November is now upon us, and as the autumn leaves sink onto the yellowing grass, high school seniors all around the country sink into aging office chairs to continue the college application process. Each new year brings new surprises, and often the same old problems.

“I work with my dad, and sometimes I have to close [the store]. I also run cross country for the school, and so I’m left with little time to apply for colleges, much less any personal time,” said senior Ahmed Elzamzami.

A common complaint amongst seniors is that time is almost never on their side. Along with this new workload of college applications seniors are still expected to keep up the same schoolwork as previously.

For many the stress of getting into a good school as a Mason student is already crippling enough. Nico Ferrara, a senior and a member of the Student Council here at Mason, said the high achieving nature of Mason on top of the rigorous application process makes applying to school doubly stressful.

“I would say that the academic talent at Mason is really special, and because of that there is even more pressure to get into a good school.”

For him and many other seniors, the stress is more consuming than the time.

“…I would ask them [teachers] to understand the stress …we as students can find the time to complete apps.” said Ferrara.

For those who have completed applications already, the process wasn’t all bad, and there was some fun and positive aspects to take away from it. Ferrara was surprised most by the speed and enjoyment of the essays in particular.

“They are personal questions, so all you need to do is reflect on life. It’s interesting,” Ferrara said.

For the majority who have yet to finish applications though, the task is daunting.

“Getting rejected is the scariest part, because you show a college the best stuff about you, so if they don’t accept you that sucks,” said senior Anna DuBro.

Ultimately, most students would like teachers and adults to understand that this period of the year is time consuming and stressful, and to be more patient and understanding.

“I think they [teachers and adults] underestimate how much time it takes up,” said Elzamzami.

When asked what she was looking forward to most about the application process, DuBro replied, “I’m looking forward to the whole application process being over.”

For seniors, the application process is just another step towards graduation – a very tedious step, but a necessary one nonetheless.