SAT’s, ACT’s, and transcripts oh my! For juniors at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, the search for a fitting college begins at the beginning of the year. HBHA juniors are just now beginning the arduous journey of the college search that will hopefully culminate in the acceptance letters that HBHA seniors are now starting to receive.
Around this time of year at HBHA, juniors begin to brood over potential schools to which they may or may not apply. Simultaneously, the seniors are just ending their college guidance process and making their final decisions regarding which college to attend.
The college guidance process starts with HBHA College Guidance Director, Todd Clauer. He begins by introducing the juniors to typical applications and by giving students a foundational understanding of what many colleges have to offer. Students soon begin to register for College Board exams such as the SAT and ACT, and they also begin to study vigorously for them. Clauer also helps students draft and revise their first college essays which will no doubt serve them well in the next year.
HBHA junior, Sophia Porter, is just now beginning her search for the right school. “As a junior, my college selection process has only just begun, but I enjoy combing through books and brochures and learning what each school has to offer,” said Porter. “I consider it to be almost like shopping for a lifestyle. Mr. Clauer has proved to be extremely helpful as I narrow down my selection and start visiting schools, and ultimately, I look forward to the independence that college will bring.”
Some juniors however, may have some prior experience with the procedure for college applications. HBHA junior, Joel Gutovitz, has seen his share of application materials, being the youngest in his family. “I’m really excited to be starting with college guidance,” said Gutovitz. “I know that Mr. Clauer’s going to help me find the right path, just as he did for my three older siblings.”
Seniors, on the other hand, are now surmounting the obstacles of the applications process. Most seniors have submitted most, if not all, applications already, and many are have already received letters of acceptance. Soon the seniors will have finished altogether and will be faced with the final and most important decision: choosing their universities.
Many seniors find the most difficult part of the process not to be in the application itself, but in the lengthy period of inactivity before obtaining a response. HBHA senior, Ricardo Zepeda, is one such senior. “They [College applications] are stressful and meticulous,” said Zepeda. “You begin to understand that they’re the first step to your future. The writing isn’t the worst part, but it is the waiting for a response. In that time, you just hope that you wrote well enough in your essay to be accepted.” Zepeda is currently in the process of auditioning for several schools of music including Indiana University and the University of Michigan.
Other seniors however, contend that finishing college applications is exceedingly satisfying. HBHA senior, Sam Sosland, is proud of his applications and is relieved to have finished the process. “Despite the tedious nature of it, [the college applications process] it’s very nice to finish something that you’ve worked so hard on,” said Sosland. “I have to hand it to Mr. Clauer for helping me prepare for this process. If I could give any advice, I would recommend that juniors not stress out too much and keep track of their deadlines.” Sosland was recently accepted to Harvard College, where he will attend in the fall of 2014.
As a high school, HBHA is going through a pivotal point in the year. Half of the students have to focus as much on college as they have to with their regular schoolwork. Nevertheless, the juniors can be confident that they are going to receive all the help they need to get into their colleges of choice, and the seniors can ease into the final phase of their high school careers.