As the Third Nine Weeks jumps into full swing, seniors are racing to decide on their plans for the future. As college decisions are coming in and students are turning in their last applications, stress and unpredictability circle around senior classrooms.
Thirteen seniors from a recent poll said “College Application and Planning Life after Graduation” was stressing them out the most, eight said “High School Class Workload” was stressing them out, and seven said “Scholarships and Financial Decisions” were stressing them out.
Choosing a college or university and making such a permanent commitment can be stressful. Factors like tuition, campus style, size, location, and available majors are often the focus when deciding where to go, but these decisions can be difficult to make.
Although most students probably have their final applications submitted by now, there is a waiting period before acceptance. Depending on if the college has rolling admission, the time needed for the college to review an application may be a couple weeks or even a month.
No matter what type of college, small, large, private, or public, college can be a big financial decision. Often, waiting on financial offers can be excruciating. Financial offers can easily shift a senior’s decision, especially when extra college expenses and tuition add up quickly. Scholarships can be a good tool to help reduce the cost, but on top of schoolwork, it is hard to find time for it all.
After tackling the stress of scholarship essays and applications on top of school work, senior Campbell Bond has also committed to a college.
“I have committed to Radford University because of the small size of the school, as well as the location. I will be majoring in nursing, and I also hope to be a member of the campus rescue squad and religious clubs,” Bond said.
Many students choose a school based on clubs and academic majors that will help them meet new people and enhance their college experience. Other students consider athletics when deciding.
Senior Spencer Pfaff recently made her decision based on both academics and athletics.
“I have committed to Grinnell College which I chose because of its prestigious academic reputation. I am currently undecided on what my major will be, but I plan to swim for the school,” Pfaff said.
Along with considering what a college has to offer, some students also consider if they prefer an in-state or out-of-state school. Senior John Brooke will attend Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in the fall. He explains why he went a more local route and committed to a school that specializes in military training.
“I committed to VMI because I’ve been around cadets my whole life, and I’ve seen how the experience shapes them to be role models I aspire to be like. VMI’s Civil Engineering department is also extremely impressive, which is what I plan to major in” Brooke said.
The state of Virginia has so many colleges, but some students prefer to consider out-of-state schools more.
Senior Kaylee Hagenbuch recently committed to an out-of-state school and she shares why she chose to go so far from home.
“I chose Loyola University in Maryland because of its location and size. It is a good distance away so I can learn how to be independent, while other family still live in the area. The school is small, pretty, and has a welcoming community, which is what I wanted,” Hagenbuch said.
All of these choices can provide peace of mind, because students can know there is at least one college that is the right fit for them. Along with this comfort, trying to select a school out of a huge pool can start to feel binding and overwhelming.
Many Early Decision and Early Action applicants, like Bond and Hagenbuch, have decided on a college. However, students who applied Regular Decision to schools may not have gotten their acceptance yet, meaning their commitment will be closer to graduation.
Although applying and committing college is an individual process, comparisons and competition with fellow students can get in the way. Even though it is fine if they haven’t committed yet, seniors often think they are running out of time and need to make a decision right away because they start to see others feeling confident about their dream school.
Along with the stress of commitments, seniors must also juggle senior pictures and portraits, cap and gown delivery, and graduation plans.
During this senior season, mixed emotions can arise when thinking about the future. They are sad about their “lasts” of high school and at every event remember they might never do it again. The last first day of school, their last snow days, Christmas break as a kid, or their last exams at the end of the year.
Many feel scared for the next steps, but a lot of seniors also feel excited for the next chapter of their life and they celebrate their accomplishments at the senior picnic and senior trip. In a poll of 29 seniors, 20 students said they were excited to graduate, while nine said they were mostly scared to leave.
Moral of the story, encourage our seniors because you never know what emotion they might be going through in the preparation for their future.
To see new college decisions, check out the Instagram page, @rchs.2025decisions!
