The college application process is a big deal for seniors during the fall semester. Applying to their top choices, getting accepted and choosing their final decision can be stressful all while juggling the demands of senior year.

Senior Hanna Bradford describes her school life as “I’ve taken a hard enough class course, and I’ve really tried to develop my study skills that I think I’ll be prepared [for college].”

Bradford describes that her stress level changes depending on the day it is and what is due soon.

“On a scale from 1 to 10, I’d say some days I’m really stressed and some days I’m not stressed, probably a 5. It differs, like today, I don’t really care. But when it gets to a weekend or something or when a deadline is coming up, the stress level increases,” Bradford said.

But for senior Ivy Daugherty it was no big deal.

“It wasn’t that hard.” Daugherty said. “I applied on my laptop, at camp, on a break [from work]. So it wasn’t stressful”

Students are all on different steps of the college application process and are working on different applications. Some colleges accept the common application, which contains all of the student’s personal information and an acceptance essay. The common application can sent to multiple colleges at once.

The other way to apply is to use the college’s specific application only for their

university. This may or may not include

an essay.

Bradford chose to complete the common application.

“I have filled up everything of the common app except for the essay — that is the last thing I have to do,” Bradford said. “That is all I have left.”

The common application has more steps due to it requiring the student to fill out all the requirements of all the colleges that accept the application. Applications that only pertain to one university are shorter.

Daugherty chose to complete two applications from two separate universities and said she was already done with them in June.

Along with trying to get accepted to colleges, students have to worry about paying for college.

“I’m going to apply to all of the [scholarships].” Daugherty said she thinks that “If you apply to enough, you’re going to [at least] get one [of the scholarships].

But some seniors rather see the cost of college be reduced instead so everyone has the opportunity to go to college.

“I think that why don’t [colleges] just lower the price of tuition so then everyone can go.” Bradford said “I don’t know but I think that [scholarships] give an opportunity to get, honestly, free money [which] is awesome.

Many factors lead a student to a college.

“Price is a factor, distance from home is a really big factor and [so is] student life” said Daugherty.

But some students are led by a college’s selection of majors and clubs.

Some factors that lead students are “distance from my house, if they have my major, and I’m really looking for research schools.” said Bradford “ Also, weather comes in. I don’t want to go anywhere hot. I want there to be faith-based organizations, so I can join a church group because that’s really important to me.”