Senior year. A time of excitement, freedom, stress, and bittersweet emotions. A culmination of over twelve years of primary and secondary education comes to a close in one last dance. For many, this time is best spent with friends, and events around the school, with the mindset of embracing every last moment. For others, senior year could be grueling, filled with their most laborious classes and piles of applications and scholarships. Committed to Emory University (13.1% acceptance rate), senior Tabraiz Sharwani (‘23) reflects on the dreaded yet exciting college admissions cycle. 

What was the admission process like for you? Did it feel overwhelming, exciting, or stressful?

It was exciting but also very stressful. At the end of it I felt a huge sense of relief. Getting ahead early is a key component to minimizing the stress factor because of all the deadlines. I think that the process is exciting because of all the different possibilities. My list was diverse with schools all around the country so I had no idea where I was going to end up at the time. I feel like during the admissions process you get insight into who you really are and what impact you want to have in life.

How did you decide which schools to apply to? What led to your commitment to Emory? 

I chose schools that appealed to me because of their location and because they were well suited for my major and career goals. I envisioned myself at every school I applied to and felt that I could succeed at these schools. Committing to Emory for me was a huge relief because it marked the end of a long process that required a lot of hard work.

Was there anything you regret or learned from during the process?

I do not regret anything from the process but I do think it is vital to get ahead early. You must start your college apps early to do them to the best of your ability and complete them in a timely manner.

How has senior year overall felt for you? Relaxing? Hard?

Even though my course load is challenging I’ve felt that I have been able to manage my time well to minimize the stress of classes. Even though my senior year has been challenging, I have been enjoying it.