As you look to make the transition from high-school to college, you are probably feeling as though there is a never ending and maybe even growing “checklist” of things you need to worry about or check off your list. Don’t worry if you feel this way, as it is very normal and quite common.
When it comes to getting into one of your top college picks, you might not think much about your level of organization, but it is actually of paramount importance in the process. The more organized you are, the greater your chances of getting into one of your top college picks. The odds are higher for ultimate success in college as well.
If you haven’t been “much for organizing” in the past, now is definitely the time to change that. Studying for the SAT, meeting deadlines, writing essays, taking practice tests, evaluating your different college options, investigating financial aid for college tuition and direct federal student loans takes a lot of time, and that means a lot of organization is essential.
One of the single largest steps towards great organization is being willing to prioritize what is important and what is not important. Tackle this step first, and getting organized will become a great deal easier.
Sacrificing things that you enjoy doing in order to do something that you don’t like or find unpleasant is easier said than done. One trick is to start small with small sacrifices of things that you enjoy. Instead use that “recovered time” for something that relates to getting into the school of your dreams, or at least one of the schools that you like the idea of attending!
You could tackle this issue on a week by week basis. Here is an example of how you could structure your college prep organizing. You don’t have to use this exact model, but instead you can adapt this strategy for whatever works for you!
Week One-Spend more time studying for SAT
Week Two-Research colleges
Week Three-Get College applications
Week Four-Research financial aid related issues
Week Five-Make list of relevant deadlines
Week Six-Think about ways you can become more efficient and effective in how you use your time and make a list!
Each week look for ways that you can set time aside so that you can apply that time towards getting into college. As a result, you will become far more organized and also far calmer! Being organized has a benefit that few consider; being organized means less panic and that means better decision-making.
Many students “end up” at universities and colleges that were nowhere near their top picks for no other reason that a failure to get organized in advance. They had all the tools, the necessary grades, good letters of recommendation and maybe even good SAT scores, but they lacked proper preparation.
Think of getting into college like you would think about starting a business. You wouldn’t just try to open a business without preparing in some fashion, would you? You instinctively understand and know that a business, at least one with any chance of success, needs work and planning. If you invest your time in this fashion, you will be surprised by what you can accomplish.
College is expensive, and it’s getting far more expensive every year. This situation is leaving many young people with the daunting task of trying to determine just how much debt they should take on at a very young age. Is this unfair? You bet it is unfair, but it’s also the reality of the situation that most of you may find yourself in. Until the day comes that a college education is free (don’t hold your breath), students will have to wrestle with not only how much to pay for a college or university degree, but also whether or not it is worth it.
There are many important steps to applying for college. Getting into the college or university of your choice can be a complex process. This is especially true when you are applying to numerous schools. As a result, you may at times feel overwhelmed and stressed by the process as a whole. This is why it is extremely important to keep your focus.
Finding the money for college has become a very tricky game with many potential pitfalls. This cautionary statement isn’t designed to discourage you from following your dreams and pursuing higher education. Instead this statement reflects the simple reality of today’s ever escalating education price tag. The price of college is rising at a rate that far exceeds the rate of inflation, and these rising costs make 
