Procrastination is a certainty as students navigate through the mountains of actual and virtual paperwork on the arduous college selection and application road. Paperwork isn't the only obstacle. Distractions abound. As a senior, it's difficult to set time aside for the college selection process. That is simply how it is. You have to seriously multitask and really decide how you wish to spend your time after school, and oftentimes during it. Use every minute of Monday through Friday. Don't let your work week time be wasted and you can hang on to those precious weekend breaks. And, by the way, all the work and fun of being a high school senior shouldn't be missed as you apply to college.
Your personal time management style will matter. For some students, doing applications all at once is their way, while others enjoy a little here and there; it's important that each student knows how they best work and establish a timetable for completing application tasks. There are no perfect ways. I usually did things all at once before I started writing college essays. After a few botched attempts, I decided to leave my computer on all day and give myself the opportunity to add lines here and there. Ultimately, the page sort of filled itself up. Reviewing, rewriting and revising become the 3 R's of the application process.
The college selection and application process can seem tedious, but it will pay off tenfold if you can work through it consistently and promptly. Sometimes you simply have to make the time. Just like with normal school work, sometimes you must write when you really don't feel like it. Very rarely did I feel like editing and writing extended essays, but just getting something down on paper will exponentially lubricate every stage of an application. Your essays, if your applications require them, may have a large impact on your chances of admission.
There's a bright side to all this work. Luckily, you don't have to travel the college selection road by yourself. Your counselor is willing to aid you at every step of the way, reminding you of deadlines as well as helping you as you fine-tune your applications. If you're willing to work with her, she will be more than happy to work with you. It is up to you to go to the counselor seeking help.
Your counselor can be a resource in all steps of the college selection and application process. For many schools, you have to have a recommendation from her. For others, she offers a second opinion and a guiding, watchful eye as you complete your applications. Many of you will not need extensive help to navigate the admissions process, but you should not lose sight of the fact that any help an educated individual like the counselor or college adviser can give will only serve to improve your work. It is the counselor's duty, and what seems like pleasure, to make sure that procrastination is not an issue. The profession is chosen by those hoping to help students to make the best college matches.
