By Nikebia Brown-Joseph Pink Lady Press
School is back in session. Seniors everywhere are preoccupied with applying for scholarships and to colleges. Spending hours completing application seems to be as inherent to senior year as prom and graduation.
Students have a lot of different feelings regarding their senior year and near future. Senior Papia Aziz said, “I feel like I am one step closer to achieving my dreams.”
Added senior Kalimah Williams said: “I’m really nervous about applying to college. I’m undecided about a lot of things and haven’t figured everything out and I feel a lot of pressure.”
For scholarships, many DIA students plan to apply to the Bill Gates Millennium Scholars, Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, QuestBridge and Horatio Alger Association.
One of the most daunting aspects of the application process is the essay. While some applications only require one or two, others require several. Advanced Placement English at students DIA will have the chance to do a workshop focused on essay writing with the InsideOut Literary Arts program.
Recommendation letters are essential as well. A large number of applications require at least one to two letters. Some teachers have asked their students to submit a summary of all details, such as their community involvement and academic standing, that could be relevant to a letter of recommendation.
The FAFSA is another vital part of preparing for college. DIA’s college counselor Ms. Brittany Foote asks students to complete their FAFSA as a Valentine’s Day present. She also asks that they submit their out of class work experience by March as a birthday present.
Finding the balance between preparing for the future and managing the present can be difficult. It is not uncommon to see groups of students at lunch hunched over computers, or in the counselor’s office, absorbed in their applications.
However, it is important not to sacrifice your academic performance for the sake of applications.
