College brings excitement for some seniors, while stress for others. Many seniors find themselves crushed under the weight of an extensive college preparation routine.
With applications, deadlines and decisions piling up, college stress has become an inescapable element of senior year.
Senior Maya Footerman said, “The college process has been one of the most emotionally exhausting experiences I’ve gone through. There’s constant pressure to stand out through stats and essays, and it feels like your entire future is being judged all at once.”
This pressure, she explained, made her far more anxious and self-critical, especially during the extensive waiting period. As her friends received acceptances, she awaited her first decision which raised her anxiety.
For many students, this pressure builds gradually, rather than stemming from an isolated moment.
Senior Sam Kishelev said his stress level fluctuated with deadlines.
Although he started his essays early, he pushed revisions to the last minute and had to redo them days before they were due. This setback further contributed to his stress as he sent in his applications.
On the other hand, he said that waiting for decisions was an even larger struggle.
Kishelev said, “I had this tight feeling in my chest three whole days before my ED decision was released. It only dissipated when I saw the rejection letter. Now with 19 more decisions to wait for, I am scared I will have to see those words again.”
Senior Arielle Karni agreed, describing the process as emotionally draining, primarily because students have so little control over the final result.
“You have worked relentlessly for four years, pushing yourself to get the highest test scores and grades, and still, the result remains uncertain,” Karni said. “That anxiety hangs over your head, takes over your whole being, and it becomes very hard to focus on friends and family or even do daily tasks.”
Teachers noticed changes in student behavior as well during application season.
GOA biology teacher, Mrs. Goldstein recognized at first, students were able to keep their attention on the class, but this attentiveness decreased as application deadlines became closer.
“As November came, their anxiety increased,” she said. “Students had a harder time focusing. There was some peer pressure with some students hearing from schools and others not.”
In an attempt to help them with their stress, she reduced her class’ workload and tried to work around the testing schedules, though she admitted that it is really hard to find the right balance.
GOA social studies teacher Mr. Ober also saw small changes in student behavior. “Students are distracted, worrying about admissions, worrying about grades and comparing experiences,” he said.
Ober believed that giving students flexible deadlines and talking openly about pressure helped them to feel that their feelings had been recognized.
Though students go through much stress during the process, their perspectives usually change after the whole experience. GOA alumni Adina Newman shared that currently she considers college stress less important.
“I realized that there are very many different paths to success,” Newman said. “It is not so much the name of the college that matters, but the memories you make and the opportunities that are presented to you.”
She believes the best thing for seniors now is to take it easy. “Don’t forget to breathe,” she said. “You’re looking for a school that suits you and your character, not just a school that looks good on the outside.”
Even though stress may be inevitable, a higher degree of openness, assistance and an awareness of where one stands might make the process less intimidating, helping reminding seniors that their worth is not tied to an acceptance letter.
