Whoever said senior year was easy is wrong. I have so much going on right now. First and foremost, October and December are my last chances to score well on the ACT, so continuing to prepare is very important. I am going on college visits, I’m working on the common application, I’m doing track workouts, and on top of all of that I have all of my schoolwork. I have to remember that my senior year grades are still important and that colleges usually ask to see your first-semester grades. I am really trying to focus on my schoolwork and keep up my grades even though I have lots of other things going on.

I just got back from another college visit and I had a great time. Visiting colleges is really important because once you choose a college, you’ll be living there for the next four years. I make sure I talk to some students who go to the school and see how they like it and I try to get the inside scoop. It’s nice to see a dorm room, so you have an idea of the limited space you have to fit all of your stuff. Going on visits is really important and helpful. I was able to get a real feel for what college life is like.

Scholarships are the best way to help fund your education, yet some people are not aware of this. Dealing with student loans could put you in debt for many years, so scholarships are the best option because you don’t have to pay any money back. When most people think of scholarships they think of athletic or academic scholarships, but those are not the only scholarships available. You can get scholarships from places like businesses (small and large), religious groups, private clubs, fraternities/sororities, etc. There are just so many options and all you have to do is go out and search for them. For me, I have already signed up for a scholarship website. The site allows me to apply for scholarships for free and requires just an essay or basic information to apply. I have already applied for some scholarships and it’s just so easy. So, if college is looking too expensive, investigate some scholarships. They may help make college more affordable.

Going to college can be very expensive. Having to pay for books, supplies, food, room and board, and making actual tuition payments can be overwhelming. You should apply for as many academic scholarships as you can. Those could be through tests, essays, or speeches. Don’t be afraid to apply for scholarships; you never know what you could win. You can talk to your guidance counselor to find out if there are any local scholarships or if your school offers any special contests for scholarships. Another option to consider for financial help is the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). There are financial aid papers that you can start filling out online at http://www.fafsaonline.com/.

College fairs are a great way to gain knowledge on schools you want to attend. There are so many schools; there really is no way for you to know them all without going to a college fair. The only colleges I even really knew about were the ones that were interested in me because of track. Now that I have been to a college fair, I am more aware of the variety of opportunities out there and will probably consider several different options for the school I want to attend.

The other day I had a meeting with both my guidance counselor and my mother. It was a great meeting. We talked about my plans for the future and what I need to do for my college applications. Some of the main subjects we talked about were letters of recommendation from my teachers, the common application and the supplements, and the colleges in which I am interested. After talking to my guidance counselor, I felt a lot better about where I stand in the process of applying to colleges. I know my guidance counselor will be seeing a lot of me this year!

I’ve found one of the best ways to ensure you get the best scores possible for your ACT is to take a practice test and/or take the ACT more than once. If you didn’t do so hot on the first one, then chances are you can do better on the next one. In fact, ACT research shows that 57% of students improve their composite score on a retest. Also, if your grades aren’t all that great, having a solid ACT score might help because the school will know that you are capable of college-level work.

I have to be really organized this year because I have so much going on. First of all, I have all of my schoolwork, projects, and thesis papers to keep track of. On top of that, I have my college applications to worry about. Filling out applications is a long process. The hardest part is getting all of my essay and supplemental essay questions done. Early action and early decision due dates are just around the corner, so I really need to finish my applications and set aside time to work on them. Keeping on top of my schoolwork and my college applications is very important.

People always tell me that recommendations are the key to getting into the school you desire. Recommendations can hold you back or bring you down. When choosing the people who you want to recommend you, make sure you have a good relationship with them and that they actually care about you and where you’ll end up. Recommendations are what let the schools know who you really are as a person and admissions staff takes them seriously. I am having my track coach write one of my recommendations because he knows me really well and shows interest in my goals.

I am back into the full swing of school. I am taking a very stressful course load this year and I can already feel the pressure. I am just trying to keep up with all of my work and get ahead when I can. There are so many things that I have to do this year—between schoolwork, college applications, and sports I know I will not have a lot of spare time. I am just trying to stay on top of all of my work and move forward.