Seniors think that after submitting a letter of intent and tuition deposit in May, they can relax and not worry about college until fall. As a senior in high school, I thought that once I submit the letter of intent and tuition deposit to the colleges, I won’t have to worry. After all, my SAT scores, high school transcript, college application, etc. have been submitted by the deadline on time.

Wrong.

It turns out that there are many other obligations and requirements that I need to complete as an incoming freshmen in college. There were also things that I didn’t know about until I took the initiative myself to call the college and ask them about the requirements and forms I need to complete before starting school. The admission office told me things such as the pre-registration day for the freshman as well as the health clearance/ health insurance information form, and even things like a placement exam for certain majors. I started to feel nervous and worried. Now I don’t feel so confident prepared for school. Why didn’t I know about these things? Am I the only one who is dealing with this kind of situation?

So I started asking my fellow classmates how they felt about becoming a incoming freshman in college. Senior Shumin(Rebecca) Wu will go to University of Hawaii Manoa, majoring in chemistry.

When asked what she didn’t know about, Wu said, “The directions. I couldn’t find the office and so I had to search it up online.”

I asked Wu whether she knew other things that were required for UH Manoa besides the letter of intent and tuition deposit, such as the health clearance/ health insurance form, the deadline to change majors (which was March 15), etc.. Wu did not know about these things. She did know about the math and chemistry placement exam for students who are pursuing a science major.

Wu said, “I wouldn’t have known about the math and chemistry placement exam if I didn’t ask my older friends about it.”

Wu , too, thought that once she sent her letter of intent and tuition deposit to UH Manoa, she would be ready to attend school.

Wu said, “ I feel a little worried now. I feel that UH Manoa is not telling me everything I need to know.”

I started calling the college that I am going to attend almost every day to inquire about what I need to do to get prepared for college. I asked my chorus teacher, Natasha Taketa, and my English teacher, Kristina Goetz, for advice on getting ready for college.

Taketa said, “Always be in communication with your counselor and advisor.”

Wu said, “Make sure you take initiative and search up for stuff and ask your counselors what you have to do.”

Goetz said, “Making phone calls, and making sure you when orientation is.”

Goetz also said that it is important to not slack off during your senior year and said to “not get comfortable in the second semester in senior year.”

Asking the admissions office over and over again what I need to do or fill out before starting school for college is a bit of a hassle sometimes, especially when they seem to know who you are, but I feel it is worth because I get to know what is going on and get new information from my college. I called earlier and found out that there is a pre-registration happening at my school, I immediately asked for an appointment with my adviser on what classes I need to choose for my major. It turns out that if I hadn’t asked for an appointment earlier, there wouldn’t be appointments later because all the advisors for my major are graduating pretty soon.

I hope that the upcoming seniors as well as the juniors, sophomores and freshmen will keep in mind to take some initiative on their own after submitting their letter of intent and not think that there is nothing else to do.