Now that the school year has entered the second semester, seniors have mainly completed their college applications and are waiting for the universities to get back to them with a decision. Some colleges, like Florida State University (FSU), allow applicants to apply for Early Action, which guarantees you will have their decision by Dec. 15. While other colleges, like the University of Florida (UF), make applicants wait until the last week in February or sometimes even later before they update your application status. So, students must apply for Early Action or Rolling Admission to hear from colleges. 

FSU (where I will be attending), among many other universities, has organized multiple Instagram accounts with the purpose of finding incoming students a roommate before they get to campus. Although there is an option to get a randomly selected roommate, many students find it comforting to know who they will be living with for the next semester. 

Seniors also need to consider the essentials they need for their dorms if they choose to live on campus. Some of these essentials include a mattress topper, a comforter (size Twin or Twin XL), a shower caddy, and lots of bins and shelves to store your belongings in such a confined space. 

Senior Remy Vinueza said, “College preparation is stressful. Deciding on a school and leaving everything you know behind is scary. However, I am looking forward to attending college.” 

Some are still deciding what college they will attend based on where they have been accepted so far. In that case, the best thing to do is prioritize what you value in a university, and whichever has the most in common with what you want; that is where you should go. Another way to look at it is which school has the best program for your chosen major. 

Lastly, once you are done applying to schools, there are plenty of scholarships to look into. Some significant ones include Bright Futures and FAFSA. Also, Mrs. Moseley shared many other smaller scholarships that could save you a couple of hundred dollars if the descriptions apply to you and your situation. For example, some scholarships are for student-athletes, while others are meant for an incoming college freshman in “financial need.”