By Madison Narain

College applications are one of the most crucial steps toward a college experience, but also one of the most stressful. It's important to remember, that like all great writers, the goal should not be finishing the fastest, or perfecting it from the start, but rather to focus on the process of precise emendation. Nyack High School teaches this advice during the college application process by gradually exposing students to this experience throughout their entire high school careers. Freshman year begins with students exploring potential careers, then we slowly progress to senior year where students make their decisions on schools and begin submitting their applications. 

Great writers weren't just born with a vast vocabulary and perfect grammar. Instead, they develop these skills through years of trial and error and multiple written drafts. It’s about the effort that ultimately gets an author to their desired product. The same is true with nearly anything: It's less about initial perfection, but more about the process of editing and fixing that allows us to grow and develop. 

There are so many variables that affect the process such as letters of recommendation, essay writing, the collecting of documents, and so much more. But the best way to tackle them is to break it down. Take college applications one step at a time, and learn from each mistake you make. To aid with this process, here are a few tips and recommendations from Ms. Lorraine Longing, the Director of Guidance, and Mrs. Karina Arias, one of our school counselors: 

• Make Sure to Include All Factors in your Decision → It might feel overwhelming, but try to evaluate whether or not colleges fit the characteristics you're looking for. This could include location, school size, public vs. private, extracurricular activities available, etc. 

• Think for Yourself → Apply to colleges that fit your needs and wants, not that of others. 

• Use the Tools Available to You → Take advantage of the resources you have access to, whether it be Naviance (a website that helps students to better understand themselves, what career paths they may be interested in, what colleges they prefer, and plan their futures), CommonApp (An online platform that simplifies the application process), or your guidance counselor. 

• Don't Procrastinate → This process is very time consuming, make sure to schedule yourself appropriately to avoid rushing to get it done. 

• Apply to as Many Colleges as You See Fit → There is no perfect number of colleges to apply to, it truly depends on the student. Some may only apply to one, and others to fifteen. 

• Express Yourself → Colleges care about more than just your grades, or test scores, they want to know you as a person. Make your application come off the page, be sure to show them who you are, your role in your community and what makes you unique. 

• Stay Organized → Keep a planner and plan ahead to keep organized and properly schedule yourself when it comes to college applications. 

At NHS, our Guidance Department is full of extraordinary staff who are all here to help guide you through this process. Please don't hesitate to ask for help from your guidance counselor. Seniors, you got this college application season! Take a deep breath and remember being perfect at first but rather about working towards the goal of each draft being better than the first.