As the clock struck midnight on November 1st, a collective sigh of relief swept through the NDB senior class of 2025. With Early Action (EA) deadlines falling on October 15th or November 1st, the pressure of meeting application requirements has finally subsided for many. The weeks leading up to these deadlines were a blur of editing personal statements, perfecting activity lists and triple-checking every section of the Common Application. Now, a sense of accomplishment is settling in as seniors can finally relax—until the next round of deadlines rolls around.
Submitting EA applications marks a pivotal moment in the college admissions process. For many seniors, the weight of this milestone is now palpable. Senior Genevieve Land reflects on the emotional rollercoaster of finishing applications,
“It has definitely opened my eyes to that everything is coming so fast…like reality is definitely hitting for sure but I’m also really excited for it,” Land expresses.
The early submission also amplifies the awareness of how deep seniors are in the college process. Between comparing essay drafts with friends and attending visits from college representatives, the college conversation has infiltrated nearly every aspect of senior year. Land adds to this sense of forward momentum.
“I’m already thinking about where I’m going next, what steps, or even after college, but right now, I’m just playing a waiting game and seeing where I’m gonna get in,” exclaimed Land.
While there’s a sense of accomplishment in finishing the first round of applications, there’s still much more work to be done. As the senior class looks ahead to the next steps in their college journeys, another class of 2025 monarch Alexis Hom shares how the completion of some applications has brought a welcome sense of relief.
“I mean, I’m more relaxed like…having the first round of them done is making me more relaxed,” Hom states. “And I’m more looking forward to the break, and then having all of them [applications] done so that I can fully relax myself.”
This sense of relaxation is combated by the awareness that the process isn’t over yet, and for most of the monarchs, more work is left to be done.
Balancing excitement and nerves, the class of 2025 now faces the next big step: waiting. Decisions won’t roll in until December or January, which leaves a mix of hope and anticipation in the air. Yet for now, seniors are allowing themselves to bask in the victory of completing one of the most stressful parts of the process.
