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So this is it: you’re about to enter your last year of high school, your very last year of living at home. Here, from someone who’s been there before, are six crucial pointers for getting the most out of 12th grade:

1. Get your testing done.

Whether you’re taking the SAT or ACT, you’ll need a decent score by August or September of your senior year. Consider getting a tutor. Make sure you show up on the testing day in good condition and as confident as you can be.

2. Take care of college applications early.

You should be doing your homework on this by the end of junior year, or at least by summer. Many schools offer options called Early Admission or Early Decision; some of these are binding, some are not. If you have your heart set on a particular school, and it’s not too much of a long shot, consider doing this to end the suspense early

3. Don’t let your last semester slide.

Even if you’ve done #2 and your destination is secured, don’t slack off too much in the final term. Colleges do occasionally check. There’s also the possibility of flunking out, which would put your future on the line. And if you end up on a wait list until well into the summer (it does happen), they’ll certainly check your last transcript.

4. Break up with your boyfriend or girlfriend.

OK, let’s just be honest. It’s not going to last forever. It’s not even going to last past Columbus Day. You’re going to have a cute neighbor down the dormitory hallway, or your sweetheart is, or you’re each going to suspect the other does, which will ruin what’s already left of your flimsy phone-based relationship.

5. Enjoy your friends.

You’re about to leave for probably the most fun experience of your life, but you may find, looking back later, that high school was tied for first place. Take advantage of it. Have some quality time with parents or siblings before you move out. Tell your friends what they mean to you. Do some stuff you shouldn’t (but nothing that will get you into trouble). You’ll never be quite so carefree again, so let the good times roll.

Jane Smith’s informative blog posts can help you make sense of any personal history situation. Whether you are pursuing a new college girl friend, a tenant background check or pulling an employee’s criminal record, feel free to email her at janesmith161@gmail.com.

The collective amount of student debt shoulder by US college grads is stunning. Not too long ago, that amount eclipsed the collective credit card debt of the country—there is over $1 trillion dollars of student loans waiting to be repaid. That’s a shocking figure, and one that has served as the rallying try for student loan reform in this country. Those both major political parties have no problem blaming each other and making this topic a key campaign-year issue, though neither has enacted any significant legislation to fix this clearly broken system.

While I don’t have the political know-how to suggest a clear path towards student loan reforms, I can do my best to inform college students on how to make smart choices about their own loans. I know the ropes from experience, and let me tell you that you can get way in over your head if you don’t take the time to research and plan out the entire process. So without further ado, here’s what I have to say.

Be smart about loans from the very beginning

The last thing you want to do is graduate from college with $50,000 in loans and have no idea how you let things get so out of control. While that sounds like a worst case scenario, the truth is that many college students graduate with that kind of debt with no clear plan about how they will pay it off. To avoid that financial catastrophe, I highly recommend spending time researching loan options, payment plans, and budgeting for anticipated expenses in college.

There are plenty of resources available to keep you informed: you can discuss financial concerns with an advisor at your local bank, you can speak to a relative or a family friend who has gone through a similar situation or you could consult a financial aid counselor at your college. Don’t be afraid to reach out: so many people have been in your shoes and wish that they had talked to someone before they took out loans. The more information you learn about the loan process, the less likely you’ll end up blown away by your debt.

You don’t have to spend the entirety of the sum you borrowed

If you do get approved for student loans—whether they’re from the government or from a private bank—plan out a smart budget that accounts for how you’ll spend it on school-related expenses. That budget should allow you go through college without worrying about expenses, but that doesn’t mean that you should blow all the money you get. You don’t have to spend the entirety of your student loans just because it’s sitting in your bank account. Paying off your loans later on will be much easier if you save some of your original sum for after graduation.

A necessary evil?

Student loan debt isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean that future college students have to suffer such a terrible fate. While many college students (including myself) need student loans in order to pay for books, housing, and living expenses, the important thing is to realize how much of those loans are necessary for expenses. Like with credit cards, many students get in big trouble when they spend the entirety of their loans on luxury items and miscellaneous expenses. If you treat your loans with respect for the financial consequences they could cause you, you might have a much easier time paying them off in the future.

Katheryn Rivas is a freelancer blogger and writer currently writing on behalf of onlineuniversities.com. She enjoys writing about topics ranging from college education to political commentary and never passes up a chance to write the best story. Katheryn welcomes your comments.

