As the second-semester approaches, seniors prepare for life after high school. With deadlines arriving here and there, it can be difficult to avoid being overwhelmed. 

The first set of deadlines is the financial aid deadlines and four-year school applications, as well as scholarships. FAFSA, Free Application for Student Aid, opens October 1st, 2021. Although it opens early, it is due by June 30th, 2022. This means students have plenty of time to fill out applications. 

Four-year applications from local schools as well and out-of-state schools are approaching as well. Be sure to check with that college on their deadlines. Local community colleges have also opened their applications. 

Students need to make sure they sign up for the hope scholarship, check the future college of choice’s scholarships, and investigate local scholarships. Seniors also need to make sure they’ve ordered their cap and gown before December. 

Many students have done lots of things to prepare for these deadlines. Andrea Rodriguez (12) is one of many students who applied to many schools. 

“I applied to Pellissippi, University of Tennessee Knoxville, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, and Tennessee Tech,” Rodrguez said. 

Along with Adrea Rodriguez, Kevin Villatoro (12) has also set aside time to fill out paperwork for the deadlines. 

“I set a certain date apart to finish everything before the deadline,” Villatoro said. 

Rodriguez continues with, “I setlists of things I need to get done and started checking them off. I’m going to set time aside to fill everything out on the FAFSA, and get everything done.”

These deadlines can often stress students out due to the overwhelming weight they carry. These deadlines can sometimes make or break a student’s college future for the next year. Alexander Lopez (12) feels the stress of the deadlines, elaborating on why he feels this way.

“These deadlines make me feel stressed because they are all due within the next week or so,” Lopez said. 

Overall, many students are juggling the deadlines in preparation for college. Keeping track of these deadlines is important because they determine acceptance from that college. If students have any questions they can ask the guidance counselors and be sure to attend the college meetings here at the school.