"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"—that seems to describe the general reactions of my senior friends to the college application process. On one hand, they were excited and proud to finally be going off to college, but on the other, they couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by it.
According to them, the hardest part of the application is finding the perfect person (or people) to write recommendation letters. Apparently, talking to your teachers is a good thing! Not only is it a little stressful to prepare all your paperwork, but, to make it easier for your teachers, you have to go the extra mile... and that does take a toll. Another important thing to remember, they lectured, is to ask parents for help. Normally if we, as teenagers, have problems we go to our friends, but for something that requires that neat and professional touch, parents seem the way to go.
My senior friends also list essays as another difficult part of the test. They warn, "Save enough time to complete all your essays!" The worst thing to be stuck with (next to no recommendation letters or poor ones because you've rushed your teachers) is a bad essay. I learned that's because if you're attempting to get into a competitive college, high grades are expected to warrant consideration (and there will be several hundreds of people just as brilliant as you). The real winner will have an awe-inspiring essay that sets them apart from the crowd.
Senior year is a huge time for change and even the smallest detail could make or break your college application. The key component to remember, I've realized, is time; make sure to have plenty of it!