Is Junior or Senior Year Harder?

High school movies paint the last two years as a time of nostalgia, independence, and excitement. But for most juniors and seniors—especially at Walls—each year presents unique academic and extracurricular challenges leading up to graduation. While many dread junior year for its pre-college workload, others find the stress peaks during senior year’s application season. Among Walls students, there was some agreement that junior year was more difficult. A small number of students felt the challenge came from the sheer volume of work. “You had stuff like APUSH (AP U.S. History), which required a lot of work every week,” Augusta Kankel (‘25) noted.

Kankel added that AP Seminar was one of the hardest parts of junior year. “It was like a group project, which required a lot of coordination and organization.” Junior year also brings intense internal pressure, with students focused on SAT prep and maintaining high GPAs. “It was really a priority for me to keep my GPA up,” Gideon Ratke (‘25) said, discussing his stress during the year. Current junior Sophie Fetsch (‘26) agreed with Ratke, explaining “Now you have to get all A’s and have good relationships with your teachers, and study for the SAT and ACT, and your AP tests and community service.” 

This pressure often stems from the belief that colleges scrutinize junior year grades more than any other. “I feel less pressure in senior year because I’ve already gotten into college,” Kankel said, reflecting on the shift in expectations. Fetsch echoed this sentiment, noting that “I feel like once you get in [to college], you will be fine and it will be less stressful.”

For others, though, concerns about college made the thought of senior year more stressful. Junior Maeve Cunningham (‘26) said that she expected next year to be more difficult “because of college.” 

For Ratke, the lack of a dream school eased some of his anxiety. “I felt pretty confident that I would get into where I wanted to go,” he said. Still, some students felt that junior year’s difficulty is overhyped. “Junior year is definitely daunting because it’s the year your grades go to colleges, but it’s not that bad,” Lexi Padre (‘25) said.

On the other hand, senior year brings a new kind of challenge: balancing school with the transition out of high school. “Now you have to do college applications on top of schoolwork,” Riley Gayle (‘25) said. Padre highlighted another unique senior-year stressor for Walls students: the senior project. “I think it’s definitely a lot to deal with, especially in your last year of school.” The senior project culminates in a final product senior year. While it’s a graduation requirement, it adds extra work for students already focused on college applications and life beyond high school. “You’re kind of doubling up on English classes because you’re writing a 15-page paper,” Padre said, citing it as a reason senior year can feel more demanding.

Beyond academics, many noted the emotional weight of senior year. Gayle reflected on the reality of leaving high school. “It hits you that you’re about to leave this school.” For some, this realization encouraged them to get more involved in extracurriculars as a way to relieve stress. “It hits you that you’re leaving,” Maharani Yogi (‘25) added, echoing Gayle’s sentiment. Others felt the difference between junior and senior year wasn’t dramatic. Aside from the shift from researching colleges to applying, Gayle said, “We’re seniors now, but it feels the same as being juniors.”

Each year presents its own challenges and milestones, shaping the resilience and motivation of Walls students. Ultimately, the final years of high school serve as critical preparation for life beyond Walls, as students navigate academic rigor, college applications, and the bittersweet emotions of moving on.