As the seniors of Kelly Walsh enter their last year of high-school most of them have one thing on their mind: college. Carrying the weight of getting into the college of their dreams or working to earn the highest level of scholarships, most of them are already stressed to the max.

“It makes me sad to see kids so stressed over these things,” said Liz Masterson, who teaches many students who are already at their breaking point.

Many students don’t know where to begin their college application process “First thing keep all doors open. Go after your dream schools, but also have a reality school. It’s okay to dream and reach,” said Patty Platt one of Kelly Walsh’s Guidance Counselors.

Most seniors are at the point where they don’t know were to begin the application process or what their next step should be.

“Applying to college is definitely not an easy task. Determining the schools that we want to apply to is a long process, through the application process itself as well as the mental aspect of it. Applying to college is a momentous part of our journey as youth, and it seems extremely overwhelming thinking our lives will change so much in such a short period of time. Not to mentions that on top of already time consuming schools and activities, applying is just another thing that we tend to ‘not have time for,’” said Colin O’Neill a senior at Kelly Walsh who is in the process of applying to college.

An important thing for seniors to remember is that the counselors and the other staff members at Kelly Walsh are there to help them, but they aren’t going to hold their hands. Mrs. Platte recommends that all seniors log into Naviance an online program ran by the counselors to help seniors navigate through their senior year. It also offers different road maps that talk about the various career paths available. The counselors also put a lot of important information in the First-Class Email about scholarships and other financial aid opportunities. In the folder you will find a “scholarship bulletin” that is updated monthly by Mr. O’Connor who is the college advisor at Kelly Walsh about all the scholarship opportunities that month.

Remember seniors, this is your last year of high school and there are many people who are willing to help you through the process. Don’t forget to enjoy this year because this will be one you will look back on for the rest of your life.