Many students report that working on college essays in the midst of a busy senior year can be extremely trying. It may be hard to focus—and easy to procrastinate. The results may not be exactly outstanding.

Before your school year swings into full gear, do yourself a favor and spend time working on your personal statement. Most essay topics, or "prompts", are designed to help the college find out more about you. Having a personal statement prepared in advance can make responding to these questions much easier. Even better, you may be able to adapt your statement for multiple applications. Here are some tips:

• Reveal the person behind your grades and test scores. This is the goal of most essays and it is important not to lose sight of it. Consider writing about a situation in which you learned something important about yourself. Colleges look for students that seek challenges and learn from them. As Harry Truman said, "It is what you learn after you know it all that counts."
• Develop your essay like a story. Begin with a great opening line that sets the stage. Then lay out your "story" from beginning to middle to end. Outlining your essay first will help you lay out a strong storyline.
• Check out actual application essay questions. Download applications from colleges on your list and check out their essay prompts. If you plan on using the Common Application, you can check out the essay prompts at www.commonapp.org.
• Revise, revise, revise. Once you have the first draft of your essay, take time polish it up. Ask a favorite teacher, your counselor, or a parent to review your essay and suggest improvements.

a short answer essay question?

Applications sometimes include questions asking for short answers. Don't be fooled into thinking they are not important or that you can skip them. They are really short essay questions and can carry a lot of weight. If the question is "What is your main reason for wanting to attend this college?" write your response specifically for that college, not about college in general. Give details that show you have researched the college and can explain why you want to attend.

If you have a list of scholarships that look interesting, it might be tempting to start filling out applications right away. But the competition can be fierce. Here are some tips for preparing to give scholarship contests your best shot.

• Chose scholarships you have a reasonable chance of winning and are worth your time. Do your qualifications closely match what the scholarship is looking for? Will you have the time to create an outstanding application? Is the award worth the effort you invest to complete the application?
• Examine the application rules for each scholarship. Sponsors quickly eliminate anyone who does not meet all the rules. For example, must the application be mailed by the deadline? Or does it have to be received by the deadline?
• Pull together commonly requested items. This will save you time and last-minute scrambling. Well written essay samples from college applications and class assignments will not only make it easier to respond to essay questions, but also ensure that your writing is of high quality. A list of people willing to write letters of recommendation will also come in handy.
• Prepare for scholarships that consider your financial need. If you plan to apply to such scholarships, you will need to provide your personal and family financial information. Make sure you have copies of tax returns and financial aid applications such as the FAFSA and the CSS/PROFILE.
• Develop a list or "resume" of your accomplishments. List both academic and extracurricular achievements. You can refer to it (rather than your memory) as you build your applications. This list will also help people writing letters of recommendation for you.

a residency requirement?

Some scholarships require you to be from a certain city, state, county, or region. Typically you must have lived there for a period of time, often at least one year. Compared to contests that don't consider where you live, contests with a residency requirement can narrow down the field of applicants considerably. Use CollegeData's Scholarship Finder to find scholarships available in your state or region. Contact your counselor or local chamber of commerce for local scholarships.

One way to find out about colleges is to work your way through the glossy college brochures arriving in your mail box. A more efficient way is to find out about colleges via their websites. You can learn how to apply, see a course catalog, read the student newspaper, and much more.

Most college websites are organized in a similar way. Here are just a few of the links that will help you quickly get to know the college better.

• Admissions or Prospective Students. Most college websites have a section just for students who want to find out more about the college. Here you can find out how to apply, contact the admissions department, get visiting and travel information, and learn about special events for potential applicants.
• Financial Aid. You can find out about scholarships and aid the college offers, how to apply, and how to contact the financial aid department.
• College Catalog. Many colleges put their catalogs on the college website. To find a catalog, look for links such as "academic programs" or do a search for "catalog" or "bulletin". Even if you don't locate the catalog, you are likely to find much academic information online, such as available majors and course descriptions.
• Student Publications. Opinions from current students can tell you a lot about the campus politics, social life, values, and humor.
• Campus Views. Short of visiting a campus in person, visiting a college website is the best way to see what it actually looks like. Check the admissions page or "about this college" page for links to virtual tours of the campus, 360 degree views, 24-hour web cams, interactive maps, and photos.

a college catalog?

A college catalog (sometimes called a bulletin) is an official publication of a college that spells out the requirements for admission, majors offered, the requirements to graduate in those majors, descriptions of courses, and other information about academic programs. It may also describe facilities (such as libraries and dormitories) and list the college administration. If you can't find the catalog online, ask the admissions office to mail you a copy.