With college applications on the horizon, Camas High School counselors advise students on how to make and prepare for outstanding college applications.

For CHS students, one thing that is weighing heavily on them is plans after graduation. High school can be a fun, yet extremely stressful time, and guidance is much needed during this time.

One option that students are considering is the college route. Whether it is a two or four-year college, many seniors have started their college applications and are applying to multiple schools. Guidance counselors and trained administrators want seniors to know that they are not alone, and they want to help them in any way possible. 

Sarah Warta, a counselor at CHS, has many tips for seniors going through college applications and dealing with the stress that comes along with it.

Warta said, “Each kid has a different goal and goes a different route, it’s important to find the route that is best for you.”

Warta has worked as a counselor for the Camas School District for several years. She has helped numerous students with college applications and has good advice to offer seniors.

“Seniors tend to have a lot on their plate, I suggest starting to browse possible options your junior year. That way you already have an idea of what you might want to do after high school, so when it comes time to start the application process, it’s not too stressful,” She said.

Another CHS counselor, Elizabeth Rollman, shared more insight on what to focus on and prioritize when filling out your college application.

“The essay is really important, they can be really important to speak to your strengths. It can do a lot to explain your circumstances and explain your personal growth due to that circumstance if you feel your GPA does not reflect your academic potential,” she said.

Rollman added, “The earlier you can get your application in, typically the better your chances are of getting accepted are… also if you meet their financial aid or scholarship deadlines you will have better chances of getting money from them.”

Several CHS seniors also have some advice and helpful information to offer when it comes to college applications.

Ryan Glaze, a senior at CHS, said, “So far the application process has been good. My advice is to always ask if something doesn’t make sense, always better to be safe than sorry.”

Another CHS Senior Madora Doremus shared her personal experience.

She said, “It’s definitely more difficult than I anticipated but very exciting! I’m the first one in my family to go through the application process so my parents and I are trying to figure it out together. DECA is definitely the main thing that helped me figure out what I want to do after high school, otherwise, I would be extremely lost. My advice would be to do as much research as you can and apply it to many schools!”

Finally, Nusaibah Alam, another CHS senior, has some encouraging words to share with the class of 2021.

“I would say the hardest part of applying to colleges is the motivation to start. nobody wants to write a bunch of essays for different colleges. and so the beginning is always the most difficult, but once you start, it gets easier,” she said.

Although it can be really stressful right now, make sure to ask for help and to ask questions when applying to colleges. Good luck, CHS class of 2021!

Camasonian journalists Chase Fossen and Keilee Siefer contributed to this article.