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When you are nearing the conclusion of high school, applying to college is an exciting challenge. Beginning in the ninth grade, everything you do at school can be a part of your application, whether it's the marks you get in your classes, the organizations you join, or the volunteer work that you accomplish.

Even though the deadline for college applications hasn’t quite arrived yet, it’s important not to lose sight of what’s about to come rolling right around the corner. The personal essay is one of the most important parts of your application, and while you might not be putting pen to paper just yet, here are 5 tips to get the gears turning on what (and what not) to write about in your college essay.

Chances are good that if you’re reading this blog, you found it via Facebook or another social networking site. With over 1 billion active users on Facebook, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re just another face in the crowd, but think again. 80% of college admissions offices are using Facebook to recruit prospective students, which means that the person checking out your profile might be someone more important than your Aunt Ethel. The following are tips for keeping it classy on Facebook, and more importantly, can also help keep you safe from online predators.

It is never too early to plan for a college education. This is so true of students that are still in high school pondering which college that they want to attend. There are tests to take, deadlines to meet, applications to fill out for acceptance, forms for financial aid, resumes, recommendation letters and a lot of other paperwork that are all equally important.

There's a fifth calendar season that appears during senior year: application season. With so much going on during this time, it's often difficult to stay organized and ahead of the game. The following tips are suggestions to help you stay on track and on time with your college applications.

1. Make a Calendar for All Deadlines

With all the different steps in the application process, it’s easy to lose track of time and due dates, especially when the regular school year starts again, and you’re trying to remember more immediate deadlines for schoolwork assignments. Print out a calendar exclusively for keeping track of college application deadlines, school visits, and overnights, and place it in a central location to ensure that you’re always on top of where you need to be and what needs to be sent in.

2. Work on Applications and Essays in a Designated Workspace

Just as you might have a specific study area for when you do your homework, choose a spot in which you work only on your college applications and essays. It can be difficult to focus relaxing in your bedroom or in the kitchen with the television on, so consider setting aside a certain time to visit the library or stop in at the College Bound Admissions Academy classroom to ensure you get some work accomplished. Meeting deadlines rather than missing them is easier to do when you work ahead and concentrate. 

The structure of your college admission essay, to help an individual gain entrance to the college of their choice, will be different from the essays you are accustomed to writing for high school English class. Your objective with a college admission essay is to convince the reader that you are the type of student who is worthy of admission because of your academic achievements in school and because you will be a positive influence on their student body.

When applying for admission to your selected colleges, most colleges will require you to write a personal statement to submit along with your college application. To assist you in writing your best personal statement, colleges might provide creative college essay prompts to help stimulate your thinking process so that you can write the best possible personal statement.

I have accepted the fact that my parents are clueless. I am serene. I will betray not a tremor when they offer opinions or advice, no matter how laughable. My soul will be light as a feather when my mother elbows her way to the front of my college tour and talks the guide's ear off. I am serene.