Application season is a six-month sprint from August through January, with the heaviest workload concentrated in October through December. Missing a single deadline can eliminate a school from your list entirely. This checklist covers every action item, organized by month, so nothing falls through the cracks.
August: Pre-season preparation
- Finalize your college list (10-14 schools: 3-4 reaches, 4-5 targets, 2-3 safeties).
- Open your Common App account and begin filling in biographical information, activities, and honors. This takes longer than expected.
- Complete the FAFSA FSA ID setup for yourself and a parent.
- Write final drafts of your Common App personal statement. You should have 3-5 revisions complete by now.
- Research every school's supplemental essay prompts. Make a spreadsheet of prompts, word limits, and deadlines.
- Confirm your recommenders are on track. Send them a polite reminder with your college list and any school-specific forms.
September: Supplemental essays and test prep
- Begin writing supplemental essays. Prioritize schools with the earliest deadlines (typically ED/EA schools with November 1 or November 15 deadlines).
- Take the September or October SAT/ACT if you are retaking. Many seniors take a final test attempt in the fall.
- Request official transcripts from your high school. Some schools require them sent directly.
- Submit your school-specific forms to your counselor (Common App FERPA waiver, school-specific counselor forms).
- Attend college information sessions and virtual events for your top schools. Track attendance for schools that consider demonstrated interest.
October: Early applications finalized
- FAFSA opens October 1. Submit it as close to opening day as possible. Some institutional aid is first-come, first-served.
- Submit CSS Profile for schools that require it (primarily private schools and some publics).
- Finalize and submit Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) applications. Most ED/EA deadlines are November 1 or November 15.
- Proofread every essay, every activity description, and every field in your application. Typos and errors are avoidable and damaging.
- Confirm that all test scores have been sent to your EA/ED schools. Self-reported scores are accepted by some schools, but verify each school's policy.
November: Early deadlines and RD preparation
- November 1: Many EA/ED deadlines. Submit by the day before to avoid last-minute technical issues.
- November 15: Additional EA/ED deadlines (Stanford REA, some UCs, etc.).
- November 30: UC application deadline for all University of California schools.
- Begin writing Regular Decision supplemental essays for schools with January 1-15 deadlines.
- Send thank-you notes to your recommenders. They are writing multiple letters and appreciate acknowledgment.
December: Regular Decision push
- EA/ED decisions released (mid-December for most schools). If admitted ED, withdraw all other applications.
- If deferred from ED/EA, write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI). State your continued first-choice interest, provide meaningful updates since your application, and keep it under 300 words.
- Finalize all Regular Decision essays. Do not write essays during finals week. Have them drafted before December 1.
- Submit Regular Decision applications before the holiday break if possible. Server loads spike on January 1.
- Update your FAFSA if financial circumstances have changed.
January: Final submissions
- January 1-15: Most Regular Decision deadlines. Triple-check submission status for every school.
- Submit mid-year school reports. Your counselor typically handles this, but confirm that it is sent.
- If you have meaningful updates (new award, significant achievement, improved test score), send a brief update to your top-choice schools.
- Begin scholarship applications. Many external scholarship deadlines fall between January and March.
- Take a breath. The hardest part of the application process is behind you. Now you wait.