As students sit at their computer with the notification “Status Update,” their hearts race. Their legs shake as tears well up in their eyes. Their parents have their hands on their child’s shoulders as they all glare at the new update. They click and open their letter to view either: a rejection resulting in weeks of tears and distress, a deferral– which prolongs the fear, or an acceptance–in which the senior screams tears of joy and in most cases drops to the floor in a state of shock.

While this sounds like the norm, in recent weeks, seniors’ stress has exponentially increased. Students put this intense amount of pressure on getting accepted into one school and determine their self worth based on the school. According to experts, 85% of college students experienced increased stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guy Harizman ’22 has experienced this intense amount of pressure.

 “Being rejected feels really personal. I know it’s not but it feels like that school knows you as a human being and thinks your high school years of work are pointless. I wish it weren’t the case but it does,” Harizman said.

College has become something much more than attending a four year program to continue students’ education away from home. It has become a cut-throat, fiercely competitive process where seniors feel pressured to attend these prestigious schools in order to receive validation from peers.

“I think everyone freaks out for no reason,” Haley Roraback ’22 said. “It’s unpredictable […] and everyone’s just gonna go to a school they like so it doesn’t matter. People just care about what others will think about their decision.”

 At Staples, it seems that everyone is invested in other people’s college admission process. Students get hyper-fixated on reviewing their profile and comparing it to their competitors. Students try to predict their chances of being accepted and dig up as much information to prepare themselves for that status update email.

“I know it’s all random and everyone has something different they can offer each school but seeing a rejection is extremely discouraging,” Sophia Kessler ’22 said. “Staples has many extremely hard working students and when they see rejection it’s hard to deal with after so much effort has gone in to see a good outcome.”

As this stressful week comes to a close, seniors try to keep an open mind to calm their nerves. 

“I believe it’s all about having perspective,” Maya Marcus-Malone ’22 said. “My mom always reminds me that rejection is just redirection. It’s corny but it’s true.”