Grace is preparing for two November 1st Early Action deadlines, and she’s already got her FAFSA submitted. As much as she’s keeping ahead with college applications, you might think she has plenty of spare time to work on things. Not quite. Read the October interview below, and read her September interview here.

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.

GRACE ATTENDS A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN MASSACHUSETTS

Do you have any deadlines coming up soon? What about any visits or college-related activities? What does your October look like in terms of college admissions?

My main deadline is November 1st. I am applying early action to Fordham University and Hofstra University and I must have my Common App in by then. I completed most of my college visits in April of Junior year, so I feel comfortable with that. Also, the FAFSA just opened and my parents already completed and filed it. The only other deadline is for the CSS profile, which some, but not all, of the colleges on my list require.

The FAFSA just opened up. How soon do you plan to submit yours? Do you have all the information you need?

My parents realized how important it was to me to get that done early, so they started it on October 1st and finished on October 2nd. Now, they just have to complete the CSS profile, which will be done and filed by Columbus Day. They gathered all the information they needed before it opened, so that their stress level would be lower.

How much money do you anticipate spending on college admissions? In terms of application fees and other expenses, how much is this going to cost your family?

I am applying to 10 schools at $70-$75 per application, so that would normally cost around $750, however, 2 schools gave me an application fee waiver. I am very grateful for that.

Other than college applications, what else is going on for you at school? What kinds of things are you involved with at school?

I am very involved in my school’s Theater Club and our Fall play is opening November 1st also. I have a major role in the play and we are rehearsing every school day for hours. I also am taking 3 AP classes, which have quite a bit of homework.

What other types of groups or activities are you involved with outside of school? How busy do you feel on a day-to-day basis?

As I explained above, Theater Club is pretty intense right now! I also am a Co-Captain for the Dance Team at my school, and we are practicing for Pep Rally which takes place the day before Thanksgiving. In addition, I rehearse once a week for my school’s A Cappella group. As for my outside dance classes, I take 4 a week. I have very little down time, so time management is very important for me.

How are you feeling about college applications right now? What's your current mood as far as college goes?

Some days I feel so excited to apply and I get excited when I think about starting a new life in New York. Other days, I feel stressed and the prospect of leaving home.

What's the general mood of your senior class? You say that almost all your classmates will be going on to a four-year college. Does that help bond the class together, or does it get competitive? Do people talk about their college applications a lot?

People talk about their college applications constantly. It does not feel competitive at all, my class is comprised of some very nice people! The general mood swings between happiness to end high school, and stress about getting the information filed in a timely manner.

Last month you mentioned a Theater minor. What's your intended major? Do you have one in mind?

I intend to start with a Biology major, because I want to do something with Science, specifically animals. However, I also will see where it goes from there. Communications interests me too.

Let's do our monthly checkup on "The List." Last month your list was:

Fordham

Hofstra

Boston University

Northeastern

Six unnamed others

What are the other six? Are there any changes to your list?

I am also applying to NYU, Adelphi University, Marymount Manhattan College, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Stony Brook. I just recently added Rutgers University to my list.

Thanks for reading! If you have college admissions questions for Grace, leave a comment or email me. There are lots of ways to get regular updates from Apply with Sanity: like me on Facebook and Twitter, get the monthly newsletter, or connect on LinkedIn.