The Guidance Department has set a two week moratorium on college applications in order to accommodate the ample number of applications with a December 1 deadline.

The moratorium began on November the 16 and ends today, December 1.

Over 700 applications were filed to guidance from November 1 to 16, according to Guidance Department secretary Ricki Malone.

“We have a record number of applications,” said Malone. “And such a large number need to go out by December 1 that if we didn’t have a moratorium, not all those applications would have gotten out on time.”

Not all college applications are due December 1. According to guidance counselor Carrie Siemsen, deadlines for different schools come once or twice a month until graduation.

Malone attributes the number of applications to the fact that this year’s class is larger than previous years and that students are applying to more colleges. “Online applications are free, so why not [apply to more colleges]?” Malone said.

According to Malone, a senior class a few years ago comparable to the size of this year’s class filed almost 1,000 applications throughout the course of the year. The class of 2010 has almost reached 1,000 filed applications only 4 months into the school year.

Seniors like Lillie Bright found the moratorium to be frustrating. “I rushed to meet the deadline. The week before [guidance stopped accepting applications] was very stressful,” said Bright.

Other seniors have been waiting to submit applications again. “I’ll be turning in my applications first thing on Wednesday,” senior Christina DiMartino said.

Collin Hoofnagle can be reached for comment at [email protected].