courtesy of opb.org
Congratulations to all those who have been accepted into colleges!
The school year is starting off strong as Milo Tarascio, Michael Nader, Nathan Silverstein, Lucas Iturate, Keelin Driscoll, Juliet Gioffre, Gianna Pantano, Clarissa Ometz, and many others have committed to colleges.
The college decision process is mainly a waiting game for most seniors, many waiting several months to hear back from colleges. But how are some students hearing back while others need to wait until March? It depends on both the specific colleges and how the student applied.
There are three ways a senior can apply to college. Regular Decision is most common, as it is the last deadline, allowing students more time to perfect their application and compare financial aid. However, there is more competition in this pool, and those who choose this option hear back from their schools the latest.
Early Action is very similar, but there is a smaller applicant pool and most students hear back in the winter—before Regular Decision but after Early Decision.
However, all of the students who have committed thus far have used a different approach. They chose Early Decision.
Early Decision differs from the others as it not only has the earliest deadline, but it is also binding. This means a person can only apply to one school through Early Decision, and if they get in, they are required to attend that school. While that can be a daunting prospect for some, others find it incredibly helpful if they are confident about where they want to go.
Gianna Pantano, a senior who is now committed to Villanova for Psychology, stated, “Ultimately, I decided to do Early Decision to Villanova because it was my first choice and I best envisioned myself as a student there.”
So far, River Dell seniors have gotten into a wide variety of colleges, from Villanova to Boston College to Fairfield. These colleges are vastly different, but their different qualities are what make them perfect for our own diverse student body.
For instance, Clarissa Ometz has decided to study Finance and Marketing at Boston College while also pursuing dance, one of her biggest passions.
She chose Boston College because it “offered everything I hoped for in my college education. BC’s business program paired with their extensive list of clubs allows me to delve into what interests me most in the business world as well as provide me with many firsthand experiences in business. The arts at Boston College especially drew me in as they are a huge part of the BC community, and I am looking to continue dancing on dance team as well as minor in dance.”
Conversely, Milo Tarascio has committed to Villanova because of its impressive business program. “After school I plan on working in the Finance field. They have a lot of connections and I think that, after my college education, I could easily get a job and the opportunity to prove myself and make some major coin. I chose Business because I love numbers. In 5th grade my teacher said I had a ‘number sense.’ I don’t really know what that meant but it sounds like a flex.”
There are other factors people consider when committing to a college. Distance from home, social life, size, location, and sports programs could all influence someone’s decision. Tarascio took these into consideration as well, stating that “The campus is incredibly beautiful, the size is perfect for me, and the business school is one of the top schools in the nation. I knew this was the college for me. Plus, the colors are awesome. I love blue, and the colors are blue, light blue, and white. Like c’mon—it’s perfect.”
There are many aspects that seniors need to consider before making their final decision. While this can seem like an overwhelming process, those who have completed the college process have methods that make the experience much less scary. These tips have ranged from making sure not to procrastinate, to not overthinking anything, to making sure to proofread college essays.
Gianna Pantano’s best advice for underclassmen is to “keep an open mind and continue researching and visiting to figure out what you truly value in a college, as it can change a lot even within just a few months of applying. At the end of the day, you will end up where you are supposed to be no matter what school!”