William Amos Hough High School - Calming The College Applications' Storm

CALMING THE COLLEGE APPLICATIONS' STORM

August 27, 2024 - Sophia Wyatt (12)

One seemingly cannot make it through their four years of high school without being caught in the raging river that is the college admissions process. From every angle, people seem to be shouting from the rooftops that it’s necessary to take the most rigorous classes available, join every club, and get what seems like a million community service and volunteer hours. Just the thought of applying to colleges and universities can be enough to spike anyone's anxiety levels. To try and help with this problem I met last year with Ms. Rubbino, one of our former counselors, and asked her some questions about the college admissions process and how to curb that stress and anxiety.

Common App is the platform through which students apply to colleges and universities.

One of the nerve-racking aspects of applying for higher education is the thought of forgetting or missing something. Ms. Rubbino’s advice was to stay as organized as possible and do as much research as one possibly can into their top schools. This can help lessen that overwhelming feeling that comes with applying for colleges. Every school is different and requires different tests, class requirements, etc. Ms. Rubbino said that “it[college admissions] can be very overwhelming if you don't have an idea of what the big picture looks like.” Using a physical planner or free websites, such as Notion, to keep track of information are really easy and stress-free ways to start taking the pressure off remembering all the details about every school you want to apply to.

At high schools around the country often a large emphasis is put on taking the highest level and most rigorous classes possible, and Hough is no different. However, this is not always completely necessary. If one wants to major in History it would not be essential to take AP math courses even if they are said to be helpful. Ms Rubbino advised, “You want to match your transcript especially when you get a little further into junior and senior year to your interests and what you are going to be applying for.” Deciding to take classes that are more connected to what you find interesting and want to major in can not only increase your chances of being admitted into your dream schools, but it can also make your time at school exponentially more enjoyable.

Overall the college admission process is notoriously stressful, but it doesn't have to be. If one does their best to stay as organized as possible and take classes that truly interest them, they can not only improve their chances of admission but also enjoy the high school experience a little bit more!