After a year of applying to colleges, McLean’s class of 2022 can finally rejoice as college commitment day is here. On this day, McLean seniors can wear their college shirts and share where they have decided to spend the next years of their lives.
“Typically, the college commitment day is May 1,” college specialist Laura Venos said. “However, some colleges will have later deadlines than that.”
To commit to a college, seniors have to complete a series of steps in order to become an incoming freshman at their new school.
“[Seniors normally] have to complete an online form and submit a financial deposit,” Venos said.
Many seniors are extremely excited to commit to their schools, a sign that their college application journey is finished and all their hard work was worth it.
“I’m a little nervous about the responsibilities that come with being a college student, but I’m definitely excited for the next four years,” senior Kevin Fan said. “I’m hoping that once I get to college, I can learn how to grow and mature as a person.”
Seniors are also looking ahead towards planning out their college years, including looking into specific courses and majors.
“I’m going to Boston University on the pre-med track, and I’m looking forward to classes that will fully interest me,” senior Naveen Patury said. “I really want to take specific courses in medical ethics as well as the relation of culture to modern healthcare systems.”
When choosing a college to commit to, seniors will have to consider multiple factors.
“Seniors will pick that one college to commit to based on what is most important to them,” Venos said. “That could be location, setting, major, cost, social life, career services, or even what the dorms are like. It’s a very personal choice.”
However, it is important for seniors to not be impacted by external influences when making these decisions.
“Seniors should try to avoid the pressure to go to the best-ranked college or the best brand unless, of course, they can predict that they will thrive most at that school,” Venos said. “Again, it’s such a personal choice! Students should collaborate with their parents and guardians to pick and try not to worry about what their friends think.”
As seniors embark on the next phase of their journeys, they can look back on their last year of high school knowing that they have learned a lot about themselves and have grown as people.
“I’ve learned that not everything is going to go [my] way,” Patury said. “[I’ve learned] that I can thrive at any school, and the way I fit into the school is determined solely by myself and my goals.”
