For seniors their final year at WHS has already reached its end. The decision between going to college or choosing a different path has already been made. For those who planned to go to college, the admission process was a long, tiring, but necessary step in continuing their education. Some had no idea what they were about to get themselves into. So what is the college admission process like? Is it as difficult as some claim, or is it overblown? How does high school behavior and habits effect how colleges see you? These questions can be answered by a few people, but who better than a person who just went through the process themselves. What does admitting to a college feel like for a senior?

To get answers about what the college admission process feels like, Waltham High School senior and the Talon Tribune’s own Martin Mont was interviewed. When asked how difficult the admission process was on a scale of 1-10, he answered a 7/10. “There’s a lot of prep work and decisions, writing, and waiting, which is quite stressful.” Without sugarcoating, admitting to colleges are a pain. Going in unprepared would add stress, but at a baseline, there will always be difficulty. In addition to the stress, Martin said this about some colleges:  “A lot of them are looking to deny students so they can lower their acceptance rates to look like a better school.” Like a lot of college related things, the best thing anyone can do is brace themselves and hope for the best.

The reality of the intensity that colleges put on admitting students can be hard to swallow, but it’s manageable by making the right decisions. Martin said “the first step to make it easier is to make an email dedicated to college stuff. I still get spam even though I’m accepted.” Martin also emphasizes the importance of visiting the schools to apply to, the worst thing someone could do is put all the effort they can into getting into a school and realizing that they never really wanted to be there in the first place. “GO TO VISIT THE SCHOOLS.” Martin says, calmly, “Go to the places before you apply, you have to pay to apply.” If possible, touring some colleges can greatly improve the decision making process and get a student accustomed to the place they’ll be studying and probably living for the foreseeable future. To further help with decisions, a person looking for college should decide what school fits them best. This may seem like the most obvious advice, but Martin expands on this, “Have a safety, a best fit, and a reach. Be honest with yourself.” He recommends having a school you know you can get into, as a fall back, in case the others don’t accept you. There should also be a fit that works best in general. Ideally, a best fit would be a great place to learn and live. A best fit shouldn’t be difficult to get into, if a school is out of a students academic range, it’s probably a reach. A reach is a school someone might be able to get into. If there’s a really good school that you consider but think is a bit unrealistic, mark it down as a reach. The worst that could happen is finding a rejection letter.

Even the most dedicated students need a break every now and then. All the time and energy put into finding a topic to study, looking for colleges, touring colleges, and finally admitting to colleges is a demanding experience that demands time to decompress as well. “Find down time in your senior year and enjoy it. Give yourself some time, at least 20 minutes. Hang out with your friends.” It’s sappy advice, but its the best advice. Senior year involves a lot of planning for the future, but neglecting the present won’t help. Being a senior can be exhausting, so find people and activities that will make you rejuvenated. Don’t forget the fun aspect of high school, you might miss it when its gone.