Ask seniors on campus about their greatest cause of stress and you will get one unanimous answer: college. Yes, it’s that time of year, the time where upperclassmen are signing up for SAT tests, putting together their college lists and, in some cases, even starting to send in their applications. It is, understandably, both a hectic and demanding time for senior students. However, it is important to remember that a lot of stress is self-induced, and that there is no need to feel overwhelmed. In case people have a hard time remembering this, however, El Cid asked counselor Mr. Dave Silva for some advice as seniors tackle the next couple months.

• Creating the college list: What kind of school do you want to apply to? Big or small? Close to home or far away? Try doing some research based off of similar simple criteria and see what you find. Before meeting with your counselor for your scheduled college talk, make sure to have a couple schools in mind to talk about with your counselor. This way, your counselor can get an idea of the kind of schools that you are interested in and can suggest schools based off of your criteria. This advice also goes for people who have already created their college list. As Mr. Silva advises, “Building the ‘right’ list and having a structured plan is essential to minimizing stress. When students have a comprehensive list of reach, target, and safe schools, it minimizes the anxiety of getting accepted.”
• Write down application deadlines and other important due dates: This seems like an obvious step, but it’s surprisingly easy to forget things like scholarship application deadlines and college visits. Although rare, no one wants to be the student last who gets their full-ride to Stanford revoked because they forgot to send in transcripts. Take advantage of your phone or Ipad by putting dates in your calendar and using alerts to remind yourself. Mr. Silva also suggested planning events out week by week. “Having a structured plan will also relieve the burden associated with college applications,” he said. “For example: Week 1 – Write your essay. Week 2 – Apply to state schools (in-state or out-of-state). Week 3 – Invite recommenders and send test scores. Week 4 – Complete Common App. Week 5 – Complete all other applications. Be sure to know your deadlines and apply early for scholarships.” For people using the Common Application, they also have all the due dates for Early Admission, Early Decision, Normal Admission, and other deadlines listed for schools you are applying to. Deadlines differ depending on the school, so be sure to double-check!
• Schoolwork comes before applications: While it’s obviously important to finish essays and paperwork for college, schoolwork takes priority. Don’t let filling out your applications get in the way of studying for a test or working on a project. This semester is especially important as these are the last grades that colleges will see on your application. Grades are a very critical part of your application (and for many schools, the most important part!), so it’s important to give your best effort in these last few months before the semester ends. If you can’t tackle both schoolwork and applications during the week, set aside time on the weekends to plow through the work. You’ll be surprised how much you can get done in just a few hours! Mr. Silva added a more specific time to work on applications. “I think it’s best to reserve Sunday afternoons for college applications. A structured calendar, as noted above, would only entail a few hours of work each week. Setting a day and time along with a plan will allow for a manageable and [relatively] stress-free application process.”
• Proofread: Having a second set of eyes reading your essays and other aspects of your application will not only help with the editing process, but will make you feel more confident of your writing. Even if you are satisfied with your essays, it’s important to make sure someone else reads them over, even if it’s just to check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Try having a parent or friend read your work first, and then maybe sit down with a teacher or another adult just to double-check. This way, you can get perspective from someone who knows you personally, someone who knows you as a student. By having the feedback of another person, you will feel much better when you finally send off your essays.

You are going to be fine: Even though this is technically not advice, this is the most important thing to remember throughout the whole process. Worry and anxiety will do absolutely nothing to help you, so do your best to stay calm. Although this is easier said then done, try to remind yourself that no matter what happens between now and the end of the year, you will be okay. Do the best you can now, and you will ultimately be proud of yourself for it.