Though known as a time of senioritis, spring also brings many seniors stress. What were only applications in the fall and early winter have now turned into admission decisions.

And they all seem to come at the same time.

Following a long test of patience, the journey that started in the summer for some has now come to an end. Senior Kathleen Meyer used a proactive approach and advised underclassmen to do the same. She said, “I started my application process this summer, which I highly recommend because it allowed me to focus on getting the best possible grades I could during first semester.”

Many seniors have received replies from colleges to which they applied first semester after submitting early action or early decision applications, but a large portion only now are hearing from admissions committees. So, while some colleges may give an exact date, a majority give seniors a window of late March This was the stressful part for Meyer. “Waiting is the worst part because you feel like you’ve done everything in your power to prove to the schools that you’ve applied to why you’re a worthy candidate for admission but there’s nothing you can do once you click submit,” she said.

After months of applying and waiting, the process has caused some panic in seniors.

Many schools are also having record years, such as the University of Notre Dame, who alerted high school students of their admission status on March 21.

For students on the waitlist, the process only drags out. Those who are waitlisted are notified on a rolling basis, having to wait up to even mid June. This can be even more taxing on students who put down a deposit and commit to another school before May 1. Thankfully, most colleges allow students to rescind their deposit and commitment; however, this must be done before the May 1 deadline.

Thankfully, there are also many happy endings. Though not everyone is able to attend their dream school, seniors will still be able to find a school they can proudly call “home” next year.

“Getting those big envelopes in the mail or getting an email and reading ‘Congratulations!’ is one of the most rewarding feelings. Everything happens for a reason and I’m so happy that the whole process is over!” Meyer said.

So, as the year winds down, the college sweatshirts that seniors don may actually be the place each student decides to pursue in the coming years of his or her academic careers.