Seniors, your intake of college mail is about to go up--way up.Colleges believe August is the right time to contact seniors, since there's a chance you'll have more time to actually read the material they send and complete college applications before school starts-- not a bad idea, since you don't have any (dare I say it?) homework just yet.

Of course, there are a couple of down sides to applying to college this early in the game.If an application requires essays, you'll want to make sure they represent your best writing--and since your last writing was in Suzie's yearbook in June, you probably want to knock out a couple of drafts and have a teacher review them, unless you're applying for a text messaging scholarship (“KIT, your BFF on the QT”).

“But dude!” says you, “This application says it's a special rush, early consideration, pre-El Grito de Independencia application.This baby has to be signed sealed and postmarked by September 16^thin order for me to get special consideration from this college.”

This is the second thing you need to know, and it's pretty important.A number of colleges are sending out applications that are already filled out. To make applying as easy as possible, you just have to sign your name and send it back in a pre-paid envelope.In some cases you'll add your classes for this year, and they may ask you to sign somewhere else so they can order copies of your test scores, but that brings the total application time to around 2 minutes.

The catch?Many of these applications give you the impression they have to be postmarked by September 15^th, or you'll lose out on the special consideration you're getting.Since many high schools in theUSdon't start until September 7^th, that means you really have to move to get your high school to send your transcript, and for you to get the form in on time.

What to do?Relax.

These colleges may mean well, but the stress of getting applications in that soon can deflate seniors before school even opens, and puts transcript demands on high schools that simply can't be met.That's why colleges that are members of the National Association for College Admission Counseling must give equal consideration to all applications received by October 15.This is a brand new rule, but it basically means you don't really have to FedEx an application to make the Labor Day deadline.Cool?

If you get a “preferred” application you have questions about, call the college and ask them about the October 15^thrule, or ask the Admissions Practices person in your state or region to explain NACAC's guidelines to you and to the college.You can find your state or region information at http://www.nacacnet.org/AboutNACAC/Governance/Pages/default.asp, and the October 15^th rule can be found at http://www.nacacnet.org/AboutNACAC/Policies/Documents/SPGP.pdf (See item 12 on page 4).

August is a good time to look at flyers from colleges that are new to you--it can open your eyes to new possibilities, or at least confirm your ideas about what you're looking for.It's also a great time to knock out a draft of your essays--but more than one draft probably can't happen just quite yet, and rushing apps in is no one's idea of a good time, especially before Snuffleupagus' birthday (Dude--you have to ask? August 19^th!)

It's good to be college-focused, but not college-frenzied--so spend some time with the mail, have another lemonade, and lay low.That's the recipe to keep you in company that is truly August.