The best way to keep from getting a colossal case of the college crazies during the fall of your senior year is to map out just what you have to do, attach deadlines to each task, and get at least one thing done a day, starting today, until your last application is sent.

But you say you don’t know where to start, and time is running out, and you have two big tests this week and a paper to write. How in the world are you going to get all that and the college applications done?

Keep in mind that an application is made up of questions that you have the answers to – we’re not talking difficult here, we’re just talking more work.

Now write down all the due dates for your college applications and discuss with your college counselor whether to apply early decision, early action or regular admission.

If you haven’t started to pick schools, sign in at www.collegeboard.com and click on College Search, which is going to ask you about 35 questions. Based on your answers an initial list of schools will be offered.

Another good place to look is www.educationplanner.org, a site created by the non-profit American Education Services. It’ll help guide you and your parents, step by step through selecting, applying, deciding and paying.

Once you have your application due dates put them on the kitchen calendar. If need be, sign up for the November or December SATs. Make sure to sign up for the SAT IIs, if any of your schools require those tests.

Further discuss the schools you’re thinking of applying to with your college counselor and ask for his or her candid position on your chances of getting in based on what they’ve seen over the past five years.

Review your transcript and co-curricular records with your counselor to be certain they’re accurate. Ask what you should do next. High school college counselors know more about college admissions than you will ever need or care to know, and they’ve got plenty of time-proven tips on how to ease the college crazies.

Take a look at the common application at www.commonapp.org to see how many of your schools accept the common application. Then download the application so you can review everything that has to be done.

Note how many of your choices want supplemental essays. Start working on your main essays and supplemental essays. Complete a first draft by the end of next week, and you can get everything done long before Thanksgiving.

Print out the applications from the colleges which do not accept the common application, and review what you have to complete.

Make certain today to have the College Board send your scores to the schools that you’re applying to; too many students postpone this to the last minute and find themselves unnecessarily sweating another deadline.

Now check on the financial deadlines for all of your colleges. They may vary and it’s important that you not miss these money dates.

Give your teachers at least three weeks to write recommendations. Provide them with recommendation forms, instructions, and stamped, addressed business envelopes that are addressed to the schools to which you are applying.

Also give them your high school resume. It will help them to see what you’ve done outside of class, which often makes the writing task easier.

As soon as a teacher agrees to write a recommendation, write a thank-you note. As you know, no teacher needs another thing to do.

Plan your college visits and set up your interviews. Determine whether the interview is evaluative or informational. If it’s evaluative take it seriously and do some prep work, because it is a determining factor. Couple of thoughts: learn as much as you can about the school, the more knowledgeable you are about the school the better your chance of wowing the interviewer.

Consider doing a mock interview with a teacher, friend or parent. Here are some questions you might hear: Why do you want to go to our school? What do you do in your spare time? What clubs do you belong to? What’s a perfect day? What are you currently reading? Do you have a favorite author? What courses have you most enjoyed? What will you bring to our school? What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Then be ready to ask some questions and make sure to follow up with a thank you note to the person who interviewed you. Suggest you bring thank-you note cards with you and mail before you leave that town and drive to the next college campus.

Mail applications or send them electronically as soon as you can, and check with your college counselor to make sure your transcripts and everything else is ready to be sent.

Once you’re done, keep working in class. Grades and coursework count all the way through the end of senior year. Besides, you want to finish senior year strong, because freshmen year in college presents an entirely new set of college crazies if you’re not in superior academic shape.

Sorry to say, the crazies never end – you just got to handle them.