As the first semester of the 2021-2022 school year comes to an end, NDB seniors have been working to finish the multitude of college applications that were due this fall.

For many seniors, this craze of application stress and anxiety began on November 1, which was the deadline for many Early Action or Early Decision applications. Early Action is a non-binding option for applicants who want an earlier admissions response from certain schools, and Early Decision is a binding application which requires the applicant to attend the school if they get accepted. 

Many seniors have been struggling to keep up with their schoolwork while going through this daunting process. Although Early Action and Early Decision require students to work at a much more rapid pace, those who applied early can appreciate the weight that can be lifted off of their shoulders as they near the end of the first semester.  Students who have already committed to a college can enjoy the time off.

For the many students who have Regular Decision applications to do as well, this break from school, homework and studying will be more time to devote to finishing up their application essays.  The majority of Regular Decision applications are due in January.

“I’ve applied to five schools so far: three being Early Action, one for a merit scholarship deadline and another for regular decision,” says NDB senior Olivia Semien.

While applying early may have caused students more stress over the fall semester, they allow students to receive admissions decisions as early as December, whereas many Regular Decision applications do not guarantee a response until late March.

Throughout this semester, seniors all around campus have been anxiously surviving the application process together and cannot wait for the second semester when they can all celebrate their accomplishments and share the colleges that they will soon move on to.

“Most of it has been working on essays and making dozens of drafts for them,” Semien added about her experiences this semester. “I’m excited to hear back from my first schools in about a month and to finish the process.”

The seniors are hopefully awaiting the day when all of this panic is behind them and they can focus on enjoying their last year of high school.