Around this time of the year seniors are rushing to finish college applications, taking last minute SATs and ACTs and working hard to put up the best grades they can get for the first semester of their senior year. Numerous students who compete in sports are also struggling under the pressure of deciding which college to verbally commit to. All of this seems very intimidating, but students who get a jump start on the college search process find it to be very rewarding.

Plenty of seniors taking the college entry tests have been studying for them since freshman year with work books and boot camps, and all their hard work is finally going to pay off. These college applications are time consuming because they each include an essay.

“I’ve filled out 11 apps, and each app takes about 45 minutes, but some applications require essays which take me about an extra two hours to write,” senior Brooke Neville said. “After I write the essay I have to get additional people to edit them which typically takes an extra five plus hours. The essay is probably the hardest part, and definitely the most time consuming.”

Seniors all strive to get into the college of their dreams, and achieving this is not easy.

“I took the SAT twice– the first one was to see what level I was at,” senior Alex Cabrera said. “Then after I got a tutor I took it again, and the results were much better, I preferred a tutor rather than a class.”

In order to relieve the stress during senior year, most students take difficult classes during their junior year, so they do not have to during their senior year.

“This year my classes are not that hard, but they are not easy,” Neville said. “I have harder classes the last two years, and I have found that it is worth all the hard work and sleepless nights. Plus, these difficult classes look better to colleges as well as my SAT and ACT scores. I have taken both of the tests once, and I was pleased with scores so I do not plan on taking them again.”

Both students can agree that starting earlier rather than later and research makes the college application process easier.

“You definitely do not want to procrastinate, you will benefit greatly from starting early,” Cabrera said.