Editor’s Note: College admissions scandal reveals extremes of process

Claire DuMont

Editor-in-Chief

As the school year comes to an end, Costa seniors are beginning to commit to their college of choice, where many of them will spend the next four years. Now that the stress of applying and hearing back from colleges is over, I can only hope that seniors get excited about where they are going, but also take these next few months to cherish their final days before they leave.

For many students, the college application stress begins at the end of junior year, when they tour colleges and start to decide where they are going to apply. From that point until December or January, seniors are consumed with thoughts of the future, perfecting their essays and supplements and submitting them to colleges, eagerly awaiting their next batch of applications for the Class of 2023. After applications are all submitted, seniors are able to breathe a short sigh of relief, knowing that all of their work is done and the only thing left to do is wait for the results.

The whole month of March sends the senior class into a frenzy, sharing rumors about who got in where and when certain colleges are releasing their decisions. Most conversations overheard on campus contain the word “portal” or the question, “Do you know when [certain college] comes out?” It is an understandable obsession, as everyone feels the anxiety and stress of waiting for their results.

Now, most seniors have decided and committed to their final school, and even those still deciding are choosing between great options to find out what their best fit is. Seniors get to have a much deserved break after the pressure and stress of applications is over and they get to think about their future. These thoughts about their future are inevitably combined with thoughts of sadness or fear of leaving. I encourage my fellow seniors to think deeply about what they are going to miss next year, whether it’s specific friends, family or even their favorite local places to eat, and make an effort to cherish them before they leave.

It can be a scary transition from our high school and hometown to a whole new place, but it is important for the Class of 2019 to know that they are not alone. All of the seniors are facing the stress of leaving home, but taking time to appreciate what we will be leaving next year is the best and only way to make the change easier.