It is the fall of your senior year; that time of reckoning and the time for decision-making, it has finally arrived. Suddenly, the hazy notion of college is not so distant anymore. You become abruptly conscious of the clock ticking away the time until your first deadline. Relatives, neighbors, and perfect strangers ask you what your first choice school is and feel entitled to speak out on why that school is utterly wrong for you. The phrase “It’ll look good on your college application,” haunts your waking moments. Horror stories emerge of straight-A valedictorians being rejected by their safety schools. Suddenly everyone around you is your competition. The college application process has begun.

Many view college as a transitional idyll that will lead to success and happiness later in life. And with more high school seniors applying to college than ever, competition is stronger than ever. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 1972, college enrollment immediately following high school was 49%; since 2002, however, this rate has hovered between 62% and 69%..

In Wayland last year, 96% of the 222 member senior class went on to further their education. Within the high school, the idea that students are competing against each other for admission to their colleges of choice only worsens the stress that many seniors feel about the application process. In spite of this, senior Ronen Zeidel maintains an optimistic outlook. “I think everyone has the feeling they’re not getting in anywhere, but in the end everyone gets in somewhere.”

Between essays, applications, interviews, college visits, and standardized tests, the average Wayland senior has a lot on his or her plate. “It’s really hard to maintain good grades in school and apply to college,” reports senior Victoria Gore. Like Gore, many seniors have had difficulty in finding the balance between schoolwork and college-related activities.

However, many students also reported that their teachers have been fair and understanding about seniors having to miss class to go to various in-school college information sessions. According to Ben Schattenburg, “I’ve found that they’re somewhat flexible as long as you work hard [in that class].”

Perhaps best capturing the mood of many current seniors this fall, Katherine Rafuse jokes, “Right now we’re all drowning in stress, but in six months it’s going to be ‘are we leaving yet?’”