HELENA - Many seniors in Montana are looking ahead and beginning the process of applying to college now that the school year is underway.
"It's very overwhelming, I think," said Jaycee Coy, a senior at Capital High School.
Like many others in her grade, she is considering her next steps after graduation.
Watch: Free program helps Montana students apply for colleges:
"It's hard to know where you want to go and if you're sure about it, and finances and stuff like that," said Coy. "It is very stressful."
While this chapter of life is stressful for many students, one thing that can help is the Apply Montana portal, available through the Montana University System.
Apply Montana is the central portal for 16 public colleges and universities in the state.
"I want to apply to as many colleges as I can, and so the fees can add up very quickly," Coy said.
It is entirely free for students to use and allows them to fill out one application that can be used for any of the schools.
"It really helps make college a possibility for all students, not just those who have already thought they are college material," said Elwood.
People from the Montana University System are stopping by high schools around the Treasure State for Montana College Application Week to provide one-on-one support during the application process.
"When I was applying to college, I was doing it at 8 p.m., at a coffee shop with wifi access, with my mom's support," said Dawes Elwood, a college access manager at the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. "Having some professionals, some counselors on hand definitely would have made the process a lot less nerve-racking and probably a lot faster as well."
Seniors at Capital High School in Helena are using one of their class periods during the school day to work on their next steps.
"When you run into an obstacle when you're doing it on your own, it's like the end of it," Coy said. "Usually I just give up, so having people to come in and help me - it keeps me motivated to get it actually done."
Last year, students submitted 6,000 applications through the Apply Montana portal during Montana College Application Week.
While college application weeks wrap up on October 3, the Apply Montana portal remains open and free to use at any time for students who wish to apply.
