As the culmination of three years of hard work, a student’s senior year is a big deal. On the surface, senior year may seem like a breeze, for many students, it’s anything but.
Senior year is the year of opportunities. In their final year of high school, students often add many activities to their schedules.
“I would agree that [seniors] remain involved in the same number of or, if not increase their engagement [in clubs],” said counselor Mrs. Gentry. “People start to join stuff because they know it’s important for college applications.”
The importance of senior year can be overwhelming for many students, so having a good balance between school and personal time is important. As a senior myself, I’ve become more involved in activities—not to just boost college applications, but to also keep that balance. Stress can get to you quickly, and many other seniors can agree.
But what else causes this stress? For many, one of the main sources is the college application process. For many, one of the main sources is the college application process. Of the 78 seniors surveyed, 63—about 80.8%—indicated that they would be attending college or a college equivalent.
Those who answered “yes” reported higher stress levels, while those who were unsure or responded “no” reported lower stress levels.
Some of this stress may stem from waiting for a decision from your dream college. However, most of it often arises from uncertainty about how to navigate the college application process.
“I have had to learn a lot of things about elements of the college application process from absolute square one,” said senior Gwen Hunter. “It makes me concerned that I or anyone else applying is somehow missing some step simply because we have never heard of it.”
Many components contribute to a college application, and it’s easy for some to be overlooked. While tools like the Common Application are often remembered, others, such as the CSS Profile, can be forgotten. Although not all colleges require the CSS Profile, students may discover their applications are incomplete, potentially missing out on early action benefits if applicable.
Unfortunately, not everything necessary for college applications is as easy to find as the Common App.
“There should be a document that lists what you need to do to apply and commonly asked questions,” said senior Clara Jones. “I feel like every single student has had to independently find out stuff like class size, how to add recommenders, and other stuff.”
At the beginning of this year, Lakewood High School implemented two significant system changes: ProgressBook was replaced by Infinite Campus for reporting student grades, and Naviance was replaced by SchooLinks to assist seniors in their transitions out of high school.
Many current seniors became well-versed in using Naviance during their junior year to prepare for senior year. However, with the shift to SchooLinks, that knowledge has been lost among both seniors and counselors.
To assist students with the transition, the LHS counseling department visited each English class at the beginning of the year to help students learn about SchooLinks. Fortunately, most seniors surveyed adapted to the new system quickly; however, some still remain unsure.
“I think [some students not understanding] is helpful for us to know, because like for you guys, it was new for us [the counselors] this year too,” said Gentry. “I’m hoping, as we use it throughout this school year, we’ll be able to break it down for kids next year.”
In addition to the stress of college applications, seniors also face anxiety about their regular school workload.
“I was hoping I would have an easier senior year so I could…have more fun before I say goodbye…but I feel like I’ve gotten the same amount if not more work,” said senior Piper McElfresh. “Doing college stuff on top of that is a bit much.”
Most students surveyed reported doing the same amount of work, if not more, compared to previous years. So why is schoolwork suddenly harder during senior year? One factor may be the increased difficulty of classes, as many higher-level courses are available only to juniors and seniors. However, as senior Sebastian Shafer aptly stated, there appears to be one main cause.
“It feels like school work doesn’t matter as much after submitting all my college applications,” said senior Katie Jirousek.
While it may seem easy or like a good idea to let things slip as your senior year continues, it is vital that you don’t. Most, if not all, colleges will review the final transcript that you send in once you graduate. A significant decline in performance could lead to the revocation of scholarships, honors statuses, or even your admission offer. To help you stay on track, LHS offers numerous resources for not only seniors but for everyone in the school.
“We have a lot of good resources within our school building too, if students feel like they need further support for mental health,” said Gentry. “We have the Cleveland Clinic [and] Belfaire services. We also have a CollegeNow advisor too, Mrs. Sandoval, who’s another good resource for students just to help with that post-secondary [journey].”
Senior year can be daunting. It can be stressful and it can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be done alone. Around everyone is their support system—their teachers, counselor, friends, and family. And while it may seem stressful at the moment, it will be over before you know it.
“Senior year goes by as quickly as everyone says it does,” said senior Bailey Shipley. “I can’t believe homecoming is already behind us, and midterms are around the corner.”
Some will be happy about it…others will be scared.
But no matter where you fall, no matter your plans after high school, senior year is meant to be cherished. Join a new club and make new connections, or strengthen the ones you already have. After all, you’re only a high school senior once.
