One of the mot challenging parts of the college application process is the waiting. It can seem like an eternity in the time between submitting your applications and when you hear back from your top-choice schools. Here’s are five things you can do to keep yourself busy and better prepare you for the Fall.

1.     Stay focused on your academics. Grades still matter during your last semester of high school. Scholarships of financial awards can be impacted by drops in GPA, and colleges may revoke admissions status based on decreased academic performance.

2.     Raise money. Whether it’s scouring the Internet for scholarship opportunities or get an after-school job, use the time you were spending on completing your applications to start earning extra money—trust me, you’ll need it. The more money you can earn, save, be awarded now, the less you’ll need to worry about it while you’re in school.

3.     Start adulting. A big part of the college experience is living on your own. Learn how to cook a non-ramen meal. Educate yourself on personal finance and practice living on a budget. Take on household chores, like doing laundry, running errands, and grocery shopping.

4.     Take an online course. Check-out online-learning platforms like edX and Coursera to see if your school(s) have classes available for you to take to prepare for the Fall. Doing so can give you a leg-up in being prepared for your future coursework and inform you on how you will be expected to perform.

5.     Take a class for transfer credit. Save time and money by enrolling in a class at your local community college. Take a course from your anticipated school’s general education or graduation requirement curriculum to get it out of the way—just make sure that the credit will transfer before you enroll.