As the deadlines are approaching, students are rushing to get what they need in their college applications. The fear of not being able to get their applications done in time weighs heavy on their hearts and minds.

A lot of colleges share similar due dates, around October, but some have admissions rolling back until Fall 2021. With several colleges having their due dates in October, students have begun applying to their schools early, so that they have time to apply for more than one college. Even with a lot of students applying to multiple colleges, there is a hidden fear that creeps onto their thoughts. Senior, Kylie Joyce Wagner, feels overwhelmed with the idea of getting her future together.

“I have applied to five colleges and I feel very overwhelmed. It’s crazy that I’m deciding my future in such a short amount of time. I’m really nervous about gaining scholarships and writing the perfect essays that’ll get me into college,” said Wagner.

When doing a college application, there are several things that a student needs to put in, like community service and test scores. Covid-19 has put a strain on getting these things done, due to the fears of getting the virus and the actions of social distancing. This has caused many students to feel unprepared to submit their applications, since they didn’t have enough time to get what they needed to get done. Senior, Benjamin Petersen, hasn’t been able to take his SAT and it’s causing him to worry.

“I plan on taking the free SAT at school since when I sign-up to take the exam, the College Board would cancel it. It’s worrying me because what if I can’t get the score on time and I’m not able to get it into my application,” said Petersen.

With Covid-19, a lot of students are unable to participate in volunteer work and get the exams required on the applications done, which has caused students to panic about what they can put on their applications. Time constraints on submitting the main requirements also puts limitations on possible scholarships to be received by the potential college. Counselor, Ashley Wann, worries that students are unable to get scholarships that’ll benefit them and wind up struggling when they get on campus.

“As soon as you apply to a school, a lot of times they give you an email address through the university or they give you an account where you go to check for scholarships. A lot of students don’t go to check, so they miss deadlines for scholarships for housing, and things will help them be in a better place when they go to campus,” stated Wann.

College isn’t affordable to everyone, which emphasizes the deadlines for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. Anyone who is applying to college can apply for FAFSA, which gives students more opportunities to be financially prepared. The deadlines have been extended due to Covid, which eases the stress for incoming students. Associate Director of Freshman Recruitment at UTA, Anan Iqbal, hopes students will take the opportunity to get financial aid, so that they can help their futures.

“Every student needs to fill out the FAFSA. This allows the university financial aid office to determine what financial aid the student is eligible for; grants, work study, loans and even some scholarships require it on file. You would be surprised what types of college funding is out there and how much of it does not get used just because students did not apply for it,” said Iqbal.

Although there are a lot of students who are ready to walk out the door and march into their futures, there are some who are surprised by how fast time has gone. These students are afraid of their futures and seem to be doing their best to prepare. However, there’s still a fear that wraps itself around their minds. Petersen feels worried that he isn’t qualified for colleges.

“I’m worried that I’m not good enough for these colleges. I’m nervous about the transition from highschool to college and I feel like it came too fast. It feels like just yesterday I was walking into Lake Ridge as a freshman,” said Petersen.

As deadlines are getting closer, students are preparing themselves for their futures by applying to FAFSA and finishing up their applications. On the road, they faced many difficulties like cancellation of exams and applying for scholarships. Students are wrapping up and getting their issues over with as their final year of high school comes to an end.