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By Lena Pearson

For the Clemmons Courier

Senior year calls for making memories, participating in school events and most importantly, planning for the future. Seniors have a lot on their plate as college applications and admissions are still in full swing, with many school’s acceptance letters being sent out at the beginning of December. Many Titans have spent their autumn months perfecting their applications and mapping out their upcoming years of higher education, putting both their academic and personal interests into consideration. Although every seniors’ goals are different when approaching college decisions, many West students feel that they are on the right track that will lead them to a future full of success.

For many seniors, the college application process began during the summer, when the Common App opened at the beginning of August. Students have the opportunity to apply with the Early Action plan (EA), the process by which application responses are made earlier than if a student were to apply through Regular Decision later in the winter. The Early Action deadline was on Nov. 1, and many seniors used the opportunity to their advantage.

“I applied Early Action to one, just to get everything done earlier and two, students who apply EA are at a higher priority than those who apply Regular Decision,” Kate Najmulski said. “My senior year has been extremely busy between my AP classes and my job, so I didn’t want college applications to be held over my head.”

Others recognize the benefit of getting ahead in the process, and had completed their applications long before any deadlines were due.

“The admission process can be pretty stressful through senior year, so I believe that it’s best to get things done early,” senior Grant Lovingood said. “I personally had things done in September and it sure was a heavy load taken off my shoulders.”

When applying to college, every senior considers different factors for their final decision. The distance from home, tuition cost, and majors offered all play a large role in determining where a student wants to attend.

“I am hoping to go to UNC Chapel Hill but my other options are App State, N.C. State, UNC Charlotte, or High Point University,” Amaya Patel said. “When researching schools, I looked to see if they had my major, the school size, if it was public or private, things to do on campus, parking and more.”

While some submitted their applications with only a loose college plan in mind, others know exactly what their next four years hold.

“Applying was a bit different for me because I had a very pointed idea of where I wanted to go  and what I wanted to do,” Tanner Young said. “I really wanted to go into Theater Education and UNCG has a great program so that was the only school I applied to and I was accepted which I’m very excited for.”

Upon visiting potential colleges and witnessing the campus life, some students came to a confident conclusion of where they plan to go. Campus tours are an efficient way to feel out a school and get a glimpse of what it would be like to attend.

“My current plan is to go to Virginia Tech to major in industrial design and minor in package systems,” Najmulski said.  “I was really drawn to VT because in my opinion they have a perfect balance of a large school with a small town feel. I want the “classic college experience” with football games and joining clubs.”

Despite the busy college application process and the period of anxiously waiting for a letter in the mail, the Titans have it under control. Each student has their own aspirations regarding college, but they have all put their best foot forward in starting their successful future.