For certain seniors graduating this coming spring, the fall semester can be one of the most stressful times in their collegiate journeys. With applications open for many post-graduate institutions, seniors face the burden of balancing their academics, extracurriculars, jobs and social lives while applying to higher education programs for the coming year.
Applying to post-graduate institutions may be anxiety-inducing and exacerbate the stress students feel on a daily basis, according to Medium. Despite this, Seaver students said they are working to reach the goals they have always aspired toward.
“Deadlines and applications essays and projects — it’s a lot for one person, especially for people in their early 20s trying to figure their life out,” senior Kamryn Spease said. “You can get lost in all the work, but it’s important to remain grounded.”
Majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies, Kamryn Spease said she is on track to apply to graduate programs with an emphasis in Social Psychology. In the future she hopes to work with nonprofit organizations surrounding human rights work and plans to join more social activist groups.
“I just really want to spend my life taking everything I’ve learned from college to help others,” Spease said.
As the Vice President of Lambda Theta Nu Sorority Inc., a hands-on member of the Latinx Student Alliance and a board member for the Indigenous Peoples Club, Spease said her favorite part of being involved with on-campus organizations is the community service aspect.
Spease said being a part of LSA has opened up many doors for her in regarding giving back to the Latinx community.
“All the clubs I’m doing on campus have really given me a lot of opportunities to work in service for others, which is what I want to spend my life doing,” Spease said.
This year her graduate programs have gotten rid of the required Graduate Record Examination, for a portion of applications, Spease said as she expressed her gratitude for the decision. Nevertheless, the application process for higher education programs can be quite daunting while trying to balance work, extracurriculars and social life.
“As a first-generation student, it’s hard going to higher education when no one in your family has done it before,” Spease said.
The University offers many resources for aspiring graduate students, which takes off some of the pressures of having to navigate the application process, Spease said. Thankful for all the advice and guidance professors have provided her with throughout her time at Pepperdine, Spease said she feels ready to enter graduate school.
Her biggest advice to students thinking of applying to graduate school is to prioritize one’s mental health and make time every day to enjoy life, Spease said.
While some seniors are seeking out graduate school opportunities, others have different plans. As a double major in Biology and Sociology, senior Sabrina Musharbash said she hopes to attend medical school within the next couple of years.
Musharbash said it’s been difficult to navigate the medical school application process as a minority student, especially since she recently took the required Medical College Admissions Test.
This year, Musharbash said she has struggled to balance test preparation with schoolwork, and felt the resources the University offers were insufficient in fully preparing her for applying to medical institutions.
The program aids undergraduate students with exploring different career paths, writing resumes, selecting internships and conducting mock interviews, according to the Seaver College Career Center’s website.
Similarly, the Career Center offers various resources for those looking to attend graduate school, including meeting with industry specialists who can review application materials like personal statements and CV’s according to their website.
“Honestly, the pre-med community at Pepperdine is not super open about details of applying,” Musharbash said. “It’s super vulnerable to tell people ‘Here’s where I’m applying’ and ‘Here are my scores and my GPA and everything.'”
Because prep courses are expensive, Musharbash said she looked elsewhere for preparation opportunities and found a program designed to aid minority students applying to medical school.
“I found this advising program for minority students that matched me with a student in med school who knows the admissions process and she’s helping me out,” Musharbash said.
The process of applying to medical programs takes a full year, and Musharbash said she will begin that process in July of 2024 following her undergraduate graduation.
In the meantime, Musharbash said she is seeking out interim one-year masters programs to stay in the Los Angeles area while she applies for medical programs.
Working as a scribe for a doctor in Oxnard and working on pancreatic research at the City of Hope hospital in Pasadena, Musharbash said finding balance between all her responsibilities has been demanding.
“I definitely cut down my course load a lot, and saved all my easiest classes for senior year so I would have the time,” Musharbash said. “I also cut back on extracurriculars just to give me time to not only enjoy my senior year, but also focus on my applications.”
As for advice, Musharbash said any students who are considering applying to post-graduate institutions should ask for letters of recommendation early while students are still enrolled in their professor’s class.
“You don’t have to be a senior to ask,” Musharbash said. “The one thing I wish I did was ask while I was in the professor’s class, especially while you’re still good with the professor and they know you really well.”
Similarly, Musharbash said the application process is hard for students in general and that people will always comment on preparedness, so students should have grace and be kind to themselves.
“Just be confident in yourself and what you’ve done and know that whatever you’ve done, it’s enough,” Musharbash said. “You don’t need an acceptance to give you worth.”
Senior Political Science major Alondra Mendoza also shared the experiences she’s faced so far applying to law school. As an intern with local Malibu firm, Cohen Injury Law Group P.C., Mendoza said she wished she had made more time for extracurriculars throughout her time in college.
“A lot of clubs meet on the days I have work, so I always prioritized work instead of extracurriculars, which is finally biting me in the back,” Mendoza said. “Thankfully, I think I’ve done enough outside of school, like lots of volunteer work and activities outside that I feel will help my applications.”
Mendoza also explained her struggles with beginning the law school application process as a first-generation minority student. Mendoza said she had to navigate the application process on her own and said she wished she asked for help sooner.
“My timeline has been so tight, and so I recommend asking for help if you’re like me and don’t really know what you’re doing,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza explained she felt her final year thus far has been fairly restful and said she is working on decreasing procrastination. Mendoza said she wants to work on stabilizing her work-life balance and has taken steps to reduce outside work at her part-time job and internship to prepare for applications.
“Now I have more time, but with so much on my mind, it stresses me out so much having applications and schoolwork on top of everything else,” Mendoza said.
With rolling admission, law schools admit students based on how early they apply and seats fill up early. Mendoza explained while she feels overwhelmed with application deadlines on top of her studies, she is confident that she is on the right path toward the future she’s always wanted.
In terms of advice for aspiring law students, Mendoza said students should begin applying earlier rather than later. Mendoza said the work for fall semester of senior year tends to pile up, so it’s best to stay ahead early on in the year.
“Ask for help, especially if you don’t have anyone in your family who can assist you,” Mendoza said.
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Email Emma Ibarra: emma.ibarra@pepperdine.edu
