For the class of 2012, senior year is starting to settle, and with that comes not only procrastination, but the process of applying to colleges. Some seniors have already applied and are impatiently awaiting their responses. Meanwhile, others have just gotten a vague idea of where they are applying.

Among the kids who are taking their sweet time is senior is Dan Bennett. “I’ve only gotten started recently,” he admits. “I’ve only gotten as far as picking what colleges look interesting to me”.

Some seniors seem far too overwhelmed by AP classes and time consuming extracurricular activities. Nicole D’Arco, a senior here at BHS, explains, “I haven’t been able to really get started on applying, because I have loads of homework, marching band, and cross country taking up my time.”

On the other hand, some seniors are in a rush to send their college applications as soon as possible, hoping that doing so will improve their chances of getting into their favorite schools or to take advantage of beneficial programs. Senior Ariel Ligowski, has already applied and been accepted to Liberty University in Virginia. “In order to get a scholarship I had to apply by the 30th of September”, she explains, “ I got four recommendation letters that basically got the message I would want to send in an interview across – I gave those teachers a head’s up a month in advance.”

For those who haven’t made much progress towards applying, it’s a great idea to do so very soon. Applying earlier is guaranteed to increase one’s chances of getting into a school. Additionally, taking advantage of early action or early decision programs may be a way into your dream school.

According to U.S. News and World Report, 54% of those who applied to University of Connecticut with regular decision got in, while 64.2% got in with the use of early action. Most schools will either have an early action or early decision program, so seniors who think they know the school they want to go to may want to take advantage of these opportunities.