For seniors, the ever-nearing deadline to apply to college is fast-approaching. The University of Texas, one of the most popular schools to which McCallum students apply, has a close regular decision deadline at Dec. 1, and other universities follow close behind that with deadlines later in December, January and February. These deadlines would be easier to meet if there was not also the ever-increasing amount of homework given to students by teachers. The amount of homework senior year seems to be a shock for most seniors, myself included, as I was told often by seniors of the Class of 2018 that “senior year is way easier than junior year” and “you have way less homework than you do in junior year.”

The academic rigor of senior year may prepare students well for college, but it does not do them any favors when they are applying to college. I have found that I stay up until the wee hours of the morning trying to get homework done after school, and I have no time during the week to work on finishing my applications, which often include a second round for applications for things like honors colleges or housing even after you’ve been admitted. I don’t think I would have been able to finish my general college applications the way I wanted if I had not done most of the work over the summer. The ever-increasing workload as midterm finals approach has stopped me personally from being able to spend time on applications to honors programs and working on applying for scholarships. There are many steps to the process of getting ready to go to a university for higher education. Students have to not only worry about applying, but once they get admitted they have to try to get scholarship money, apply for FAFSA aid, apply for housing and to any special programs available at the university of their choice.

But there’s more to applying to college than just the applications. Another major part of understanding university life is touring the schools to which you apply. Currently, seniors are given only two days excused absence for touring colleges. This limit on excused days discourages students from applying to schools that are out of state because of the days of school that will be missed. I have applied to five out-of-state schools, and I have felt the pressure of missing school when I have to fly out of state to tour the colleges I am interested in. I have now used up both of my days sanctioned off for touring colleges. Luckily I have been able to tour all the schools I am considering, but for many students, trying to get to see all the colleges they want is too much of a stretch. The school should give seniors more excused absences so they can truly get to experience the universities they wish to see.

I think I speak for most seniors when I say that teachers should back off on assigning homework in the fall semester so that seniors can focus on their college applications. The college-application process is demanding, and teachers should adjust their fall semester plans accordingly. Students should not have to work on their college applications during class, as I have seen in several of my classes, but instead should be given time to work on their application after school instead of hours of homework.