Welcome to the yearly bonanza that is college application season.  It’s the time of year when seniors have breakdowns at the drop of a pin and there is a perpetual line in the guidance office.  College trips are in full swing and sleep has become a luxury reserved for the weekends.

There is no shortage of stress, and it is thrown at seniors from every direction.  AP classes, extracurricular activities, standardized tests and application after application all pile up in the lockers, rooms and backpacks of seniors.  The nights are late and the coffee is strong.

The college application process is an arduous one.  Keeping track of deadlines is a full time job, yet students are expected to maintain “A” averages, be involved in everything, keep track of a thousand different pieces of paperwork, save the world and get 9 hours of sleep a night.

Some view the college essay as the most important essay of one’s high school career.

At a terrifying maximum of 650 words, students spend months crafting their entire life into a few paragraphs.

Attempts have been made in recent years to streamline the process with online applications through  Common App, college visits at. Schreiber, and copious help from the guidance office, it is still an overwhelming ordeal for 17 year olds who are just beginning to find themselves.

The work of getting into college is done by seniors and for seniors.  That’s the only right way.

But in a world where competition has reached insane levels, the job market is abysmal, and students have no time to think (let alone enjoy life), a good solid support group of adults can make all the difference in the process.

However, this does not mean students should have their applications completed  by outside sources.

It is completely necessary for students to have parents and guidance counselors guide them in this process, but that does not at all mean that they should be completing applications for them.

Aside from being obviously immoral, getting a third party to write a personal statement is counterintuitive.

Adults have experienced much more than teenagers have.  Their perspective is essential in helping students to decide what is best for them.

There are many things to consider: traditional debates of location and size, which standardized tests to take, and whether or not to apply early.

Having trusted adults to help students navigate these decisions is imperative.