College application season is in full swing, and no one feels it more than those currently applying. But the stress of it also gives way to opportunities for self-reflection as students prepare for their post-secondary life.

From community college to Ivy Leagues, seniors face the same challenges. A closer look at the application process showcases the mindset of students as they incorporate their lived experiences with their future.

Senior Amber Thorland is academically in the top 2% of the Class of 2025. She is applying to over twenty schools, many of which are prestigious like MIT and UCLA. She has found it difficult to balance school and applying, especially with all the supplemental writing she has to do for these colleges.

“You want to make yourself sound unique and interesting, and it’s kind of hard to articulate [my] words, especially because I’m a STEM person,” she said.

Despite Thorland’s love of STEM, she is not set on her major. She knows it is hard for everyone, especially when it feels like something that will decide what a student does for the rest of their life.

“I know I want to do engineering, but even picking within engineering, even though I know I can change, is kind of stressful,” Thorland said. “It’s not permanent, but it kind of feels permanent.”

Jade-Lynn Foster, another senior, agrees with Thorland.

“You feel like you’re planning your future and your life right in front of you. Like the next year is going to be your next 50 years,” Foster said.

Fossil offers many resources to help alleviate the difficulty in post-secondary planning. Thorland found college visits to be the most helpful.

“If I have any questions about the college application process, they’re helpful because they’re knowledgeable,” Thorland said.

Foster also takes advantage of resources like Xello and workshops hosted in the College & Career Center. One such event brought a Colorado State University representative to help with writing college essays, a particular struggle for Foster.

“It’s given me just a bit more insight on what I need to do to get to where I need to be. The CSU guy that came down, he was very helpful and informative in what to do and what not to do with your college essays and what they look for,” Foster said.

Mattieu Henry is another senior applying to prestigious schools like Stanford and Duke. His advice: get started early.

“There’s never a time that’s too early, even brainstorming essay ideas in your junior year. Just start getting thoughts for ‘Oh, who am I? What do I want to do later in life?’”

Early application is an option most colleges provide that allows students to apply early for special perks, like early admission decisions and automatic scholarship consideration. Henry appreciates early application for getting him motivated.

“I feel like a lot of people, maybe myself included, will procrastinate until January 1, and then it’s like ‘Oh no, I have to do this all in one night.’ So I think it’s good to set up a timeline.”

Thorland found success in this approach, setting personal deadlines for each step in the process to decrease her stress.

“When I started, it was just random pieces, like filling out random personal information and writing random essays. But now I’m pretty much ready to apply to CSU, which is exciting.”

Starting applications later is not the end of the world, however. Foster only recently thought of college as a possibility, and while she feels a bit behind, she has found pros in the process.

“I feel like I’m doing it on my own sometimes, and I’m just having to navigate it by myself, which is kind of stressful,” Foster said. “[But] looking inward on myself and seeing the achievements that I’ve done, and the goals, and how that’s helped me to get to where I need to be, that’s pretty fun to see my growth.”

Henry also found filling out college applications helped him reflect on his achievements and how far he has come.

“[The personal essay] forces you to think ‘What do I want to do with my life? Who am I? Who do I want to present myself as?’ And that’s hard for a lot of people. It’s definitely been a little bit challenging for me,” Henry said. “But it had an impact on me, telling me more about who I am. So it’s very, very corny, but it’s true.”

Henry is aware most of his college choices are highly competitive, so he stresses the importance of not letting rejection affect students’ education.

“Wherever you go for college, if you have the drive, if you have the passion, if you have the love for what you want to do, then you’ll turn out great.”