One of the most stressful years of high school is the senior year. But Northwood makes it easier. Last Wednesday, after Family Weekend, as the underclassmen took either PSAT and Pre ACT, seniors began their college application processes.
After enjoying a long weekend with families, seniors got together in the dining hall to fill out sections of the Common Application. The day was hectic–laptops filled tables, charging cords sprawled across the floor, and students called their counselors from the other side of the room for help. But it was a successful start to the college process.
Mr. David McCauley joined Northwood School this fall as Director of College Counseling. “The purpose of the whole drill was to make sure that everyone, by the end of the day, would be at a certain point of completion with their application,” Mr. McCauley said. “It was nice that I was able to connect with almost every student in the senior class,” he added.
Madison Novotny ‘20 felt that the day was very helpful. She said, “It kind of forced us to really zone in and move toward college.” She was happy with the progress she had made by the end of the day. “I managed to complete most of the Common App except the essay portion. I began to work on my applications. I also talked to my coach about schools. I enjoyed crossing items off my to-do list. It brought my stress level down a bit.”
Faculty from the College Counseling Department supported the distressed seniors throughout the day. “It really helped that Mr. McCauley brought us candies,” Novotny said.
With the deadlines for Early Decision and Early Action applications fast approaching, many seniors are getting ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives. We wish them all the best of luck.
