As the 2022-23 school year comes to an end for seniors, college decision and commitment is near. Some students see high school as a bridge to college, so they focus on studying hard and earning good grades. Whether it’s early acceptance or regular admission, there’s high pressure on seniors to get admitted into a good college.

No matter the college the suspense is high, but getting accepted into a school finally eliminates the months of anticipation students have. Family and friends eagerly wait to hear the news and everything is tense leading up to the decisive day.

“That day was such an emotional roller coaster for me because I wasn’t having the best day and when I opened it, it improved my entire week,” said senior Eiffel Sunga who is committed to Brown University. 

While many students think about college readiness as they start high school, others choose to worry about admissions later on. Similarly, senior Giselle Geering who will be attending Yale wasn’t planning on attending an Ivy League school since the beginning of her high school career. 

“Going into high school and throughout high school, it’s never been my goal to get into an Ivy League school. I wasn’t planning on applying to college until the beginning of this year because I initially wanted to join the Air Force Academy,” Geering said. 

To senior Raul Ontiveros, who will be attending Harvard, the application process was long and slow. Intimidated by the application process, he didn’t start until the later months resulting in late nights. Despite the restless nights, it worked out for him in the end.

“With every email, they [Harvard admissions] congratulated me with such kind words. A few weeks ago, they had an admitted students reception, where all of the students admitted from San Diego County were able to go and meet each other and connect. So I’ve really sensed the family-like community since the beginning,” R. Ontiveros said. 

High school also exposes students to many different people who influence them in positive ways. Teachers have a major impact on their students. Acting as support systems, teachers help students begin the admission process by giving guidance. 

“[My son] speaks very highly of all his teachers and they’ve all been very supportive. Teachers have a lot to do with it as well,”  R. Ontiveros’s mother, Alicia Ontiveros said. “I’m really grateful and I hope I have the opportunity to thank them individually for all the support one day.”

The experience of getting accepted has great value and students from all around are representing who they are in the college they are attending. For Sunga, she feels like she isn’t only representing herself in Brown, but also the people who have supported her along the journey. 

“I feel like I’m representing my family because part of the reason why we moved to the U.S. is so that me and my siblings can get a better education, so I feel like this is the first step in really achieving that goal,” Sunga said. “It’s also a reflection of the people that helped me get in because a lot of the decisions I made wouldn’t have been made if it weren’t for my friends and teachers who supported me.” 

Students may use extracurriculars to explore aspects of what their major may be like and serve as an addition to their college applications. According to A. Ontiveros, R. Ontiveros volunteers at Sharp Hospital, an animal shelter, and participates in numerous clubs such as Future Medical Leaders and Campus Beautification Club. Additionally, Geering has also participated in extracurriculars in an effort to begin her college readiness before the start of senior year. 

“In my junior and senior year, I started focusing more on extracurriculars that were tailored to my major. I did the science fair for two years since I want to major in biochemistry,” Geering said. “I also did an internship at San Diego State University last summer, so I started doing more things that were geared toward my interests.”

With all the different extracurricular activities students could have, it may be difficult to find a balance between academics and personal life. Although difficult, both Geering and R. Ontiveros have mastered time management as it is a crucial skill to have throughout high school. 

“Over the years, you learn time management and how to prioritize things. I have had to sacrifice going to parties, but in the end it will all be worth it,” R. Ontiveros said.

Along with extracurricular activities, taking higher-level academic classes that BVH offers can benefit students. These classes reveal the workload they should expect in college and what the academic environment may be like. 

“My daughter also did the IB [International Baccalaureate] program,” A. Ontiveros said. “[Raul] knew [it was a challenge] since he would see his sister have all these long sleepless nights. However, it is beneficial since I see how committed and how prepared he is by taking this further step to go to college.”

Although these classes may be challenging, Sunga mentions how she started adding more extracurriculars and advanced classes as she found a passion in them, disregarding the look of them on a college transcript. 

“I continued doing those extracurriculars and adding more such as Newspaper, the Pickwick club and taking advanced classes, not just for the college applications, but I grew to love the activities I was in,” Sunga said.

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Although the application for Yale wasn’t due until Nov. 1, for Geering specifically, starting as early as possible has helped her in the long run. It has given her the time to make revisions in her essays and put the quality it needs in order to be submitted on time.

“A couple of months in advance, I started writing my essays because there’s so much pressure to have a good essay,” Geering said. “There’s some really cool ones that were fun to write. You have to make it unique.”

The feat of getting accepted into college is an obstacle most seniors will face. Going to college can open doors in the students’ future to endless possibilities for their future career. It’s a huge step, but can help students grow and become the person they want to be. 

“As a first generation of Mexican descent, being able to get into Harvard means everything to me. My parents taught me perseverance and hard work,” R. Ontiveros said. “They raised my sister and I to view education as a vessel to a successful and bountiful life, so I’m grateful.”

It takes a lot of work to get into college, however, with the support from friends, teachers and especially parents, it was possible for Geering,  R. Ontiveros and Sunga. A support system has proved beneficial for the student when the stressors of life affect students can be especially helpful.

“I encourage everybody to dream big, to believe in themselves,” A. Ontiveros said. “As parents, we want our children to have more than what we have. We always want the best for you. As a mother, it’s an absolute dream come true.”