Seniors commit to colleges on Decision Day

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At the Decision Day celebration, seniors Natasha Kumar and Kendall Job pose for a picture. The celebration included various photo backdrops for the students’ use set up by the student college ambassadors.

Allison Nick, Staff Reporter

The National College Decision Day for high school seniors is May 1. By this date, students must submit their replies to the colleges they have been accepted to of whether they will be attending the school next fall or whether they have chosen another option. Many seniors have known their future school since the beginning of the year while others waited until April 30 to make their final decision.

“It has been looming over me this whole time,” senior Valeria Beltran said about the pressure of Decision Day, “because I need to make my deposit and obviously after May 1 there’s the whole ‘finding a roommate’ thing, placement tests and orientation.”

When it comes to applying to college (if students decide to take this route), many apply to more than one school. To decide which school is ultimately the best fit, students weigh factors such as the price, athletics, degrees offered, school size and location. Applications can be submitted as early as July, yet many students continue weighing the pros and cons of each option until the very last day.

“Students have until May 1 to make their decision, and after May 1, colleges can take away their spot. They start moving into waitlist at that time,” said College and Career Counselor Andrea Rusk, “So, until that time, no college can remove an offer unless there is a reason behind it.”

To ensure their enrollment at the school of their choice, students must submit a deposit by May 1. The pressure of the May 1 deadline can be stressful for students when deciding on where they want to live and study for the next four years.

“Several people helped me during the application process, including Mrs. Rusk, my older sister and my mom,” said senior Sabrina Lee, who will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall. “They helped me with the research, gave me advice and supported me through the essay writing process.”

Even after committing to a college, seniors must provide a variety of additional information, including housing forms and financial aid forms.  They also must plan on attending an orientation seminar that often takes place over the summer.

Despite the immense pressure students feel when deciding on their future schools, MHS provides assistance to students beginning their freshman year. The College and Career Resource Center (CCRC) provides individual assistance from connecting students to possible colleges to helping students with their application essays, whether they choose to attend a four year college or not.

“We don’t just celebrate students who are going to the colleges,” Rusk said. “It’s any future educational pathway, so it’s for our students who are going to four year schools, for our students going to two year schools, for our students who are going into technical programs, for our students who are getting jobs that are going to finance their future education.”

A select group of seniors, known as the college ambassadors, assisted the CCRC in creating a celebration for all graduating seniors. On May 1, all seniors were invited to attend a personalized event created to celebrate their future decisions.

“The celebration is where all of us get a chance to show of our future college decisions,” said Lee who is also a college ambassador.

As for the underclassmen, it’s never too early to start their college search. The CCRC offers visits with college representatives as well as Q&As with senior college ambassadors, and it promotes college fair visits and scholarship information assemblies.

However, plenty of seniors have their own advice for the underclassmen. Beltran summed up much of her fellow seniors’ advice: “Plan ahead with applications and college visits. Also, do your research on class sizes, urban and rural locations and other specifics so you can narrow down your search ahead of time.”