As the class of 2026 approaches May, the seniors must get ready for what has been, up to now, one of the biggest moments of their lives: the college application process. Throughout their high school years, a majority of the student body has been preparing for this next chapter, planning their futures, beyond high school.
“The hardest part, I would say, is just getting started,” said Ms. Schultz, a school counselor and head of the College and Career Center here at Sandburg. “Sitting down and creating a Common App account, adding schools, and just finding the time to answer the questions.”
Completing college applications are a very time-consuming process, so students who already manage school, extracurricular, and other commitments may find themselves with even more on their plate during this time. This can be overwhelming even with good time management skills.
Fortunately, Sandburg does not leave students without help, especially when it comes to the college application essay. Ms. Schultz explained, “We have our Lit Lab, and the College and Career Center. We have a ton of different opportunities for students to come down and just ask for help.” This help can entail assistance with the Common App questions, instructions on how to navigate their application, information about individual colleges, help with submitting information about yourself, and reviewing your essay and other parts of the application that can be more dynamic than transcript submissions.
Senior Ayaan Ghori stated, “They have provided help, and I’ve gotten a few basic pointers… They provide good guides on how to get stuff done.”
Even people who prefer to work on their own can use the college and career center to get a blueprint for what should make up their application.
Help at Sandburg is not limited to the College Career Center. Senior Nicholas Diaz, who wants to be a music education major, said, “I’ve been in constant communication with both my private lesson teacher and my band directors, kind of saying ‘Hey, what do I expect? How am I going to go about this?’… I [also] just have been pretty good friends with all the English teachers that I’ve had over the years, so I’ve been able to talk to them and have their help as a resource, especially with my essays.” Even the staff members at Sandburg who do not handle the college application process directly are willing to lend a hand to students, helping them take the first step outside of their high school experience.
Although there is still time left until application deadlines, seniors have already begun to recognize that their time at Sandburg is almost over. As Diaz put it, “day by day, I’m not very sentimental. I’m like, ‘Oh, just another school day.’ It’s when I get into to my last firsts like my last first marching band competition, my last first football game, and eventually it will be my last first concert, and that’s usually when I get the most emotional.” For the class of 2026, the last chapter of childhood is closing, and the first chapter of adulthood opens.
If you or someone you know needs assistance with your college application, you can find the College Career Center in C120. For more specific help with the written portions of your application, visit the Lit Lab, located in S237, during your lunch or study hall hours.