After hours of staring at Common App, finding teachers to write letters of recommendation, sending in a high school transcript, and stressing over a personal essay, Lane’s Class of 2026 students’ work paid off at Decision Day.
Decision Day is an annual celebratory event allowing students to be rewarded for committing to a college or university, but it is also a reflection of their last four years of high school. Some students view the event as the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
The event is focused on students celebrating their college commitments, and seniors described a variety of reasons that brought them to those commitments. One of the most discussed reasons for college decision was the cost of tuition whether it be through scholarships or financial aid. Isabella Snopek, an incoming freshman at Ohio State University for philosophy, policy, and economics said, “I got a full ride to the college. So I was like, ‘you can’t turn down a full ride.’”
Natalia Arrellano, attending Dominican University for Political Science on a pre-law track also received a full ride scholarship, while Tiarri Banks, attending Bradley University for marketing, said the scholarships she received played a role in her decision to attend Bradley. Yahir Reyes, who will be attending Augustana College for Political Science, said, “It was probably the most affordable college compared to the others I applied to.”
While many students said they made their decision based on the architecture or location of the school’s campus, some had reasons that reflected their own personal interests. Kellen Shields, an incoming freshman at Fordham University for psychology, said, “What helped me was touring the college and trying out for the dance team, that really made my decision easier.”
Diego Patino, who’ll be attending University of Notre Dame for political science said he was drawn to the religious life at the university.
In regards to choosing a major, Roman Brice who is going to be attending Cornell University for Government said he determined his major based on the current state of the country. “I feel like everything for the way the world works is related to politics in one way or another,” Brice said.
Shields described Decision Day as exciting and said, “[It’s] also scary and a little bit sad to leave behind a lot of the amazing friends that we made here.”
Snopek said she’s grateful for the experiences she’s had during her time at Lane. “I feel like I’m at a loss for words,” Snopek said.“I think that in the moment, I’m really happy and excited to be surrounded by all these people that I’ve met throughout my four years at Lane and I’m extremely grateful to have all the connections I’ve made.It’s sad in the realization that it’s coming to an end. Like, my high school career is done, onto the next chapter.”
During the event, students recognized their work and expressed gratitude for the resources that brought them to their college decision. Aaliyah Perez, attending UIC for finance, said “We’re happy to be here. We’re happy to have come this far.”
Similarly, Eduardo Villagomez, who will be attending DePaul for criminology, said he’s thankful for the resources that brought him to where he is now. “I’m very grateful for everything that I did here and it really helped me build who I am today,” Villagomez said.
Not only did seniors recognize their own work, but they recognized the work of their peers as well. Brice said the day felt like a celebration for all seniors. “Today genuinely feels like a celebration of everyone I’ve ever met and all their hard work,” Brice said. “It’s genuinely amazing, it’s a day of celebration for all seniors.”
