The Song Remains the Same
The Which-College-Should-I-Choose, Got-Me-Stressed-Out Blues 
By Heather Scott

When kids get to be juniors and seniors in high school, we start to worry about the one word that scares us the most -- the future.

The idea of being independent and in control of our own lives causes stress on, not only me, but a vast majority of teenagers.

This stressful roller coaster starts with one major decision: college.

 What college should I attend?
 
What if I don’t get a scholarship?
 
Can my family afford this college?
 
What is my major going to be?

These are the questions that keep me up at night. But my new question is: Why should they? Why should I lose sleep over this?

College is supposed to be the best years of my life, right? So, what can be done to help relieve the stress of choosing a college?

I feel that school systems are not preparing students for college as well as they should.

I’m a senior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High. I’m a straight-A student with a solid GPA.
I take AP courses and do well on my exams, and I score distinguished on my state tests.

From the outside, I look like the ideal student, who will go on to college, have a great career and make a lot of money.

That’s not the way I see it.

Although I have the school’s curriculum down solid, I don’t feel prepared for college at all.

I can count on one hand the number of times the school has discussed college options with students. 

Sure, we have had one or two meetings with the entire senior class. I don’t know about other kids, but I always leave those meeting more confused than when I started.

I also feel that the guidance counselors are too busy to speak with me.
They don’t have enough time to speak with 400-plus students and get to know them well enough to help figure out what is truly best for them.

I feel that a real college prep course would help.

This new course would be offered to juniors and seniors, and cover anything and everything students need to know about college -- application procedures, tuition, financial aid, scholarships, etc.

Short of that, schools should at least schedule individual meetings with each senior.

The counselors’ focus should be answering student questions.

Maybe these steps would help ease the stress we students feel.

Knowing how to prepare for college is just as important as knowing when World War

I started and how to factor polynomials.

I’m talking about my future here, and I take it very seriously.