Stay organized during College Admissions: What we can learn from Steve Jobs’ uniform

Black turtleneck, blue jeans, New Balance sneakers. Also known as the Steve Jobs uniform or that costume you make for yourself when you don’t plan ahead of the Halloween party you are attending.

People have written about Steve Jobs’s uniform and how experts say that it brought productivity and efficiency to his life. But we know that most students in India wear uniforms to school so this isn’t an article about how to dress but rather about why consistency is good and how that is important to this vital time in your college admissions process.

Everyone wants to be productive but no one more than a student applying to colleges in December, torn between studying for school and exams and completing applications for the next step of his life. One way to increase productivity? Simplify your decision making process!

It’s said the average person makes 35,000 decisions every day. That in itself is exhausting so why not simplify your life the way successful people like Steve Jobs simplified theirs. Jobs said “The most precious thing that we all have with us is time.” While Jobs wore the same thing every day, we believe in being organized and schedules is how we do it.

Why stay organized?

1. You’ll waste less time.

As you prepare to apply to colleges, you might feel a bit like a professional juggler, holding up a dozen balls in the air with one hand as you sign up for the AP tests with the other. There is a  lot to do and it seems like it all hits at once.

When every hour gets you closer to the deadline, the urge to procrastinate and not think about work feels just so appealing. Stop yourself from playing that extra hour of Fortnite by taking away the decision. Instead of spending 5 or 10 minutes figuring out what to do, look at the calendar and stick to the plan.

2. You’ll save brainpower.

Routines are essential for focusing your decision-making energy. You can’t keep getting distracted. The plan gets you one step closer to avoiding the distraction. You can channel all that decision-making power directly into planning for your future.

Plus applying to college is different from other activities. This is about your future (as your parents and teachers remind you at every minute) so the stakes are high. And you have to apply while doing well at school, your extracurriculars and bonding with your friends in your last year of school.

So what do you organize?

There are dozens of articles out there talking about how you can stay organized and each person has their own way. Whether its a diary with all your notes or a color coded google calendar we aren’t here to prescribe”how,” but we definitely recommend the “what” you need to organize.

1. Schoolwork

We say it over and over again, the most important thing for college admissions are academics. You are going to college to study, so colleges, whether in India or abroad, care about your grades since they are an indicator of academic success. So first of all, organize how you study.

Make a daily calendar for subjects you need to review, marking note of assignments and exams, adding time for reviews of subjects for end-of-school exams (CBSE, ISC or IB).

2. College Applications

You would think this would be first on our list, but really, academics are important. Then is getting the application in on time. Make sure you work toward clear deadlines. Give yourself buffer time because life always inserts itself when you least expect it. Do NOT submit your application nine minutes and fourteen seconds before the deadline. Do not do it. Do not put yourself in a position where that is what you will have to do, because it is nerve wracking and horrible and you will feel very unpleasant for hours afterwards and get yelled at by your parents. Just don’t do it.

3. Letters of Recommendations and Financial Papers

College Applications are more complicated than forms and essays you need to complete yourself. Even if you can complete something in the nick of time, people around you might not. Your teachers need to submit recommendations, your parents need to complete financial papers. Make sure to organize those.

4. Family and friends

It’s the last year of school. You’ll be leaving home to spend the majority of your year focusing on college soon. Time spent with family and friends is vital. Steve Jobs spent his last weeks talking about time spent with family. “That was one of the things that came out most clearly from this whole experience [with cancer]. I realized that I love my life. I really do. I’ve got the greatest family in the world, and I’ve got my work.” You have the greatest family and friends. Be organized in making time for them. By organizing your time you won’t experience guilt when you spend time with them and at the same time, you won’t lose out either.

So as we move into 2019, figure out your version of the Steve Jobs uniform and get ready to take on the world around you.