By mid-September, most seniors start to feel the weight of it all. Classes, sports, jobs, family commitments, and for many, standardized tests all while keeping college applications moving. It’s a lot to balance. Hopefully, they knocked out some of the heavy lifting in the summer, but this is still the season when the juggling act feels most intense.
As counselors, we can’t take the load off their shoulders, but we can give them tools to make it more manageable.
Three Practical Tips for Seniors
1. Treat applications like another class
Schedule application work the same way you’d schedule homework. Setting aside two or three 45-minute blocks each week adds up quickly and helps avoid last-minute stress.
2. Break tasks into smaller pieces
“Finish essay” or “Fill out CommonApp” feels impossible. “Write one paragraph” or “revise one activity description” feels doable. Students make the most progress when they chip away a little at a time.
3. Look at the big picture
Encourage students to map their application deadlines against their school calendar. If they see a big paper, project, playoff game, or test date falling in the same week as an application deadline, they can plan ahead and save themselves from a week of panic.
4. Remember to balance
Students need to keep up with classes, stay active in extracurriculars, and stay on top of standardized testing if it still applies. Adding applications on top of all that is a challenge, so remind them to pace themselves and take advantage of any work they already did over the summer.
For some students, they might even be able to take a similar “bite-sized” approach to applying. Here is an idea that you can try to use for students with long or ambitious college lists….
Resource: First Three Applications Worksheet
One way to simplify the process is to have students name their first three colleges to apply to and commit to starting with those. It keeps the list manageable and gives them momentum.
You can copy and paste this directly into an email or handout:
My First Three Applications
- College #1
- Application Type:
- Deadline
- Essay(s) required:
- Net Price Estimate:
- College #2:
- Application Type:
- Deadline:
- Essay(s) required:
- Net Price Estimate:
- College #3:
- Application Type:
- Deadline:
- Essay(s) required:
- Net Price Estimate:
Tip for students: Pick one school that feels exciting, one that feels realistic, and one that feels like a good financial fit. Once you’ve submitted those, moving on to the rest of your list won’t feel so overwhelming.
