Long summer days of going to the beach, hanging out with friends and catching up on sleep ended as the school year began on Aug. 18. Now mornings are filled with the dreadful sound of alarms, as students rush out the door in hopes of making it to class on time.

As students go from school to work or sports practice, many find little time to focus on college.

“I have a job, and it gets hard to find time to look for college information,” Danae Cook, ’05, said. “Studying can be difficult; it’s hard to find the time because I still want to have fun and be with my friends.”

Along with other responsibilities, seniors have the added pressure of application deadlines, choosing the right college and SAT scores.

In spite of these added responsibilities, enjoying high school is a major focal point for many.

“There are a lot of important decisions about my future that I have to make,” Carina Moran, ’05, said. “Choosing the right college and field of study is important. But, even with all of that to think about, I am sure my senior year will be great.”

Jon Endicott, vice principal and college counselor, is available to give college advice to seniors.

“Most seniors don’t see college as something very close,” Endicott said.
“Procrastination will really hurt you in the application process. Applying to college is not something that can be done in one hour. Most colleges want you to apply early.”

The process of finding information is aided by the use of Internet applications and online college counseling sites.

“I plan to use all the college web sites,” Brandon Diaso, ’05, said. “I’ve heard that Collegeboard.com can be very helpful for the SATs. I also think that actually visiting the colleges you are looking at is also very important.”

For more information on colleges, scholarships and SATs, contact Endicott at (559) 299-1695, ext. 126, or visit www.fastweb.com and www.collegeboard.com.