Social media is quickly becoming one of the most common ways in which people find jobs. There are many sites that host classified ad- like services online for job postings, such as Craig’s List, Monster and Simply Hired- but, other sites like Facebook and social media outlets are much better in terms of networking as a method to finding a job, and the best of these networking social media sites is probably the site known as Linked In.

Most of these types of sites are usually underutilized because users see them as simply just an online version of a Rolodex, and do not fully realize the abilities and opportunities that are available to them outside of their networking contacts. Even with the internet, most people still get their jobs through networking and word-of-mouth, as in they know someone who knows someone that is hiring, and then you can connect the dots to the job. Linked In is a great way to find a job via networking, and there are some basics that you need to be familiar with in order to be successful on the site.

Do not leave anything unfinished
Most people create a Linked In profile, but never finish it. It is crucial to have a complete profile on Linked In because it shows potential employers that you are serious about finding a job, and it will give them information on your full background, work history, education and skills, which they will use when factoring whether or not to give you a shot at their company or business. Once the profile is completely filled, you may notice a plethora of job opportunities coming your way.

Flesh out the network
Linked In is all about networking, and odds are some of the people in your network will have a Linked In profile. But, then again, some may not. So, it is up to you to contact those people and invite them to create an online Linked In profile. The more people you have in your network, the more job opportunities will be available to you and the more exposure you will have on the site when people are searching for someone with your skills.

Utilize the search engine tool
It seems as though the internet was built for the search engine specifically, and it is no different with Linked In. But, for some reason, many users tend to overlook to search engine function on the site and instead just rely on their contacts and networks. Sometimes, the job you are looking for will not be available via your contacts and networks, so the onus is on you to go out there and search for the opportunities that you want.

Ginger is a social media maven who uses the santa clarita jobs to find networking opportunities.

Everyone knows that having a stellar GPA, a well written essay, and great SAT/ ACT scores are the principle elements needed to get into a good college. However, these are not the only factors admission officers take into consider when shuffling through a pile of applications. While an applicants who can demonstrate that he or she studious is always welcomed, what admission officers are really looking for is an applicant who can prove he or she is well-rounded. Meaning, admission offices want to find someone who is three-dimensional— someone who isn’t only comfortable buried in the books. That’s because well-rounded students—those who excel in their studies and in other areas— generally have more to offer and can potentially help bring more prestige to the school. That said, to learn a few ways that can help demonstrate that you are a three dimensional student, try the following.

Run for Homecoming Court

It may seem like a shallow activity to participate for some, but running for homecoming court doesn’t mean that you’re vain necessarily; it suggests that you’re “likeable” and that means a lot to admission officers. Winning (or even being a nominee) for the homecoming court means that you have a lot of friends, you’re most likely charming, and you’re sociable—after all, why else would anyone have voted for you? These traits are highly favored because admission officers know that well-liked people are more likely to succeed in whatever field they choose to pursue.

Be President

Joining a club is a great way to show admission officers that you are actually interested in something and that you know how to successfully manage your time to make good grades and commit yourself to an additional activity. But being simply a club member isn’t always enough. To really “wow” admission officers, typically you need to have a title such as president, vice president, historian, secretary, or even cheer captain or quarterback. This demonstrates that you have a passion to lead and take charge, more qualities admission officers favor.

Participate in Contests

Any kind of award can make you seem more prestigious, especially if you win contests that directly correlate to the field of study you want to pursue. For example, if you want to be an English major, entering in a few writing contests on your own is a great way to do this. If you want to become a journalist, perhaps entering is some news writing contest can be equally as effective.  But participating and winning contests can show that you have a true passion for whatever it is that you want to pursue and that you have a go-getter attitude to go out and search for all of the contest opportunities.

Volunteer

Last but not least, having a substantial amount of volunteer hours under your belt is a great way to show admission officers that you are a humanitarian and that you care about making the world a better place. While some clubs require their members to fulfill a number of hours, admission officers will be even more impressed if you take the initiative to an organize a local park clean up, tree planting session, or food drive entirely on your own.

Pepper Givens is a freelance writer whose foremost passion is writing for her blog about education. While her primary writing focus is trends in higher ed, Pepper also enjoys writing about personal finance, parenting, sustainable living, small business strategies, and more. She can be reached for questions or comments at pepper.givens@gmail.com.