By: Ella Kapfhammer

Common App, a college admissions platform, opened to high school seniors on August 1. Students have to spend hours on their applications and have been stressed navigating this foreign world. Some may join the workforce, some the military, but according to Debra Sanderman, a Bellbrook High School (BHS) counselor, around 90% of BHS students end up applying to college.

Bellbrook High School senior Olivia Krolikowski has a plan for what the next chapter of her life will look like. She has a dream school in mind, and her heart is set on Radiology. She is planning for her future, but the application deadlines are creeping up on her. “It’s always in the back of my mind,” Krolikowski said. “I have everything else in my application filled out except for my essay. I just can’t get myself to do it because it’s so important and I want to write it well.”      

For Krolikowski, like most other seniors nationwide, the 650-word-limit essay brings a challenge. Explaining the most unique parts about who you are in a few paragraphs can be difficult. It is important to brainstorm ideas, pinpoint aspects of your life you are passionate about, and create many drafts first. Breaking this process into pieces makes it much more manageable. 

Sophie Bamford, a BHS senior, is unsure what the future holds for her. She has a few colleges in mind, but is struggling to make a decision for the course of her life at only eighteen years old. “If I were to give advice to other seniors, I would tell them to take their time,” Bamford said. “It is okay to take a year or so into college to get an understanding of what you want to do and who you want to be.” 

Many seniors at BHS are under the pressure that they must decide on what they want to do now, when in reality it is unlikely they will end up pursuing the career path they choose as high school students. According to Education and Employers, a 2025 study found that over half of adults do not work jobs they thought they would as children. Whether a BHS student is confident in their plans like Krolikowski, or still exploring options like Bamford, most will submit their Common App applications by the November 1 deadline.