With seniors working hard on their college applications, there is no doubt that parents and college counselors are focusing conversations on college, listing ways they can improve their essay, revamp their activities section, or perfect their responses to the short answer questions. All of this feedback and focus on the application is important, but any additional college talk from peers can build up unneeded extra stress.

While questions like “Where are you applying early decision?” or “What is your top choice school?” may seem like an easy conversation topic, in reality, they bring attention to a subject that for the most part (at least until more official decisions are made), can be very personal for seniors. Of course, if someone chooses to bring up their college process in a conversation, that is their choice, but there should be no pressure for a student to answer a question regarding their application experience. The best way to avoid adding stress into the lives of seniors is to avoid asking them questions about college. Wait for them to be ready to open up, and whenever that time comes, be supportive and don’t pry.