As college applications season kicks into full swing, high school seniors are feeling both excitement and anxiety. This process, which is full of deadlines, personal statements, and big decisions, can be overwhelming, but it is also a time of opportunity and growth.
To ensure that the application process goes smoothly, it might be helpful to follow some of these tips.
Procrastination can be a senior’s biggest enemy during this time. Coach Jay, an experienced University Academic Counselor, emphasizes the importance of working ahead: “The longer you procrastinate, the more stress you are going to feel when it comes to deadlines, like early decision and early action.”
Students often make the common mistake of laying all of this work on themselves. “What a lot of students do is they think they can do everything by themselves, and they don’t ask for help in a timely manner,” Coach Jay said. “If you ask for help when you need it earlier rather than later, we can help you with ample time versus waiting until crunch time.”
By starting early, students can give themselves the chance to revise their work, gather all necessary documents, and avoid last-minute panic. There is nothing more stressful than realizing a deadline is looming with an essay half-written or your application missing key components.
In order for students to be motivated they have to be honest with themselves, set goals, and put a system in place that will ensure their consistency and workflow. Miles, a 12th grader going through the application process, found that having a mentor helped him significantly. “Going to my UAC every week has really helped me. I appreciate how honest he is with me about whether or not something is good’’.
It is also important to be able to recognize when work needs improvement, so that students can show their best side to the college admissions offices.
It is very easy to get caught up in the stress of senior year, but as Coach Jay said, “delayed gratification is the best reward. So if you work hard now, you’ll be able to enjoy your later semesters of senior year.”
The more students invest in their applications and academics now, the less pressure they will feel later. Knocking out applications early not only reduces stress but allows you to focus on enjoying your final months of high school.