How Much of My College Application Should Be Done Before School Starts?

As a high school senior, you might be wondering how much of your college application should be tackled before school kicks off. Getting a head start on your college admissions timeline can ease stress and give you more time to focus on other senior year activities. By following a college application checklist, you can strategically organize your tasks, from drafting personal statements to gathering recommendation letters. In this guide, we'll walk you through essential college application tips, helping you feel empowered and ready to shine in your college journey.

Preparing Your College Applications

Getting ready for college applications can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, you can make the process manageable and even enjoyable. Let's explore the advantages of starting early and the essential components you'll need to tackle.

Early Start Advantages

Starting your college applications before school begins offers numerous benefits. It allows you to approach the process with a clear mind and ample time.

• By beginning early, you can avoid the stress of last-minute rushes and conflicts with your regular schoolwork. This extra time enables you to craft thoughtful, well-written essays that truly reflect your personality and achievements.

• Early preparation also gives you the opportunity to gather all necessary documents without feeling pressured. You can request transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other materials well in advance, ensuring everything is ready when application deadlines approach.

• Starting early allows you to thoroughly research colleges and programs, helping you make informed decisions about where to apply. This can lead to a more targeted and effective application strategy.

• And, of course, you can get as much of the labor-intensive writing done as possible so that you don't have to do this additional work on top of your regular homework load.

Essential Application Components

Understanding the key components of a college application is crucial for a successful submission. Each element plays a vital role in presenting a comprehensive picture of who you are to admissions committees.

• The Common Application is widely used by many colleges and includes several essential sections. Your personal information, academic history, and extracurricular activities form the foundation of your application. However, we recommend that you don't start filling in boxes on the Common App until after it updates for the new admissions cycle, usually around August 1st. We'd hate for you to lose your work!

• Essays are another critical component, allowing you to showcase your writing skills and share your unique perspective. Many colleges require both a personal statement and supplemental essays specific to their institution. Get started on these ASAP: they're the most time-intensive part of the application.

• Letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors provide insight into your character and abilities from an external viewpoint. Choose recommenders who know you well and can speak to your strengths.

• Don't forget about standardized test scores (if required) and your high school transcript. These documents offer a quantitative measure of your academic performance and potential.

Graduate in blue gown jumps joyfully

Here are some benchmarks that will help you pace out the college application process.

While these are not firm deadlines, this is the strategy we use with most of our students.

• By August 1st:

• Have a rough draft of the Common App personal statement

• List out all of your activities for the Activities section

• Complete a rough draft of your college list, understand that you'll probably add and subtract a few as the process goes on

• By September 1st:

• Request letters of recommendation

• Start working on supplemental essays

• Complete the final draft of your personal statement

• By October 1st:

• Decide your Early Decision/Early Action plan

• Meet with your high school college counselor to make sure you're on the same page

• By October 24th (one week before ED/EA deadline):

• Turn in ED/EA application(s)

• By November 21st:

• Turn in UC application so that you don't have to worry about it over Thanksgiving break

• By December 20th:

• If possible, turn in all remaining applications before winter break starts so that you don't have to worry about them anymore

• By early January:

• Turn in all applications before the due date

We hope this helps you plan our your college application process. If you need additional help, email us at info@kingfisherprep.com to set up a free consultation!