Meet the Class is back for a third year! It’s an opportunity for parents, educators, and admissions professionals to get a look at individual seniors and what they go through to find their school. Below you’ll meet Diana. Diana is stressed and feels like she’s at the very beginning of the process. Read her full first interview below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.
Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy.
Diana ATTENDS A Public HIGH SCHOOL IN Texas

Tell me about your high school. Is it a "normal," comprehensive high school, or a magnet or charter? How many students does it have? Have you been there for all your high school years, or have you moved there?

My high school is.. different. It’s a normal public school, but it’s very different from other public schools (I think). We’re very technology oriented, every classroom has a promethean board, literally everything is done digitally. We have around 3,000 students now, however my senior class only has about 550 because we are the first graduating class and half of the kids stayed at the school I went to my freshman year.

What is your sense of how many of the graduates of your high school go on to college? I don't need the official numbers, just your estimate of the percentage. What kinds of colleges do they go to? When it comes to going off to college, what's "normal" for your high school?

Since my class is the first graduating class, I don’t really know how many kids usually go off to college. But I do know that most kids in the area go to college after high school, or stay at the local community college to do their basics.

Is college preparation a big deal in your high school? Do people talk about college a lot? Is it assumed that you will go to college?

College prep isn’t talked about at all. Like seriously, nothing.

How much direct instruction about college applications or choosing a college have you got from your school, either from teachers or counselors?

I have NO earthly idea what I’m supposed to do or how to even start, so I have been putting it off. Nothing about essays. Nothing about how to apply. I had to do research on my own but it’s so overwhelming that I just don’t even want to look at it.

Can you think of any good advice you've received about college applications from anyone at your school?

I can’t think of any advice because I’ve seriously been told nothing by anyone.

Are there any colleges that you're already sure you'll apply to? If so, what are they? Is one of them your "dream school"?

I really want to apply to the University of Oklahoma. I don’t know why. I visited there in May and I LOVED it. It’s a beautiful campus, I really liked the vibe, and I liked the amount of support that they give every student and the resources available to help them succeed.

What other colleges are you thinking about applying to, even if you're not sure you'll actually apply?

I will probably also apply to a lot of Texas public schools because I know that they will for sure take my dual credit hours, whereas Oklahoma may not.

What colleges, if any, have you visited or toured? Did any of these tours stand out as being especially good or especially bad?

Like I said before, I visited Oklahoma in May. I’ve also visited Baylor and UT Arlington. I haven’t really done many college visits because it’s difficult to make time to go and visit places. None of the visits were bad, but I definitely enjoyed Oklahoma the most because it felt more like home than the other two.

What are the main things you're looking for in a college?

I really just want to go to a college where I feel like I could thrive and be supported by everyone around me instead of being just another number.

How involved is your family in the process? Do you have people in your household who went to college, or are you the first?

My family really isn’t that involved, but that’s probably because I haven’t really started anything. I will be the first in my household to go to college which is probably why this is so difficult and confusing.

Have you talked with your family about money? Do you know how much you can afford to pay per year? Do you know how college will be paid for?

I’ve talked to my parents about the money and they told me I will be on my own. They said they’ll cosign loans (what does that even mean) but they will not be opening their wallets to help a girl out. All I know is I am majorly stressed about it.

How are you feeling about college applications? Anxious? Confident? Confused? Explain what you're thinking and feeling as you get ready for this endeavor.

I am STRESSED. That’s all. I’m sure it will work out but I’m really just putting it off because I don’t want to deal with it. Which is super unhealthy and will actually end up making this significantly worse for me.

What do you not know about this process that you wish you did? What would you change about the past few years to be more prepared for this?

I don’t know anything about this process because my school has not told us ANYTHING and I just haven’t asked anyone any questions. That is all.

Thanks for reading! If you have college admissions questions for Diana, leave a comment or email me. You can find other Meet the Class responses here. Please send this to someone who would like to read it, or share it on your social networks.

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Photo by Angela Elisabeth.