Everyone knows how expensive college is: tuition, textbooks, and even application fees. Often times, the bill can run anywhere from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars. With all this stress, few high schoolers are informed about the special status opportunities offered by some colleges. The expenses and stress of college and the application process are causing some to rule it out entirely.

Priority status is a shorter and easier way to apply for colleges that many students are beginning to become aware of. It is common when applying to colleges to include an essay, and the majority of the time, it can be tedious. Priority status, in some cases, allows the applicant to submit an application not only free of charge but also without including an essay. To some, this may come as a relief, because it relieves the stress of writing.

However, even with its advantages, certain students like Acobie Yoder, don’t find this appealing. Yoder expresses his thoughts about college and the expenses that come with it: “I think that college is a waste of time and money that could be used for passions or getting more real-world experience.” He admits,”I also know that I wouldn’t be accepted into a college in the first place from having a low GPA to not wanting to be in school any longer.”

As colleges are beginning to offer more flexibility, one must wonder Why? Priority status makes applying easier, but it doesn’t guarantee an acceptance letter or full ride. Essentially, priority status is a way to persuade more students to apply in order to gage more interest. With this in mind, some of these applicants are not necessarily the interest of these schools but rather a way to enlarge their applicant pool. While it does not mean automatic acceptance, it does provide a certain opportunity for students applying to college.