Dear College Applications,

You are consuming the entire first half of my senior year. I could be doing so much more than simply being glued to my computer, searching for adequate scholarships, finding study hacks for the ACT, and stressing about application deadlines. Adults tell us that we need to enjoy our senior year. “Go have fun. Don’t focus on college just yet. Enjoy your last moments as a high schooler.” “Be sure to be involved within your school so you can bulk up your resume.” “Don’t miss out on the Friday Night Lights, prom, or school-related activities. You’ll regret it.”

Well let me tell you, adults and college applications, as a middle-class high school senior whose parents make just above the qualifications for federal-aid, I cannot afford to do all of those “senior memories” while still finding a way to accumulate an adequate amount of scholarships to pay for college. I don’t have a perfect ACT, nor am I the valedictorian of my class. My GPA may be high, but it is not high enough. When I’m not working or studying, I use every spare moment of my free time finding ways to bulk up my resume. I hardly have enough time to spend with my family, much less my friends.

So, my dear friends huddled up in their offices, reading over all my applications, please find a way to make the college process not so long and tedious. I would appreciate having time to spend my final high school moments with my family and friends. I would love to be able to go to a football or basketball game without having to worry about an upcoming deadline. I could be using my spare time to study for the ACT or spend more time on homework in order to raise my GPA. I am physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. So please, do me a solid (favor, in case you're like my dad and you don't understand what I mean) and somehow make the entire college application process easier.

Us high schoolers can dream, right?

Sincerely,

A stressed-out high school senior.