Pain vs. Pleasure: Strain of application process worth trove of educational benefits?
The serenity of the Stanford campus is the embodiment of the light at the end of the application tunnel. While many selective universities have extremely stringent admission processes, the campuses themselves often offer a collaborative environment. Students often admit that admission to college is often the most stressful part.
The stress in the air is palpable. To so much as mutter the word “college” is to practically beg for a rousing chorus of angered hushes and repetitions of “Let’s not talk about that”.
Every student recognizes the light at the end of the tunnel; the “college experience.” Yet, the stress of the situation has begun to crack the hardened exterior of reason.
Therefore, in order to seal the resolve of the 2016 class, it must be reiterated; there is no doubt that the benefits of a college education outweigh the pains of the application process.
Senior Kevin Fitzgerald said, “It doesn’t take much logic to realize how important this process is. At the same time, in the midst of senior year, it can be difficult to remain focused.”
However, the merit of the endeavor in no way diminishes the stress. There are two main sources of such; essays and the response.
The essay is the one medium through which an applicants personality can shine. A student must take pains to carefully present his or her self in a positive and descriptive manner.
Senior Daniel Mills said, “The essay is by far the largest cause of stress. They take a long time to perfect, and they have so much weight; presenting yourself in under 650 words is not an easy task.”
The period of time between submission and response can also cause great stress. Many colleges try to alleviate this with an “Early Action” or “Early Decision” application option, but this can present a host of different stresses.
Fitzgerald said, “It’s pretty hard to figure out whether or not and where you want to apply ED or EA to. But if you have all of your application materials ready by the deadline, its definitely a nice option to have.”
The stress is in the air, but salvation lies ahead. Trudge on seniors.
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