When it comes to college, one of the most stressful things is applying. You have to remember the numerous dates, decode the scholarship info, write a few essays, all while staying on top of your school work.

Here are some tips to make applying for college more manageable and less overwhelming.

Start Right Now: If you haven’t started the application process yet, do it as soon as possible. The sooner you start, the more time you have to have the most attractive application. If the schools you’re applying to use CommonApp, start getting familiar with it. The phrase “the sooner the better” definitely applies to this situation.

Keep Up with the Deadlines: Write down the deadlines for all of the colleges you’re applying to in your planner, that way you’ll see them whenever you look at your homework. Set a goal to finish the application a couple weeks before it’s due just in case something big comes up.

CollegeBoard made sure to clarify this: some colleges offer an early decision or early action deadline. Know that these are not the same thing; early decision states that if you get accepted to this college, you must attend. Early action lets you know if you were admitted into the school earlier, but you still have until May 1, 2016 to commit to a school.

Make Friends with Your Counselor: If you haven’t sat down and talked with your counselor about college yet, do it now! He or she will answer any questions you have and will guide you down the right path. Make an appointment with them to ask questions or to tell them that you got into your dream school; they’ll love to help and celebrate with you.

Write a Killer Essay: If you look on most college websites, they tell you what they look for in prospective students. Something most of them look for is a good essay. If you are the equal of another applicant, an outstanding essay could make the difference. Start the essay as soon as possible that way you have a lot of time to polish it up. Take it to your English teacher or the writing Center for help revising it. Always reread it to make sure no errors are present.

Keep your Grades Up: Just because you send in your application doesn’t mean you can start slacking on school work. Colleges keep tabs on how you do your senior year almost just as much as your previous years. If your grades slip too low, colleges can revoke your admission.

Founder of the college admissions counseling practice, The Ivy Coach, Bev Taylor said, “If you’re an A student, a D or F could certainly do it. If you get some Cs the college would probably just ask you to explain your grades and see if you had a valid reason for their drop.”

With this in mind, don’t let a case of senioritis wreck your chance at going to your dream school.

Don’t Stress: This is probably the most important thing to remember: do not run out of steam. Everything will work out. Even if it seems like the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t shining, trust me, it is. If you find yourself stressing too much over college apps, take a few days away from them to clear your head. Take a walk, eat a snack, watch a funny movie; do whatever it takes for you to relax a little.

With all these tips in mind, you should rock the college application process.