Senior Year: Academic Success or Bust?

A new year at Valencia welcomes a new wave of seniors, and with it comes the college application process. The first semester can be rumored to be full of last-minute stress on top of balancing fall grades, but it is possible to get through this time successfully without having a nervous breakdown! The bottom line of all these tips is to start NOW and take it one step at a time.

1. “I need to apply to ALL the UCs and Ivy Leagues!”

   • NO. You don’t.

   • As a student, you need to understand that though prestigious schools may be a dream, you must choose a school based on your preferences, as you are going to be paying thousands of dollars to be there for around 4 years.

   • Dedicate at least a week to researching schools and answer these questions: 

     1. How large do I want my school to be?

     2. How tight-knit is the community?

     3. Do they have my major?

     4. What clubs, programs, or projects from this school interest me?

     5. Can I afford this school currently or in the future?

     6. How far is this school? Am I willing to move to and dorm if needed?

   • If you truly don’t know where to start, ask your counselor for guidance and recommendations!

2. “I feel like I don’t have a story to tell for my essays! I can’t just trauma dump!”

   • Everyone has a story, though it may not seem as objectively large in comparison to others, it has impacted you. And your essays are not about your peers, so these essay topics should come from yourself. Many people are told to avoid “cliche” topics, but if it has impacted you as a student and person, it is worth writing.

   • Before you begin essay writing, it is important to have a mostly solidified college list, as many colleges, specifically private schools, have supplemental essay prompts that are additional. The Common App requires a Personal Statement, and the UCs have PIQ question prompts, which have been released, that students must answer 4 of.

   • As a starting point, talk to someone about your ideas to verbally flesh out your topics and form the essay itself. People can include family, friends, teachers, and counselors. It is important to begin drafting your essays as soon as possible so you can edit them thoroughly.

3. “There are so many things I need to apply for, how can I keep track?”

   • While researching your colleges, make a spreadsheet of all the deadlines from application opening to closure. Colleges are very strict with deadlines, so you don’t want to miss any. Utilizing spreadsheets and Google Docs or any type of calendar app is to your benefit.

4. “I am broke.”

   • That is okay!

   • As always, there are many opportunities for students to earn money without any source of income, such as FAFSA applications, open on October 1st, student loans, and scholarships, which update every month if you do your research. It is important to note the financial changes made by the Big Beautiful Bill, such as a cap on student loans. 

   • Common scholarship opportunities can be found on websites like Bold.org, but it is also important to research local scholarships. 

   • If these paths aren’t enough, there is the option of going to College of the Canyon (COC) and transferring to a higher school, such as a UC, which proves to be a financially better situation and results in a prestigious school.

   • Also, be aware that applying to schools has fees as well when crafting your college list. 

5. “Oh wow! They didn’t hate me! Now… decisions, decisions.”

   • Take a deep breath and be proud of yourself, and work out through your school acceptances and choose whichever college you know will be sustainable and that you will thrive the most in! 

Congratulations, Vikings, this is your last year, own it!