As the second semester of the 2011-2012 school year begins, seniors become antsy in anticipation for college acceptance letters and graduation from high school. Unfortunately, these factors can lead many to slack off in class and lead an “I-don’t-care” lifestyle. Here are a few tips to help keep seniors on their toes in preparation for college:

Keep organized: Whether busy or not, staying organized can help to prep seniors for the busy hustle-n-bustle of college. Planners are a great way to stay on top of things. Having a calendar to write down important dates and work schedules can help take the stress out of trying to remember everything by memory.

Stay busy: Senior year is usually one of the easiest years of high school and, sadly, breeds laziness. The best way to avoid this is to stay busy. Try getting involved in extracurricular activities or applying for a job. The busier, the better and more prepared seniors will be for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year.

Apply for the FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened January 1 and can play a large role in providing financial aid to seniors going to college next year. The sooner the FAFSA is filled out and submitted, the better the chances are of receiving aid. All of the money is given away on a first come, first serve basis.

Save up money for college: There’s no doubt college is expensive. A great way to start preparing for the cost is to begin putting money away in a savings account so that you can access it later when paying back student loans.

Check up with your colleges: If there hasn’t been any contact with colleges lately, it might benefit seniors to send their admissions councilors an email or call them to ensure all supporting materials have been received by the college. This could make the difference between being accepted and not.