With the 2025 college admissions season approaching, many students in the Class of 2026 are beginning to prepare their own college applications. Between accumulating volunteer hours, brainstorming essay topics, participating in extracurricular activities, working part-time jobs, studying for exams, and reaching out to college counselors, these students have a lot on their minds. In a series of interviews, Myers Park juniors gave insight into their plans for life post-high school, and what they’re doing now to help them realize those goals.
Students expressed interest in attending schools both in and out of state. Several want to remain in North Carolina for college, aspiring to attend Davidson College, NC State, or UNC Chapel Hill. Others who intend to study out of state are eager to apply to a long list of secondary education programs at the University of California – Los Angeles, Virginia Tech, the University of Florida, and more. Some also dream of Ivy League schools such as Columbia or Harvard University.
In anticipation of submitting their applications, students like Zain Al Safadi (11) and Rachel Stitt (11) are beginning to seek advice from professionals and fellow upperclassmen regarding writing their admissions essays. They expect to start writing their official essays over the summer. “Once AP exams are over in May, I’m going to start on my essays. That way, I can apply to a lot of colleges with less stress,” said Al Safadi. Similarly, Stitt exclaimed, “Over the summer, I’m going to write all of my essays and formulate all of my applications so I’m ready to submit!” In addition to formulating essays, many juniors are currently studying for the SAT and ‘locking in’ on their classes in order to boost their GPA. Nora Kapur (11), says that she has regular SAT prep on Saturdays and hopes to take two CPCC classes over the summer.
Such preparations appear to be accompanied by a wave of emotions. Many students confessed to feeling overwhelmed by the thought of applying to college. When asked about how often he thinks about college, Charlie Price (11) reported thinking about college “at least once a day.” Several other students ranked the frequency of college-related thoughts and concerns between seven and nine on a scale of one to ten. Eva Doolittle (11) stated that preparing to create the perfect college application can be “very time consuming and takes a big toll on mental health.” Fiona Smith (11) adds, “I would definitely say that the idea of preparing for college admissions is stressful…it takes a lot to look good on an application nowadays. All of the recommendation letters, the essays, trying to make sure everything’s perfect… It’s just a lot, especially when you’re applying to prestigious schools.”
With each passing year, universities are receiving record numbers of applications, forcing them to decrease their acceptance rate, thereby making it harder for students to be accepted into the schools they wish to attend. According to Business Student, a business education website, the average admissions rates at the top 50 US universities have dropped a shocking 37% from 2006 to 2018. Since the pandemic, these numbers have only seemed to worsen. This adds increased pressure for applicants to stand out in order to get into the schools of their choice, motivating students to strive for awards, club leadership roles, and scholarships. All of these factors cause stress for students juggling a multitude of activities while also managing their regular school work.
However, students remain enthusiastic about their pursuit of a higher education even despite their hectic schedules. “I’m excited to apply to college so that I can gain new experiences and meet new people,” said Al Safadi, who, much like some of her peers, looks forward to gaining independence after high school. “I’m also looking forward to challenging myself