With some Early Action and Early Decision deadlines coming up and others having recently passed, students are scrambling to get in their final essays, recommendations and ACT scores. Some students are feeling confident, having submitted everything that is due. However, a great many others are feeling the pressure of the early November deadlines.

Some students started their applications in early August when they opened, so finishing them has been a breeze. However, the final proofreading can be stressful before submitting everything, and Shanay Desai is no exception to the last minute nerves.

“I feel pretty confident in my application for [Early Decision],” Desai said. “I have been editing and re-editing my application since August, but I’ll be okay in the end. It’s definitely more stress than what I initially expected, considering my future can ultimately be determined by these next few days and the thoroughness of my application.”

Some students, however, feel that they are running out of time, and they regret not finishing the applications earlier.

“I feel almost disappointed in myself for starting Early Action this late. I only have [a few weeks] before the deadline, and I’m not even close to being finished,” Henry Sanders said.

Sanders also spoke on how virtual school has affected applying to colleges, especially for students remaining at home.

“Going virtual is the best and worst thing for filling out college apps. On one hand, nobody bothers me in person and my room is always quiet, which makes college apps less stressful,” Sanders said. “On the other hand, it’s hard to get motivation for anything school-related, especially important applications that will decide my future for the next four years.”

Many students remarked that the college application process, while stressful, is going better than they expected after watching the Class of 2020 endure the same struggles last fall.

“I actually gave little to no thought about college junior year, so all this is brand new to me. Gina Nguyen actually helped me a lot over the summer to get ready for this year and the increased workload,” Desai said. “I feel like, even though college apps take up a significant portion of senior year, if you can manage your time well, then it’s really not all that bad.”

“College apps have been generally like I thought they would be as a junior,” Cameron Wright said. “I knew from watching the seniors last year that I wouldn’t have nearly as much free time this year as I had as a junior, and that has definitely been the case.”

Whether students have submitted their applications and are waiting for acceptance letters, or if they are making the final touches before pressing submit, the college application process is drawing to a close. The January deadline is approaching, and scholarship season will follow soon after that. Although the pandemic has limited some students’ abilities to showcase their talents to colleges, many feel that MSMS has accommodated them as best as possible, given the circumstances.

“The admission process as a whole has been helpful, especially the virtual MSMS college visits and financial aid workshops,” Desai said. “I think that even though we are all virtual, we are still given really good opportunities.”