Senior year is the last year of high school. The next step for some people is applying to college, and at Darlington, a college-prep school, all seniors are expected to apply.

Aside from grade point average, many colleges also require essays. The college essay is crucial for college admissions because it sets each applicant apart from one another. Some colleges have the same essay prompt, but most differ a little.

“Supplemental essay requirements are not that bad because you can reuse essays,” senior Jack Cowan said. “I’ve probably only written 2-3 paragraphs and moved the rest around to fit the requirements.” 

Another requirement for most colleges is ACT/SAT test scores. While some colleges don’t require test scores, testing is still recommended. A lot of scholarships are based on test scores.

“I have been taking the SAT since December of last year,” senior Liam Norton said. “So, I feel pretty well prepared to apply. I would recommend taking it as early as possible.”

Darlington’s college admissions office is in charge of student’s transcripts and recommendations.

“Darlington takes everything step by step, which is really helpful for me,” senior Hattie James Lester said. “They also confirm and check everything in your application for you.”

However, some students believe that the college application process could be improved.

“My problem with Darlington and the college process is that they prioritize all students just getting into college. Everyone gets into college, which is great, but the problem is you shouldn’t be applying to a school just to say you got into a school,” Cowan said.

“You should motivate yourself to apply to tougher schools. Applying to tougher schools have motivated me to be a better student, do better on my tests, and put more effort into these college applications.” 

“I think that, at the end of the day, Darlington helps us to get to college,” senior Luci Saxton said. “I am really thankful for that.”