For many students at The University of Alabama, undergraduate studies are just the first step on the long road towards a master’s or Ph.D. These students will commit huge amounts of time and energy to the process of graduate school applications, mostly during their senior year.

Simultaneously managing a course load, a slew of applications and extracurricular activities that are meant to get you across that final threshold can be a 
daunting task. It’s not uncommon for a student’s GPA and/or mental health to suffer under the stresses of the application process. The hardest part of this process can be managing time -– when you have a test tomorrow, a paper due later in the week and volunteer hours after class, how do you find the time to invest in applications without some other aspect of 
life suffering?

One possible solution to this would be for the University to create a class for seniors and juniors only, dedicated solely to the process of applying to 
graduate school.

This class would give students a dedicated time slot each week when they would work on their applications. They could research schools, compose materials or schedule meetings with advisors and other faculty members during this time. There wouldn’t be a curriculum, since the basics of graduate school application are fairly simple, and long-term objectives vary from person to person.

This class wouldn’t provide students with anything tangible they didn’t already have. But it could provide something crucial: structure. It would let students know exactly when they’ll have time to work on their applications and also be completely certain that this time won’t overlap with other responsibilities.

A counterpoint to this idea is that college students, as adults, shouldn’t need hand-holding. This is an entirely valid point. As mature and aspiring adults striving for material and intellectual independence, most of us don’t want or need a faculty member standing over our shoulder and guiding our every action. However, the class I’ve suggested doesn’t take the responsibility of finding information, making decisions and doing work from students. It simply provides an optional support system for people who are driven to do those things, with a minimal cost to 
the school.

The University of Alabama is an extremely effective institution, and it should want to help students capitalize on the quality of instruction they’ve received here. A program like the one I’ve suggested would be a simple, non-intrusive and cost-efficient way for the University to help students on the path to higher 
learning get there.

Nathan James is a senior majoring in 
psychology. HIs column runs weekly.