As students return to campus, Sixth Formers face a uniquely demanding start to the school year. Along with adjusting to new classes, finishing up summer work, and attending to extracurricular commitments, they must continue working on college applications as early deadlines approach.
Many Sixth Formers have already started drafting their essays for college applications before the school year begins. Still, there is plenty to do. Students must revise essays and finalize their college lists and applications as the school year resumes.
For Sixth Formers participating in fall sports, the intense preseason schedules make finding enough time for college applications especially difficult.
“Preseason was tiring because we would have long practices, and afterward I still had essays and applications to revise,” Sixth Former Aidan Zwilling said. “It was hard to focus when I was exhausted, also knowing that I had to balance college applications with summer work and soccer, which both take lots of time out of my day.”
Now that classes have begun, the challenge has shifted. Sixth Formers must balance applications with homework, assessments, practices, games, clubs, and all other responsibilities. With early application deadlines arriving in October and November, the amount of time available is shrinking rapidly.
Even with careful planning, the process can still be stressful. Sixth Formers must make decisions that could shape the next four years of their lives while continuing to meet the expectations of their final year at Haverford. At the same time, the experience can help them reflect on their interests, accomplishments, and goals for the future.
“It can get stressful with homework and activities, but making progress, even small amounts at a time, makes it easier.”
MAC brenan ’26
Many students manage the pressure by dividing the process into smaller steps. Instead of trying to complete an entire application at once, they may spend one evening revising a paragraph, researching a college, or completing some other parts of their college application. Calendars and weekly goals can also help prevent deadlines from growing overwhelming.
“It’s definitely hard to keep up with everything once school starts,” Sixth Former Mac Brenan said. “I usually try to work on my applications whenever I have some free time, even if it’s only for a little bit. It can get stressful with homework and activities, but making progress, even small amounts at a time, makes it easier.”
For now, Sixth Formers are most focused on using their remaining time wisely. As deadlines move closer and the school year becomes busier, staying organized and using time wisely may be just as important as writing the applications themselves.