The Mycenaean

During fall, seniors across the nation go through the scary process of applying to universities.

According to a stratified random sample survey conducted by the Leesville Road High School Mycenaean staff, 83% of Leesville seniors had started to apply to college by the beginning of October.  Of the 83%, 22% had actually finished applying.

Phillip Harris Langley, a senior, said his application to all his colleges took over a week to complete.  “It was a grueling and inspiring process, and I think Harvard will accept me in the end.”

The survey further asked seniors how many colleges they would be applying to.  Although there was one outlier of 21, students on average will be applying to 5.333 colleges.

“I am personally applying to App State, State, UNCW and Harvard,” said Langley.

Langley will be applying to Appalachian State University and North Carolina State University through the Early Action program.

“The only thing I don’t like about early action is that I have to apply this month.  For my other colleges I can wait until next year.”

Applying early does provide some benefits, however.  Most early action decisions let students know of their acceptance status by mid-December through late January or early February.  Unlike early decision, another benefit that early action provides is the non-binding feature.

“I don’t like early decision because if I somehow got accepted with this app then I would have to go to that college.  With early action, even if I get in, I don’t have to go.  So even if I got into State or App, if I find out later that I get into Harvard, then I would probably go to Harvard.”

Students generally used either College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) or the common application.

“I use CFNC for the colleges here in North Carolina,” said Langley, “but I like the common app because it makes it really convenient for me to apply to out of state colleges.”

As Langley stated, the process of applying is long and tedious.

“Filling out two different applications and entering information over and over again is kind of pointless I think.  Plus I have to do supplements for some schools.”

Tim Wolf, a senior, feels as if the application process has become too burdensome.  Wolf decided later to avoid the process completely.

“I don’t apply to colleges; they apply to me.”

Langley expects his response from his universities by this December through next March.  “When I get rejected, I’ll probably cry.  If I get accepted, I’ll probably cry.  But overall I’m hoping for no answer.”