Jemilee Corona just recently graduated from DGS in May of 2021 and will be attending Grand Valley State University Fall of 2021. As a former senior, Corona has some insights on how to deal with every student’s biggest stressor during senior year–college. Corona answers some questions about her experience to give advice to any upcoming seniors.

Q: In your opinion, what was the hardest part about the college application process and how did you handle it?
A: I think the hardest part about the college application process was staying on top of all of your applications. Making sure you are making every deadline when applying to multiple schools can get overwhelming as well as making sure you meet every requirement in order to apply successfully. The way that I handled this process was keeping all of my deadlines and application requirements either written down or in a Google sheets chart which I found to be successful.

Q: When do you recommend starting the college application process and why?
A: I would recommend looking into potential college and universities your junior or even sophomore year so you can narrow down your options at the beginning of your senior year and so you feel like you’ve had enough time to think about your options and plans after high school. I began my college application process around late September and I found this to be successful because most of my application deadlines were in November. This could definitely vary for each person depending on your college application deadlines.

Q: Do you think it’s important to visit the colleges you applied to?
A: I think it is very important to visit colleges before committing to a school, this way you know what kind of campus and school size you prefer. It is also important to know whether you prefer an urban, rural or suburban area for your school because you will be spending the next few years of your life in this area.

Q: How did you personally deal with writing your college application essay?
A: College essays are a big part of your application. My personal essay was done over time. I did a few drafts and then a final draft. I also had 2 different teachers look over my essay and received feedback. This is a crucial point where admissions get to know a little bit about who you are and why you should be admitted so it is important to read over it and make sure grammar and your layout is correct.

Q: How did you manage time between school and work while also completing college applications?
A: It is definitely difficult to manage schoolwork, a job and college applications all at one but as long as you manage your time correctly it is definitely doable. I made sure to spend a few days out of the week reviewing my applications and working on my essay to make sure I meet every deadline and complete my application to the best of my ability