One of my biggest worries going into the college application process was that I was going to be crunching at the end of the deadlines and super stressed. However, my experience was nowhere near that. I submitted all of my applications the weekend before November 1st, which was the deadline for almost all of my colleges. I felt extremely ready and prepared to submit them, and there was very little stress. I think I used my time well in the block I had off to work specifically on my college applications. One thing I do wish I had done differently is to start on my college essay sooner. I had been encouraged to start during the summer, which is something that I did not do, and I chose to start it later in the school year. College essays are something that can always get better, and you can always put more work into them. I liked my college essay, but I think that if I started sooner, I would have had extra time to edit and re-edit and make it as good as it could possibly be. As a whole, I was pleasantly surprised with the experience of applying to colleges. Many people had led me to believe that it was the most work that I would ever have to do in my life; however, I found that if you dedicate time to working on it, like my block off, it is very manageable. I also really appreciated the organization method that I was taught to use because it always kept me on track, and I always knew what I was supposed to be doing next. 

• have dedicated time to work on it so you ensure you don't fall too behind

• start thinking about your college essay a lot sooner than you think you have to

• get things done in big chunks - you get more done and feel more productive