The college application process is potentially the most important time of a student’s high school career. However, agonizing over GPA’s and personal essays, while hoping that they stood out among thousands of other applicants, proved to be overwhelming for soon-to-be graduates.

“At one of my friend’s school, they set aside an entire month of no homework to give seniors time to solely focus on college applications,” senior Anna Rapp said. “I thought that idea was really cool because even senior year can get hectic with homework, studying, and meeting deadlines for universities.”

While some students saw senior year as the time to relax and take it easy, others used the last semester to boost their GPA as much as possible before grades were locked in.

“It’s key to remember that even though it’s senior year, first semester especially is really important to keep your grade point average in place, or even raise it if you try hard enough,” senior Kaden Gray said. “But also keep in mind that this is the last year to make as many lasting memories as you can, so enjoy yourself as much as possible.”

Some students struggled to write a captivating, yet still unique personal essay to earn an acceptance letter. Throughout senior Josie Vonk’s experience, the best piece of advice she took was making sure to be vulnerable and honest while writing.

“Regarding the personal essay, it’s important to show who you are, how you’ve changed, and what’s changing you,” Vonk said. “A personal essay can show that even the little things in life have impacted each and every one of us in a significant way that we might not have even realized.”

While working on the personal essay, some students found that getting a change in scenery could get the right words flowing.

“At first I tried to write my essay at home in my bedroom, however, I found the most inspiration when I went out of my normal day-to-day setting,” Rapp said. “Writing late at night in a coffee shop is what personally worked best for me.”

College application season is filled with uncertainty, but in the midst of stress, taking one day at a time has given students to take a step back and remember all they’ve worked towards.

“Applying to colleges was very overwhelming, but I reminded myself that all of this stress is pushing me to work harder for my future,” Gray said. “After I submitted I felt anxious to wait for the results back, but seeing my acceptance letter to Texas State made it all worth it.”