Around this time of year, MSMS seniors are seen running around asking teachers for a recommendation letter, having heart-to-heart conversations with their counselors, hurrying to Mrs. Kellie King’s office to beg for forgiveness for not filling out a transcript request form two weeks prior to the deadline, or sitting in Hooper and writing about things that makes them unique to all other applicants of the school that they are applying to.

The application process typically consists of writing a personal statement, getting teacher recommendation letters, answering college-specific questions, and crafting resumes.

All of these objectives may seem a bit daunting to the juniors, but senior Aiyana Gordon, who plans on attending Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, explains that the process can be made easier by mentioning the infamous Senior Portfolio.

“The Senior Portfolio REALLY prepared me for the college applications. The essay prompts on the Senior Portfolio were the same prompts for my college applications. I just revised [the essays] and submitted them!” Gordon states. 

Some students, like Gordon, are applying to institutions located all over the nation including such places in California, Washington, and Michigan.

Even though there are students ready to “spread their wings” and explore, there are some seniors who are happy about staying in Mississippi to further explore what the state has to offer. Senior Tia Wilson plans on attending the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

Wilson states, “Southern has a great Polymer Science program and I have been set on going to Southern ever since I started high school. The campus is pretty and it [Southern] is cheap.”

As most people know, college is not inexpensive. Signing up for standardized tests, sending standardized test score reports, requesting for official transcripts, filling out the CSS Profile, and/or having to pay application fees are all costly. Senior Reagan Poston shares her expenses by stating, “I just paid $300 for three schools.”

Aside from the expenses, Poston has had an okay time during this application process because she made a schedule to have time for applications.

For the rest of the college application season, Senior Ryan Hopson wants to encourage the rest of the Class of 2017 by saying, “It [applying to colleges] made me realize that whichever college I go to, I will be happy because the type of undergraduate school you go to does not really matter, it’s what you do outside the classroom that matters.”

For the seniors and juniors, counselor Dr. Heath Stevens encourages everyone to “Always remember to be kind and respectful, act professional, do things early, and seek out help when you need it.”