High school seniors who want a lowstress college application process are getting a head start this summer.

The first step is to make a plan. Knowing what you need to do and when you need to do it will reduce anxiety as you take control of what can sometimes feel like an overwhelming project.

Once you know where you'll be applying, you can create a chart that lists each college, along with its application requirements and deadline. Some schools that use the Common Application have supplements which can require additional essays. Make sure you know what you need to complete each application.

Get a calendar and note each application deadline along with a reminder one week before each deadline. If you plan to take the SAT, ACT or Subject Tests in the fall, put those dates as well as the registration deadlines on your calendar.

Your personal application plan should also include which teachers you will ask for recommendations if you are applying to schools that require recommendations.

If you are applying to any private colleges, you will probably need to complete the Common Application. That application is available now, and if you finish it during the summer you can print the pages to use as a template when you work on the UC or other applications. You don't need to complete the online application in one sitting, but be sure to save your work.

The application essays can be intimidating, and many students avoid the anxiety by putting them off, but that only increases the stress later and results in rushed essays that aren't as strong as they could have been.

Breaking the essay writing process into smaller tasks will make it manageable.

For example, since the UC personal statement consists of two essays, you could give yourself one week to brainstorm ideas for the prompts, then one week to write a first draft of the first essay, one week to write a first draft of the second essay, one week to rewrite the first essay, and so on.

Since figuring out how to pay for college is as stressful as trying to get into college, learning about financial aid and starting your scholarship search is another important summer project.

You'll find helpful information about the financial aid process at www.finaid.org.

Register with scholarship search engines, such as www.fastweb.com or www .scholarshipexperts.com.

Another good resource for scholarship information is www .studentscholarshipsearch.com/ ebook. The biggest scholarships come directly from colleges, so if you won't qualify for needbased financial aid you may want to target those schools where you are more likely to get scholarships.

If you're a senior, you can't do much to raise your gradepoint average now, but you can still increase your prospects for scholarships.

Colleges look closely at standardized test scores as well as grades in awarding scholarships. Taking the SAT again might be the last thing you want to do, but if you spend 30 hours on SAT preparation and end up with a four-year scholarship worth $7,500 a year, that comes out to $30,000, or $1,000 an hour for your efforts. How often do you have a chance to make that kind of money?

It might seem like application deadlines are far off, but they will feel much closer once school starts. Having to worry about writing great application essays on top of homework and extracurricular activities is stressful. The more you do now, the happier you'll be later.

Audrey Kahane, MS, MFA, is a private college admissions counselor in West Hills. She can be reached at (818) 704-7545 or audrey@audreykahane.com.