Smack-dab in the middle of the class of 2024 college decision season, seniors nationwide are receiving their acceptance, rejection, and deferral letters, while some have just begun applying. Choosing where to apply for college can be a complicated process with multiple influencing factors, such as tuition costs, campus sizes, student life prevalence, and many more aspects that impact the final decision for each student. Considering these factors, many Stoughton High School students have selected or are still looking for their perfect university, college, or academy.
SHS senior Kylyn Lovell plans to major in environmental science, although she is still looking for a minor. Though she only applied to two colleges, she is confident in her choices and has been accepted into both. The first of the two is The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, a public research university with an undergraduate population of just under 40,000 students. The second is Bethel University, a private Christian school in Arden Hills, Minnesota, with an undergraduate population of around 3,000 students.
“I think that the most important [feature of a school] for me was the major and that it was actually a really good program for environmental science. [The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities has] four different pathways under environmental science,” Lovell said. “So, that was really helpful in my decision.” Lovell will be attending school on the main campus in the Twin Cities.
These four paths are biological, atmospheric, soil, and hydrologic sciences. UMN suggests that environmental science majors make the most of their time in their undergraduate programs.
Lovell noticed some differences while applying to both of these, mainly regarding the short answer questions on their application. These questions aim to showcase the applicant’s writing skills and learn more about their life and how they can succeed at that college.
“[Bethel University] had more faith-based questions about [my] religion, versus U of M was more looking for diversity and what [I] could bring to their university,” Lovell said.
Lovell has chosen to attend the University of Minnesota because of the medium-sized, city-located campus, the reasonable price, and because of family in the area, including her sister, who attends Bethel University.
Elijah Hartberg, another senior, is also in the middle of his application journey, as he has already been accepted to some colleges but is waiting on others. He also has plans to apply to more. Elijah hopes to become a physical education teacher and wants to play soccer in college. He has applied to multiple colleges, including Madison College, Gustavus Adolphus College, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Whitewater, and the Minnesota State Mankato.
“Right now, [my top choice is Madison College] because I just talked to the college coach there for soccer, and that went really well,” Hartberg said. “It’s close to home [too], that would be a plus.”
During his visit to Madison College, he toured the campus with the soccer coach, where they talked about his future in soccer and where the coach noted that they needed somebody to fill their position of right back, Hartberg’s forte.
Although Hartberg hasn’t officially decided on a path, he knows he wants to major in education and minor in coaching, as Hartburg hopes to try to coach soccer at the school where he’ll teach. Hartberg’s most important factor in choosing a college is the athletic opportunities to help him grow his career.
Madelyn Moline, another SHS senior, has decided where she’s going to college. Hours away by plane, Moline will be attending The University of Miami. Her main reason for choosing Miami was because of the academics and because it’s warm year-round.
“The most important feature for me when choosing schools [was] the location,” Moline said through email. “Cost and scholarships are [also] important to me since I want to have the least amount of debt as possible.”
Moline was also accepted into The University of Kentucky. However, she has to attend since she applied to UMiami with the early decision agreement and was accepted. Moline applied to various other schools, like Auburn University, Florida State University, and Tulane University, and noticed a few differences between applications.
“Some schools require more than others from recommendations, essays, test scores, and [Self-Reported Academic Records (SRARs)],” Moline said. SRARs allow students to compile all their classes and grades into one place, making it easier if the student attended multiple schools or took college courses. Moline found that it not only made things less messy but also that some schools required its submission.
Some seniors, of course, choose to follow another path that isn’t the typical college experience.
Reni Emmerich, a senior at Oregon High School, began her application journey to apply to the Naval Academy in the summer of 2023 when she attended the Naval Academy Summer Seminar, NASS.
“I had to retake my ACT four times to get a high enough qualifying score, take a candidate fitness test twice and passed, get an interview with a [naval academy representative] do my general application and personal statement, and obtain about 15 letters of recommendations from teachers, bosses, and other people who have tutored me,” Emmerich said.
In addition to all of this, she had to gain Congressional approval to apply. As of now, Emmerich has received a nomination from Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson. She is waiting on an acceptance from the academy.
As more and more seniors get accepted into their schools and academies of choice, students begin to fall into noticeable categories of preference, highlighting the most and least essential qualities of their schools. Ultimately, these colleges show and reflect the first steps of these students’ lives and where they will go.