Applying for college can be stressful. It may feel like there are hundreds upon hundreds of colleges to apply for, or too many essays to write with too little time. There are some things, however, that can make this process a bit easier.

Finances

Each college website is obligated to provide the cost of 1 year of tuition, including room and board. Make sure you’ve checked in with with those providing your financial support on how much they are willing to help pay for. If you plan on paying for college on your own, make sure you’ve applied for as many scholarships possible. Good places to check are in the career center, local sponsors, and the American Dollars for Scholars. (Good websites to check out are, Niche.com, Fastweb.com, and schoolsoup.com). The best scholarships available are the ones that can be renewed each year. This means that whatever the amount that you apply for actually becomes four times the amount (If you plan on joining a 4 year university). Double check with each scholarship donor that you will receive the amount specified by the time you go to college. You can also pick up a part time job during the weekend, or even a paid internship that is near the field you plan on entering.

Majors

A big commitment in college is choosing which major you’d like to study. Before you solidify which major you plan on following, take compatibility quizzes to see if that major really fits you. Also, make sure you’ve chosen the major you would like, not the one you’re told to like.

How to narrow your college options

Within the US, there are 4,168 different colleges available to apply for. Obviously, it can become quite hectic trying to select just a few to apply for. First, draw out a list of all the colleges that you would like to go to, ranging from dream college to easily achievable. For each choice, write a number between one and three (1 being dream college, 2 being most likely to go to, 3 being fall back). Next, go through the process of checking out each school’s location, finance, and compatibility with your major preference. After that, narrow down your list so there is one for each category. Those are the three to apply for.

There are lots of options for college. But that doesn’t mean that you have to stress about it. By following a few simple techniques, applying for college can be a piece of cake.