As college application season is underway for the graduating class of 2023, there are many details to the process of applying to universities. The first step is developing the list of colleges to apply to.

“The most stressful part of applying to colleges is knowing where I want to go,” Senior Cole Earlewine said. “My dream was to play football in college, so I was on the later end of application season.”

Earlewine ended up applying to six schools, three of them being Indiana University, Purdue and Ball State.

“The biggest challenge for me was trying to find a place that I see myself being the next four years of my life,” senior Dom Burgett said. “[Also considering] where I feel like I would have the best experience academically and socially.”

Burgett applied to three in-state schools and two out-of state schools: IU, Purdue, Ball State, Arizona State University and Colorado State University.

College and Careers counselor Karen Bush said that researching schools is the first thing you need to do. Bush said that the two main stressors when it comes to applying to colleges is writing the essay. The college essay is one of the most important things to do when applying for a college. Writing a well planned out and unique essay can be the difference between someone getting into a college and getting denied. A college essay should be a story about your life or something about your background that made you the person you are today.

As the application season for the class of 2023 nears the end, students will be waiting for the email or letter in the mail telling them whether they will be accepted into the colleges they applied for or sadly denied, it is always a rollercoaster of emotions the first week of April.