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Timetable for college application process

Freshman & Sophomore

  • Start thinking about your life after school, including the types of jobs that might interest you. Ask adults questions about their chosen careers. Explore!
  • Explore majors early. What classes and learning experiences most excite you? 
  • Meet with your high school counselor. Take some time each year to discuss your plans and classes and set some goals.
  • Participate in extracurricular activities and begin tracking hours. Consider taking a “deeper dive” into one or two. 
  • Keep a running list of awards and accomplishments.
  • Tour college campuses. Take advantage of vacation or other travel to visit colleges. 
  • Keep your grades up. Take the most rigorous courses possible (at least in the coursework that relates to possible majors).

Junior

  • Talk with your family about your college goals and what it will cost, including what options you may have to pay for college. 
  • Deepen your involvement in activities through a leadership position, a part-time job, or an internship. 
  • Consider academic research or independent projects. These can be especially impactful on college applications.
  • Demonstrate initiative through starting with an idea and taking steps to make it a reality. 
  • Prepare and plan for the ACT or SAT. Take the PSAT. 
  • Continue researching colleges. Go to college fairs and open houses. Learn as much as you can about colleges online. Read about majors and careers. 
  • Sign up for college newsletters, mailing lists and virtual information sessions. 
  • Correspond with college admissions representatives.
  • Attend a class when visiting a campus.
  • Consider who you will ask to write your letters of recommendation. 

Summer before Senior Year

  • Start drafting your essays. 
  • If you have not earned an SAT/ACT score that you are comfortable with yet, study for a summer or first semester exam.
  • Finalize your college list. 
  • Continue to build your resume through an internship, job, research, volunteer work or personal project. Show initiative and demonstrate impact. 
  • Visit schools and make appointments with individual colleges/majors.
  • College application platforms go live August 1. But you can complete initial profile information earlier.