by Cheryl Y.
A pandemic, protests, and primary election anxiety doesn’t mean that seniors are exempt from the final hurdle of their high school careers: college applications. This tumultuous year has no doubt added to the stress of the college application season.
“I think there’s just a lot of pressure around college admissions and trying to be the best,” says Galileo counselor, Ms. Talbot, who also happens to be the parent of a Galileo senior. But she stresses that seniors don’t have to worry about getting into universities based on its popularity or prestige. “There’s a right university for everybody.”
Ms. Talbot also notes that the applications have changed this year. CSU application deadlines have been pushed slightly back. Schools have declared themselves test-blind or test-optional in response to SATs and ACTs being cancelled. With these changes, along with the general state of the pandemic many seniors are on edge.
“You just have to trust that things are going to work out the way they’re supposed to.”
– Ms. Talbot, Counselor
Seniors like Natalie are trying to keep it all together. As a first-generation college student, she has to navigate the application season herself. Recently finishing her extensive Questbridge application, she now has to complete those for UCs and CSUs. “There’s so many applications you have to apply to,” she says. On top of that, her heavy class workload is chipping away at the time she has to write college essays.
“No one knows what admissions officers are thinking right now,” says Fiona, another senior, with clear frustration. With the pandemic in the background, she is unsure of what things might be appropriate to address or not address in her essays. At this point, she has turned in an application for Claremont McKenna and hopes to also apply to some UCs.
Fiona is also frustrated that college applications are so stressful, especially compared to other places. She gives examples of how in other countries—New Zealand, France, and Canada—applying to college is easier. “I had a mentor who went to college in Canada. In order to get into college they just take six grades from your high school career. And, you get to choose which ones you show.”
In fact, one senior is applying solely to Canadian colleges, a rare act that diverts her from many Galileo seniors.
“You don’t need an essay or anything. You don’t need a recommendation. You just submit your transcript and/or your SAT or ACT score,” says Grace. Her dream college is McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, partly because it is her aunt’s alma mater. “You probably should have picked someone else to talk to,” she laughs.
The stress of college applications can feel impossible to overcome. So Ms. Talbot suggests you find time to de-stress and spend time with friends. She also reminds you to be optimistic. “Once you’ve submitted it, you just have to trust that things are going to work out the way they’re supposed to and be OK with what happens.”
