High school is coming to an end for the Class of 2014 and many students are looking towards college as the next step in their lives. While many students have not yet heard back from colleges, many have. Many students are nervous to see where they will end up as numbers are increasing of those who are celebrating acceptances to colleges. 

Some schools, often referred to as safety schools, are those that students are certain that they will be accepted to. These schools are looked at as back-up schools for those who are unsure if they will get into a school with higher requirements and more competition. Senior Dani Palazzo explained, “East Carolina University is my safety school in case I don’t get into Florida State or NC State.” Senior Ross Moreau told us, “I have applied to many schools and my safety schools are High Point and ECU, where I have already been accepted.” 

Other students have already made their decisions to colleges through Early Decision. Early Decision is where a student applies early and if they are accepted, they are bound by contract to go to that school. It is difficult to get out of, although it does increase a student’s chance of getting accepted.

In addition, Panther Creek is full of athletes who have received scholarships to play sports at colleges. Senior Josh Maciejewski said, “I committed to play at a Division I school my junior year, so college was never a big concern for me after that. While everyone else is concerning about college, I just got to relax.” Josh plans to play baseball at University of North Carolina Charlotte next year. Another athlete, Terrence Laster, said, “I was offered a full scholarship to play football at the United States Naval Academy and I accepted pretty quickly. I still applied to many schools though, just in case.”

Overall, while some students are waiting for a response, and others having already decided, some students are trying to make a decision which will impact the rest of their life. Students like Matt Artman, Anna Heinen, and Josh Dodson all say they are reviewing their options for college. This decision will be one of the biggest decisions in their lives, as it will lead them to what they will do for the rest of their lives. Many of us strive for higher education, and many Panther Creek students move on to that level. While many students have not heard back yet, there is a shared anticipation among the Class of 2014 as college is soon to come.