Decision Day

By Allison Luhrs, College Counselor

The next nine days may be the most stressful some of our seniors have faced during the college application process, and they are also incredibly exciting. May 1 is National College Decision Day. By that day each senior must notify the college s/he plans to attend, or lose that option.

Senior fall is difficult because it requires excellent time management and deep thinking about the story students want to tell about themselves. But once they’ve completed those applications, the tough decision-making shifts to the admission offices. EPS college counselors guide students to apply solely to schools at which they can see themselves happy and thriving, and we also counsel them to apply to a balanced list so they’ll have choices come spring. When April arrives, many students have multiple schools from which they’ve received acceptances, and now the decision is back in their hands. Which one school are they going to attend? That’s tough; saying “yes” to one school means saying “no” to the others. Most students have imagined themselves on multiple campuses, and have thought long and hard about the benefits of each school – and they all have benefits.

College counselors met with seniors on Monday to remind them that we are here to help process this big decision. Which college offers the best opportunities for majors the student is interested in? Which has put forth the strongest financial aid package? Which has the sense of community the student wants? These are only a few of the questions we’ll help students ponder. Meanwhile, some students are planning to visit or revisit campuses to investigate a program more deeply, or in hopes of one campus feeling more “right” than another. Whatever the process, the truth remains: the decision is theirs to make, and we’re excited to celebrate each and every choice.