College application season is a busy time of year for students who want to get into the top schools. After all, you are going to be applying to more than just one university. You likely have 2-3 reach, safety, and target schools. That means you could have nine applications with different deadlines and different requirements to keep organized. Here are some tips so you can put your best foot forward on all of your applications.
- Use a spreadsheet – Whether you prefer Excel, Sheets, or any other spreadsheet app, you can create a simple spreadsheet to help you stay organized. What should the categories be? You may want to have checkboxes to mark which applications need your scores from standardized tests, essays, recommendation letters, and the like. Or, you can create a checklist and mark them off as you complete each task.
- Get some colorful folders – Color code the folders and label them so you can keep everything you have gathered together by school. There are going to be a lot of applications, letters, scores, essays, and other papers to organize and keep track of.
- Start early – The due dates may seem far off, but they will catch up to you. You will get the best letters of recommendation if you ask way ahead of time. And you will write better essays if you start now rather than trying to write under pressure the night before you have to send off the application.
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