Transcripts and test scores and top-tier schools, oh my!

With the dawn of the new school year, NA’s seniors are facing the Herculean task of navigating the college application season. After eleven long years of rigorous courses and serious extracurriculars, the hope is that all of the hard work will finally pay off.

Some, like Reed Stasko, have their hearts set on specific universities. “I’m applying to one school early decision, but I think I’ll add at least two more,” the senior said. “I’m trying to do most of it on the weekends to balance out my schoolwork.”

Others haven’t started the process but have a solid plan.

“My siblings and I are taking one full day to sit down with our applications,” Deitra Harnish said. “We’re ordering pizza and getting snacks so we can have fun with it.”

While the application season is accelerating for most of the senior class, the ambitious few are already practically done with their responsibilities — save for clicking “submit”.

“I’m glad I put forth so much effort over the summer,” Yuri Tamama said. “Here’s my advice for juniors: take advantage of the summer to work on applications. It’ll be worth it.”

Whether seniors have yet to assemble a list of colleges or know exactly what their dream school is, the fateful decisions are fast approaching. The high school experience for seniors is coming to a close while their future opens before them.

So what happens before senioritis sets in? While it may be expected that the last year of high school is the easiest, students often find that first semester of their senior year is the most stressful.  Sure, the Counseling Office provides a helpful, straightforward application checklist, but the power of procrastination and intimidating volume of supplemental essays can sap even the highest-achieving student’s energy.

Some are plainly avoiding those daunting deadlines. “I want to make sure I apply the right way and get all my information,” Grace Gegick said. “I’m excited for college, just not the application process.”

Yet seniors aren’t the only ones at NASH who feel the weight of college application season. Many NA teachers are bombarded by requests for vital recommendation letters.

“The issue for me is that the due dates for letters are all the same, so all of the students that ask me for letters need me at the same time,” Mr. Venezia said. “Teaching and grading are my main focuses, but writing letters is always in the background.”

While recommendations can pile up for teachers, their importance is not lost on their authors.

“I’m not going to be the teacher who neglected to turn something in and jeopardized a student getting into their dream school,” Venezia added. “It’s another source of commitment and responsibility.”