I sent these questions to Julianna—and heard back from her—on election day. On top of one of the most contentious elections in American history, we’re in the middle of another wave of the Covid pandemic, with US cases up over 40% from where they were two weeks ago. It’s not a great time to be a high school student trying to figure out college next year, or even to be a high school student trying to figure out high school this year. But Julianna is still optimistic, still excited. Read this month’s 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. 

Julianna attends a public high school in Kentucky

Did you get your American and B.U. applications out, or do you have a little more time?

The application deadlines for American and BU are December 1 for priority scholarship consideration, so I am still working on those! I focused a lot of my efforts in October on scholarship essays for the schools I already applied to, since those deadlines were Nov. 1!

You've already sent out three applications--any news?

I found out I was accepted to one of my top choices, DePaul University, with a major merit scholarship! I was over the moon to finally have the weight of college off my chest. At this point, no matter what else happens, I can officially say I'm going to college next fall! I have applied to the University of Missouri (a plot twist! it was a last minute decision) and Ohio University, too. I also applied for full tuition scholarships at the University of Georgia and Indiana University. UGA has announced that early action decisions will be released November 20, so now we wait!

How is school going? Is everything still relatively safe, or has the newest Covid wave affected your school? Beyond Covid, how are things?

School is going great! COVID-19 cases in my county and state are increasing exponentially at this point, so unfortunately I think we are playing the waiting game until we are shut down. I love being in school in person though. My classes are incredible, and I have better relationships with my teachers than ever before. I know that no matter what happens with the rest of the school year, my support system will keep me sane.

This is a big year for you personally, considering you'll be finishing high school, leaving home, and beginning college. But this year it's also a big year for everyone, with a very contentious election today and a global pandemic. How do you think about this? I've encountered the full range of responses, from people excited to be living in such a "historic time" to people really anxious about all this happening at the same time. Some people are philosophical, while others are keeping their head down and taking it one day at a time. Where do you fall? Have you even had time to think about how this all fits into History?

Honestly, this election has been the pinnacle of the year for me, but it has also been much less of a stressor than in the past. I've been working as an intern for a U.S. Senate campaign since August, and while the job has kept me in tune with politics, it has also helped me realize that now, whatever happens is going to happen. I've done the most I can possibly do to work for the future I'd like to see in this country. There's no point for me to stress. I am so absolutely invested in politics and what happens in the political realm, but this election feels like it hinges on so much more than that. Human rights. The future of this planet. The health and safety of my fellow earthlings in the midst of a global pandemic. The only way to distract myself from the enormity of what's at stake is to take a deep breath and recognize I've done all I can do. If the earth is in flames a decade from now, and American democracy has been obliterated by a fascist regime, at least I will die knowing I tried my best and lived to the fullest when I was able to. I like to think I'm living through historic times, but part of me realizes that there may not be a future generation to look back on this period.

I assume at least some, if not all, your applications require an essay. Would you mind sharing with us what essay prompt(s) you've answered, and give a brief summary of your response(s)?

Aside from the typical "why this college?" essays I've written for almost every school, I've come across some especially interesting prompts in my scholarship applications. My favorite was a prompt that asked me to write my own question regarding something that thoughtful people disagree about, then answer that question using research and clear reasoning. I ended up discussing the Oxford comma and subsequently the harm caused by journalism in the digital age that prioritizes efficiency over clarity. Another essay prompt I answered asked simply, "Tell us about yourself. (500 words)." I was first stumped by this question. The school already had my Common App essay, and I didn't know how to approach this question. But I ended up discussing my work phone banking for the Senate candidate I'm working for, and how that allowed me to connect with people across my state that I had never identified with before. I'm really proud of how it turned out. I was also asked to explain about something that I would love to study if I had all the time in the world, and I wrote about language learning. Specifically, I said that I would love to study Arabic because it's so important to know as someone going into the media industry and hoping to work abroad.

Have there been any additions or deletions from your college list? Any interviews, visits, or other college activity?

I added the University of Missouri because I realized that it would be stupid for me not to apply. Arguably the best journalism program in the country, and guaranteed merit scholarships based on my flat GPA and ACT score? Yes please! In addition, I scheduled an interview with Syracuse University for mid-November, and I'm looking forward to it but also a bit anxious. I don't know what to expect!

Anything else going on that I didn't think to ask about? Anything else you want to share?

Nothing else going on! These are exciting times and I can't wait to see how everything turns out.

Julianna’s College list:

University of Georgia. Top choice. Applied

Indiana University, Applied

DePaul University. Accepted with scholarship!

Boston University

American University

Syracuse University

Northwestern University

University of Missouri, Applied

Ohio University, Applied

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