Get A Handle On Your Applications Early-Avoid Last Minute Stress

As the college application season nears, you will soon be surrounded by masses of frantic 12th graders scrambling to perfect their applications that will determine the next four years of their lives. Are you one of them ? 

Honestly, it isn’t all that enjoyable and cool. Come August, you will be stressed and sleep deprived (Already seeing these symptoms?). And occasionally, you’ll just want to rip your essays up and go join the circus. But with a lot of deep breathes, overdose of chocolates or your comfort food of choice and these tips, you can sail through this process and settle in to actually enjoying your last year in high school. Which, for the record, will be a lot of fun once you get to it.

1. ‘Early bird catches the worm’ could not hold more true here. Start early because you do have a lot of work to do and that can leave you scared and anxious. Panic attacks and procrastination may become a common feature. However, if you’re reading this right now with a fearful face, then calm down, it is OK. What’s important here is to not get overwhelmed with however much time you do have. Manage your work and time by devising a plan that breaks down that big mountain of work into manageable chunks. 

2. Your college applications are probably the first independent choices you have made growing up into an adult. The strength of your applications depends on the hard work you decide to invest in them. So, don’t make it a choice that you’ll regret. If a SAT reattempt is essential, take it again. If your dream college requires SAT subject tests, sit for them. 

3. Know your limits. Understand that there is a point where you can have too much of a good thing, and that’s the point where the number of hours you put into an essay or SAT studying stop correlating to improvement and start dropping off into burnout and frustration. The college admissions process is a tough time and it’s important to be aware of both your mental and physical health. Take a day or two to relax and refuel.

4. Have someone look at your essays. And then someone else. And a third and fourth person as well, if possible. Even after a thorough revision, these essays tend to have typos 99% of the times. Your creative ideas get numb. An extra pair of eyes will be beneficial in pointing out the typos and commenting on the coherence and clarity of your masterpiece. 

5. College applications really are about fit, so don’t present yourself as somebody you aren’t. You cannot be whatever your dream school wants you to be. Face the truth and do an honest self portrayal. You want to be somewhere that also wants you to be there.

6. You may think you know what colleges you want to apply to, but be assured that there is a college out there you’d love if you knew about it. Be aware of the options you have, seek opinions and spend a little time exploring!

7. Be aware of your financial situation now. Be aware of any other kind of preferences in terms of college size, diversity, city size, weather, etc.

8. Scholarships. Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships. Start now. This is one of the few times in your life when you’ll earn money for free, so take advantage of it.

9. This has to be kept in mind now but applied after you hear back from colleges - It is a fantastic achievement to get into an Ivy League or other top ranked school. It is not a waste of four years if you don’t. You worked hard for your acceptances. Be proud!

10. Yes. Monumental celebrations await after that last click on the ‘submit’ tab. Dance around your house, gobble up that ice cream bucket and catch up on all the TV you’ve missed in the past two months. Relax. And enjoy the remaining months in school.