Seniors Dive, Flop Into the Pool of College

It's that time of year again. Seniors at Jamesville-DeWitt High School are struggling to keep up with the constant due dates that colleges hurl at them.

"I have a lot to do," admits senior Jenny Keeler. With all the schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and sports, it's tough to tend to the essays and applications that various colleges demand. Although seniors like Tyler Indivero say that they haven't even begun the application process, some have been working hard to get everything completed. "I'm almost done, thank God. It's so stressful," said senior Michael Scibilia. Nina Hylen, also a senior, just has to proofread her essay, and she's finished. Despite this, many students find themselves asking, "When will it be over?"

According to guidance counselor Laura Bond, these students are on the right track. "Seniors should be finalizing the details of their applications for college," she says. "Juniors, on the other hand, should be looking into specific colleges and staying focused [on their schoolwork]."

"I've talked to college admissions and coaches, and I generated a list of schools that I want to apply to," said junior Andrew Wannamaker. Junior Ross Piciucco attended the annual college fair at Fayetteville-Manlius High School in October, where he talked to representatives from different colleges that he is interested in.

Thankfully, students have the help and support of the J-DHS counselors to steer them in the right direction. At the beginning of senior year, guidance counselors gave group talks to students about colleges and what they should be doing at that point. "Honestly, after that, they're on their own. It's an individual counselor-student effort," says Ms. Becher.

"All counselors have been really helpful," said Hylen. "My counselor helps me make good decisions," said Wannamaker. Scibilia and guidance counselor Denise Becher have been working together for all four years. "Michael knew what he wanted to be since freshman year," said Ms. Becher. This has helped the two of them to really key in on everything that he has to do to accomplish his goal.

Rachna Raina, a Harvard University freshman and class of 2009 graduate of J-DHS, has some words of advice for students beginning to embark on their journeys. She advises that in order to be successful, organization is key. "Make a checklist of all the requirements for each school with dates that everything is due," says Raina.

For underclassmen that wish to get a jump-start on their college applications, it's not a bad idea to start over the summer while you're generally free. "As painful and unnecessary as it sounds, start writing essays over the summer. When school starts, you will not have the time or the desire to work on writing essays in addition to regular schoolwork," says Raina. "Start it early and don't slack off. That's what works," said Scibilia.

If you don't know where to begin, take a look at these helpful hints students and counselors have put together to guide you through the application process.

Top Tips for Applying to College

-Prepare yourself. Even if you're just a freshman, senior year will be there before you know it.

-Be involved. Do lots of volunteer work and join clubs to show that you're devoted.

-Know what you're looking for. Identifying what you would like in a college saves you time when applying and helps you single out other options.

-Start early. Work on the college essay over the summer. Senior year is not as easy as people say.

-Be organized. Having all your work in order helps save you time when you need it the most.

-Don't stress. Your counselors are available to help. Just sign up for an appointment and they will guide you in any way they can.

-Be yourself. Colleges want your writing and extracurricular activities to reflect your personality and experiences.

-Don't slack off. Even if you do get accepted to a college, it doesn't mean you're free and done. Working hard is still key during the second semester of senior year.