College Acceptance - Nerves

by: Alexandra Levine and Andy Weis

Signature seniors were asked the following questions:
  • Have you applied to college?
  • Where?
  • Why there?


See pie Graph for Sent Applications The most popular universities applied to were IU, UE, USI, and IUPUI respectively. These were most popular, according to the surveys, because they were close to home, offered the most scholarship money, and served as good back-up options for those applying to colleges further away.

Emily Alvey set the record in the 2008 senior class for most applications sent with an outstanding ten. When asked why she applied to so many colleges, Alvey replied, "Notre Dame and Yale were just for fun, to see if I could even get in. I was eligible for a scholarship to Wash. U. I applied to Purdue in case I decided to major in engineering. St. Louis and two other Catholic schools I've applied to just have the right feel and environment I was looking for in a university setting."

  • What's your intended major? (or undecided):


See Pie Graph for Majors

Because of the wide variety and high concentration of majors in the science departments, we grouped them together. Thirty-eight percent of our senior class is entering colleges with a science-oriented intended major, including engineering (biomedical and mechanical), nursing, veterinary medicine, biology, chemistry, physical therapy, and environmental sciences. Respectively, the most popular majors were sciences and education, followed by close percentages of technology, graphic design, creative writing, art, mathematics, Spanish, theatre, psychology, and flight.

Education is a rising field of interest, with sixteen percent of our class majoring in it next year. Charles Baker comments on the inquiries of why he's chosen secondary English education as his college major, "I've always had a passion for English, and I love to help people, so I thought 'why not combine the two?'" Twenty-four percent of our class has not claimed a major. Statistics show that most college students change their majors about four times throughout their school careers.
  • What are your main concerns about college next year (respectively)?


Click here for pie graph of Concerns

As one might expect in any school, finances, new roommates, and being far from home were the most popular concerns among our class. Amanda Harris voices her concerns about being assigned a roommate who is "mean, messy, and won't respect my boundaries. I know we won't know one another, but let's be cordial. Don't eat my food!"

Signature seniors are still exploring their college options; in fact, a large percentage of the class is still undecided on where to go and what to major in. Don't panic, folks! Talk to your parents, teachers, and friends about college and your concerns; we're all in the same boat! Now we just need to decide where to jump off. Remember, just relax.