It’s that time of year again; leaves are morphing into their beautiful fall colors, Friday Night Lights are in full swing, and everyone is starting to break out their cozy, oversized sweaters and sweatshirts. Unfortunately, all of these comforting fall events also mean that school is in full swing once again. For seniors, this means that it’s time to start applying to college.

Early Decision and Early Action deadlines hang over our Senior Skippers like the grey lightning cloud in Mario Cart. Nothing takes away from fall festivities like having to spend a night filling out the Common Application. The Common Application was created by a board of fifteen “institutions of higher education” with the purpose of making applying to college easier. Sometimes, however, it has the opposite effect. In the words of senior Gigi Guillotte, “What is Common App?”

No one deals with students’ confusion more than the guidance department. Guidance chair Mrs. Cindy Normand attributes some of this confusion to students not staying up to date on college information. “If you don’t read your email, you don’t know what’s going on,” said Normand. The guidance department sends out emails regularly, posting information on college applications and planned events like Senior Parent Night to help out stressed students. They even send out the power points from these events, just in case someone is not able to make it. Staying informed and using your resources is the easiest way to avoid any confusion.

Another way to make Common App less stressful is to stay on top of things. Common App officially opens every year the beginning of August, so the sooner you start, the better. “You should at least fill out demographics and do your essay,” said Normand.

Much like any other assignment that has a deadline, being prompt and prepared when completing your Common App can help reduce stress. This could entail simply looking through the questions being asked so you have a general idea of what you need to know, which always helps.

Students are not the only ones who deal with college stress; guidance counselors feel the pressure, too. “We have to make sure we stay on top of everything,” said Normand. When you have to review and complete a third of the senior class’ applications, that is a lot of hard work.

If you want your application to stand out, Normand recommends students to “check for accuracy, meet your deadlines, and make sure you covered everything a college requires.” In short, “make sure your package is complete before you hit submit.”