After months of writing essay after essay, when the final submit button is pressed on Common App, there’s a sigh of relief. A sense of completion washes over you. But then, a tsunami of impatience hits you in the face.

When will I know where I’ll go for college?

Oh, how that question plagues the senior student body.

You don’t always know when a school’s acceptance letters will come out. Often, schools will give you a specific date for notification, but sometimes they give you nothing.

It’s stressful! And when mixed with senioritis, it can be exhausting.

The uncertainty of your future becomes a heavy weight to bear, especially when people around you have already heard back from schools and they have committed.

So, how can you minimize this stress? 

While acceptance to a particular college is based on several factors including the college applicant pool, the major you have declared, the strength of your application compared to your peers, and additional materials (such as portfolios or films), there are two traditional application types you can use to fast track responses from colleges.

The first application type is Early Action, which is similar to regular as it is non-binding but you are required to apply earlier, often around October or November.

Not all schools have this option, like George Washington University or UCLA. But, some of the schools that do offer this option see this type of application as an applicant’s demonstrated interest in a school. For some schools, that additional show of interest is not taken lightly. 

The other, and arguably the scariest application option is Early Decision.

This application is considered binding. This means if you are accepted, you are required to attend.

Acceptance letters for this type of application also tend to come out earlier than other options–often in mid-December.

Some schools offer a second round of Early Decision applications which are submitted around early to mid-January, with acceptance letters coming out in February February.

Early Action and Early Decision applications can increase your chances of getting to a school, sometimes drastically.

Olivia Swain ‘26 offered her plan for her senior year. “I plan to apply early to many colleges so I can reduce my stress during March and April. It is still definitely going to be a stressful period of hard work and waiting for the school’s decisions, but this will just help with overall time management for me,” said Swain.

Swain is smart for planning ahead. Thinking about college earlier in your high school can help prepare your for the actual application process.

When it’s finally time to start applying to schools, that early planning can help reduce stress during the whole process.

Doing research and planning ahead ensures you will be more comfortable and overall more educated on the application process. This will allow you to focus on improving the quality of your application.

PRO TIP: Remember that while some schools traditionally have the same application and essay prompts every year, they might change some things before their application portal opens. So, don’t forget to check for those changes.

What can you do to not go crazy?

It’s best to avoid constantly checking your application status or refreshing your email.

Of course, it is important to keep an eye on the status of your applications to keep track of your document to-do list or any changes in your application process but it’s not helpful to obsessively check.

Consider checking your portal every couple of days. Remember that most schools will send you notifications with important updates.

A healthy option is to fill the time, focus on hanging out with friends or family, keeping up with your hobbies or workouts, and getting good sleep.

Most likely, you are a second semester senior. Enjoy this time! Take advantage of senior activities and privileges like Prom and Senior Assassins. 

Applying to college is a stressful process. Plan ahead, practice self-care, and don’t forget to be proud of yourself for putting in all of this work.

Remember, even if it doesn’t go as planned, you will go to the school you were meant to attend.

Godspeed Knights.