For many high school seniors, fall semester can feel particularly stressful. Between maintaining top grades, putting the finishing touches on personal statements, and applying to colleges, students have a lot of important items on their agendas.
While it may be impossible to totally eliminate college application anxiety, you can manage it in ways that will help you finish out the semester on a high note. Keep reading to learn more about how to keep stress at bay during the college application season.
Stay on Top of Your To-Do List
There is nothing more stressful than having to work down to the wire. It’s important to stay organized during the college application process so you can keep tabs on all the deadlines coming your way. Set aside time to make an organized list with all your upcoming projects, tests and exams, and due dates for college applications. Organize these to-dos chronologically and work through items on your agenda strategically. Having a list to refer to will help keep you accountable and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.
If you prefer a more technological approach, you can find many useful time management apps for your smartphone. We particularly like MyStudyLife and MyHomework for organizing academic to-dos and deadlines.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
While high school seniors need to take the lead throughout the college application process, it is important to remember that no one is in this alone. Reach out to family members to share your concerns and discuss strategies and solutions to make the process feel more manageable.
If you feel totally overwhelmed, you may wish to seek the advice of a teacher, school counselor, or independent counselor who can offer nuanced tips that directly relate to your specific goals and concerns.
Come Back to What You Love
Although you have a lot on your to-do list, it’s important not to lose sight of the interests and passions that are driving your academic journey to begin with. Set aside time to participate in the hobbies and extracurricular activities that bring you the most joy, regardless of how busy your academic schedule becomes. Artistic endeavors can serve as a creative outlet and effective stress management tool, while sports and other physically demanding pursuits can help keep nerves at bay.
Reflect on Your Thoughts
Instead of trying to ignore your negative feelings, carve out time to acknowledge them and reflect on potential solutions. Journaling can be an excellent outlet to express your thoughts and fears, reconnect with emotions you may be trying to avoid, and create actionable ways to cope with these sentiments.
Write down a list of feelings and worries you have surrounding the application process, reflect on these points, and then consider jotting down some solutions or steps to work through each scenario. Simply putting a pen to paper can help you express your fears and begin to work through them independently.
Reach Out to Friends
The same fears and stressors that are top of mind for you are likely pressing issues for your friends as well. Reach out to classmates and peers who are going through the college application process themselves so you can support one another. Instead of comparing their academic journey to your own, focus on the shared experiences you can support each other through and serve as a support system to one another.
While college application season is an inherently stressful time for all students, applicants can manage anxiety around the process by starting early and staying on top of their to-do lists. Working with an experienced college admissions counselor also helps alleviate a lot of the stress and confusion that comes with the college admissions journey.
IvyWise college admissions counselors have sat in committee at some of the most highly selective schools in the U.S. They have reviewed thousands of student applications from the admissions side, so they know what it takes to stand out. If you need some expert guidance to help you through this admissions season, our short-term senior programs have you covered.