For years, I imagined how daunting the college application process would be, even spending last summer preparing for the challenge. But staring at the blank document in front of me — my head filled with the ideas and possibilities of who I want to be for the next four years — I am able to craft essay after essay. Suddenly, it all clicks into place. 

Everyone hears about the college application process — the dread that extends over the summer and through the first months of senior year. Whether you stay on top of deadlines or put things off until the last minute, the process is exhausting. Therefore, few would expect the process itself to bring personal growth.

While the college application process is often associated with stress and uncertainty, it offers students much-needed clarity and direction for the next stage of their lives.

Going into the process, I knew what interested me within high school, but I was unsure about how my interests might apply outside of high school. I knew I enjoyed biology — dissections, lab work, scientific papers — and I knew I loved journalism — writing stories, leading a team, informing the public — but I never thought I could connect these two, seemingly very separate, fields of interest in my future. 

However, the application process forced me to be in that mindset, thinking about how I could use my interests and experiences to form a possible future career path. In my research, I was pleasantly surprised to find many interdisciplinary majors that touched on the connection between science and journalism. Additionally, the many supplemental essay prompts forced me to explore my intersecting interests even further — self-reflection I didn’t know I needed. Looking back, I left the process knowing more about myself than I did going into it.  

It’s no secret that the process can be overwhelming for first-semester seniors, with years of pressure and experiences culminating in a single moment. A common misconception is that applications lock students into a lifelong path. While some seniors have a clear career direction, others have the freedom to explore during this process, as I did. Rather than feeling restrictive, the process can offer valuable clarity by highlighting personal values and interests. Most importantly, these decisions are always flexible.

So, while rising seniors may only be feeling dread, they should go into the application process with an open mind. It can provide them with a better overview of the college experience and where their interests might fit within it.