The Start of Senior Year: College Applications, Essays, and Big Decisions
Senior year has officially begun, and it already feels different from every other year of high school. There are still classes, homework, tests, and activities, but now college applications are constantly running in the background.
This fall, my original college list included 29 schools. The programs ranged from traditional premed pathways to combined BS/DO and BS/MD programs. I also planned to submit many of my applications through Early Action, which meant that senior year began with deadlines arriving much faster than I expected.
More Than Just an Application
Before starting this process, I thought college applications would mostly be about entering grades, test scores, and activities. I quickly learned that the essays are just as important.
My personal statement challenged me to think about what experiences have shaped me and what I wanted colleges to understand about me beyond a list of accomplishments. Writing about yourself sounds simple, but it is surprisingly difficult. You have to decide which memories matter, what they reveal about you, and how to fit years of growth into a limited number of words.
I also began working on several “Why Medicine?” essays for the direct medical programs on my list. These essays made me reflect on all the experiences that strengthened my interest in healthcare, including clinical programs, hospital volunteering, leadership, and the moments when I saw how much compassion matters in medicine.
Premed, BS/DO, and BS/MD
Applying to different types of programs also meant answering different types of questions.
Traditional premed programs focused more on what I hoped to study during college and how I would contribute to the campus community. BS/DO and BS/MD programs asked deeper questions about why I wanted to become a doctor so early and whether I understood the commitment involved.
It was exciting to imagine the different paths my future could take, but it was also overwhelming. Each program had different requirements, deadlines, and essays. Some days, it felt like finishing one essay only revealed three more waiting behind it.
Finding My Story
The most unexpected part of the process has been learning how to tell my own story. My activities may be listed separately on an application, but they are all connected by the same interests: medicine, service, empathy, and helping people feel supported during difficult moments.
Senior year is supposed to be the finish line of high school, but right now, it also feels like the starting line for everything that comes next.
There are still many applications and essays ahead of me, but I am excited to see where this process takes me. For now, I am taking it one deadline, one essay, and one application at a time.