward to. "I’m excited for more freedom," Korkutovic said.

Other seniors are facing more pressure when it comes to deciding where they want to go. Benjamin Cruz said he had been feeling pressure from both his family and school counselor to find the right college and path for his future.

"It’s been stressful so far. I've been feeling pressure from my family and school counselor on trying to find the right path/college for me," Cruz said. "There’s a lot of pressure on where I should go."

Financial concerns have also added to Cruz’s stress. He said worrying about scholarships in the long run has been the most stressful part of the process. Balancing applications with work and school has also been difficult.

"I have to set time out of my day for like 30 minutes due to the fact that most days I have to work and go to school. It's a little difficult," Cruz said.

Despite the pressure, Cruz is still looking forward to life after high school.

"Being able to earn a degree and make my parents happy, but to be honest, hopefully to get a really good job as well," Cruz said.

Although seniors are experiencing the application process differently, they are all working toward the same next step: figuring out what comes after high school. Between deadlines, scholarships, essays, and choosing a college, senior year can be stressful, but it also brings students closer to a new chapter of their lives that brings even the tiniest bit of joy.

Students looking for guidance can attend the free Common App and College Essay Workshop next week, with no appointments necessary. If you're interested, click here or reach out to your school counselor!

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