Image From: Kothai Pillai. Top: The class of 2025 has started college applications and are eager to know what lies ahead.
As college application season starts, high school seniors all over the country are stressing out about essays and their grade point averages. Washington High School is no exception. A senior at WHS, Sneha Kamboj, says, “This is a pretty stressful time, and definitely a lot of work to balance.”
All of the University of California (UC) colleges are becoming more competitive and acceptance rates have gone down a significant amount in recent years. This has affected students’ application process, pushing them to look beyond California and broaden their horizons. Sharanya Gattapally, a senior who’s a decided STEM major, wants to go to college in California, but she is applying to out of state schools as she is cautious and recognizes the increasing competitiveness of UC admissions. “When my older sisters were applying to colleges they did not apply out of state,” she says, showing how different things are for seniors today. Similarly, another senior, Saadhana Rajesh, says, “Some of my friends who graduated last year were really surprised about college acceptances, and warned me to make sure I apply out of state, and to more safeties. They said they regretted not, so I am making sure that I am.” Due to the stories and advice given by Washington alumni, Rajesh has been working on making her college list balanced so that it includes a range of schools across different states. While California remains the top choice for many students due to its acclaimed public universities, its proximity to home, and cheaper in-state tuition, there has been a shift in mindset coming from fear that is making students apply to out of state schools.
Tuition is a big factor when it comes to college. The prices of applications are high, but they are almost nothing compared to tuition. Out of state tuition is higher than in-state tuition, and private universities tend to be a lot more expensive than public ones. This plays a factor in the application process for students. “I definitely am applying out of state and I would like to see changes in pricing because at the end of the day it’s my parents paying and not me,” says Eva Rachel, a senior at WHS, when asked how she feels about out-of-state tuition. Ultimately, the rising tuition costs, particularly for out-of-state and private schools, add immense pressure to students’ college decisions. As Rachel points out, the financial burden on families highlights the importance of making higher education more financially accessible for future generations.
This year many schools have a test optional policy, and the UCs are still test blind. This means the UC schools do not even allow students to submit test scores from the SAT or the ACT. Students have mixed feelings about these policies. Amy Diep says, “I like the test blind policy because if you’re going to make tests optional, then not everyone is able to take the test and that would give those who can an advantage.” For students like Diep, the policy levels the playing field. Some students have access to test-preparation and are able to pay the 100 dollar fee to take the test multiple times, and increase their scores. Rachel agrees with test optional policies, but not the test blind one. She says, “You can show your intelligence in many different ways and for some people that’s standardized testing. I think that they should be allowed to submit that, but for some people it’s not, so they shouldn’t have to show that.” This leaves students wondering whether they should focus on improving their SAT scores or if their academic achievements and extracurriculars will be enough to make them stand out. Kamboj says, “Especially the new digital SAT is making me think that I maybe shouldn’t take the test as it’s kind of time consuming to prepare [for], and it is not required for most colleges.”
Many students are applying to Ivy League schools. But with the extremely low acceptance rate and the mass amount of students applying, it is extremely competitive and very few students are accepted. When asked if students feel it’s worth applying to these top schools, considering the cost and the time, many believe the prestige and education levels make it worth giving it a chance. Rachel says, “I think especially if you have the resources and money, just the ability to apply, I think you should go for it. You never know what can happen. A lot of people doubt themselves, but I think a better outcome can come out than expected.” Similarly, Diep emphasizes the prestige of going to an Ivy League school. “It could give you a good look on your resume and everything,” she says. The potential benefits of being accepted into an Ivy League school, such as prestige, educational opportunities, and professional advantages, ultimately justify the time and expense of applying for a lot of students.
As the graduating class of 2025 navigates the stressful period of college application season, students are putting a lot of thought and thinking strategically about where to apply, and what to do to maximize their chances of getting accepted. Seniors are hopeful that their hard work will pay off.
Kothai Pillai is a senior at Washington High School. She was born in Mountain View and has lived in the Bay Area all her life. This is her first year being a part of The Hatchet, and is excited to cover news in the local community. She enjoys trying different foods, traveling, exploring new cities with her friends,reading, going on nature walks with her labradoodle, as well as going to concerts. In the future she hopes to attend a college in California or on the East Coast majoring in politcal science and philosphy