Pasha Farmanara, Web Co-Editor-in-Chief

From the day one starts high school, until graduation everything a student does is for one reason. It is the reason students deprive themselves of sleep, bury their faces in textbooks and check JupiterGrades every chance they get.

Students do all of this to get into a good college.

Over a year away from applying to college, sophomore Jessica Lu is already feeling the pressure.

“As a sophomore, I already feel slightly stressed about college applications.  I don’t know what to expect. Every year in high school counts, and even though I don’t have the physical forms in front of me, I still feel stressed,” Lu said.

To all the students who have not yet started applying, it may seem time consuming and frightening. Having to put four years of hard work into college applications is not easy. Students must make sure they do not include too much, but also include all of their achievements.

After already completing the process, senior Dylan Lojac has a different view.

“It is overwhelming at times but not as overwhelming as most make it out to be as long as you remain on top of deadlines, there should be no problem,” Lojac said.

Lojac did concede that before completing his first application, he did feel anxious and uneasy, but after going through it once he has gained confidence.

“With several months to do everything, the whole process should go very smoothly. Everyone is very anxious of course, but after having done it once, it seems much less daunting,” Lojac said.

Senior Ezra Laemmle understands the overall pressure of applying to college.

“I think it’s because kids are afraid to mess them up. If you work hard for your whole life, and have a bad app, then all the hard work is gone. Once you start filling out apps, you realize that it isn’t hard at all,” he said.

Although Lojac and Laemmle think that college applications are not much of a burden, getting accepted is not as easy as it used to be. In recent years college admissions have become more and more competitive, forcing students to be more and more outstanding. Grades aren’t enough to get into the nation’s top schools.

To show the rugged requirements for nations top schools, Forbes writer Melanie Shore said, “Luckily, there are still a few ways to guarantee Ivy League admission–high SAT scores, lots of extracurricular activities, alumni in the family and the name of a prestigious private prep school on your transcript. Right?”