Navigating the application process for college admission can be stressful for students. Many students may feel lost and overwhelmed with the pages and pages of information to complete and submit by a deadline. Students may even find themselves completing these applications alone, without guidance or direction from another person. However, seniors and graduating juniors can receive guidance from a variety of people within the school.
In 2024, Brookings, a non-profit research institution in Washington, D.C, ran a study to see how many students choose not to finish an application for higher education after high school. They examined data on 1.2 million high school students and found that nearly 300,000 students left the application uncompleted. These students who chose to not finish the application showed interest in the opportunities these institutions offered, but ultimately chose to not submit their application.
Reasons for not submitting their application range from stress and anxiety to finances and uncertainty. Many of these students lacked the resources to guide them to success, however, their biggest resources are within their own school.
According to Rebecca Martin, a counselor at Great Crossing High School, said that as of November 2025, there are around 383 seniors and 31 juniors that plan to graduate in 2026. Within that class, Martin claimed that ¾ of them would pursue an education after high school.
Mastering the Admission Process
Many students simply do not know where to begin. However, the solution to this is quite simple according to Martin, “We advise students to do their applications through CommonApp. There, you can do one application and send it to as many colleges/universities as you’d like. For early admission, you will have to know that’s the college you want and take away your application to any other colleges. Those are normally due by December 1, but students should look at the dates for each college.” It is important to note that not every school is on CommonApp, which will result in a student needing to apply though the university’s official site.
Once students start their application, they will inevitably be asked the question of high school accomplishments and extracurriculars. Anna Murphy, a 2025 graduate of GCHS and a current freshman at Western Kentucky University, recommended that students be prepared for this question. “My advice would be to make a spreadsheet of your high school activities, accomplishments, clubs, awards, etc. And write a brief description to go along with them. Most college applications ask the same basic questions, and you can copy and paste from your spreadsheet, which saves a lot of time and stress.”
The counselors office is a great resource, whether it be applying for admission or looking for scholarships. Murphy said that in her experience, “The guidance office runs a spreadsheet of local and school scholarships that helped me a lot. They update it pretty often and some of the scholarships I was awarded, I applied for because of that spreadsheet…Also, look for specific college scholarships, like if a college will give you extra money for a certain ACT score or potential interview opportunities.”
Though, Martin said that if students need advice, they should refer to their school counselors. If a student does not feel comfortable speaking with a counselor, Martin said, “I would advise anyone who doesn’t want to go to their counselor to at least talk to a friend or someone they trust that can help them out. As long as they have one person who can help them navigate this time with them, that is fine.”
Find a Campus that Best Fits
Many students may not even take into consideration campus lifestyle when starting to apply for college admission. It is best to find a campus based on their needs or wants. This may include campus size, distance, and housing options.
Sydney Wilder, a senior at Great Crossing High School has already been admitted to the University of Kentucky. She stated, “College may seem stressful, but it is easiest to have an idea of what to do in the future—it could be specific or broad, all you need is a general idea. You also need to think about what fits your lifestyle the best, such as campus size and life.”
Wilder goes on to explain, “Personally—the University of Kentucky was best fit for me. When I toured the campus, I loved the campus and its size since for me that is what I was specifically looking for.”
Financing A College Education Isn’t Always Easy
Another stressor for college is finance. Many students feel held back due to the cost of college. One may not be able to entirely pay off college bills outright, but there are financial solutions to help make a college education possible.
One way to combat this according to Martin is keeping your grades high. “The state of Kentucky has KEES money which helps, BUT you have to earn good grades. You can earn up to $500 a year just for having straight As. KEES money is used at all colleges in Kentucky. Also, there are TONS of scholarships available to seniors. Having high scores on ACT and SAT are helpful as well because it looks good on college resumes and can help with scholarships,” explained Martin..
FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is also another great resource that provides funds on the basis of income. According to their website, students can apply for this aid every year to determine your eligibility for grants, scholarships and even loans. Though this can not pay for the entire tuition, it can help. It is, however, important to think realistically. Some tuition costs are much more than what can be covered through financial aid.
Education after high school should be exciting, not stressful. It is a process that everybody who wants to pursue an education post high school goes through. It is important to keep in mind the parts of the application to be better prepared for completion.
