If you, like most college applicants, aren’t ready to apply early or aren’t set on one college yet, don’t worry!

Just follow our basic timeline for Regular Decision (RD) applications and try to enjoy the process.

August & September

Build a college list

As the school year begins, make sure you’ve got at least two or three colleges in mind. Usually, aim to apply to six to ten colleges. When choosing which ones to include, think about whether they’re a good fit academically and culturally. Include some colleges that challenge you academically, as well as at least one where you feel confident you’ll get in. Keep reading for more tips on putting together a great college list for yourself.

Complete financial forms

If you need help with money for school, use the summer to fill out two important forms: the CSS Profile and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You can use your family’s tax documents from the previous year (2018) for this. Late summer is a good time to do this. It takes a while to fill out these forms, and it can be frustrating if you leave it too late. 

You’ll probably need your parents to help, as they’ll need time to find all the financial records you need. So, it’s best to start as soon as possible. If your family’s income changes a lot in 2019 (for example, if a parent loses their job, a sibling starts college, or if your family buys or sells a house), it’s best to wait until you have the most recent tax documents before you fill out the FAFSA form.

Testing

Completing your SAT or ACT testing before submitting your applications is beneficial. This step allows you to assess your standing among other admitted students in the institutions you’re interested in and determine whether the school aligns with your aspirations. If you’re considering retaking the tests, take note of the deadlines for fall exams:

• October 5th marks the SAT registration deadline, which falls on September 6th. You can register late until September 24th.
• For the ACT, the enrollment deadline is October 26th, set on September 20th, and you can register late until October 4th. Additionally, the November 2nd SAT registration closes on October 3rd, with a late registration extension until October 22nd.
• December 7th signifies the SAT registration deadline, occurring on November 8th. Late registration is available until November 26th.
• Lastly, the ACT registration deadline for December 14th is November 8th, and the late registration window lasts until November 22nd.

October

Visit schools

If you can, try to visit schools you’re interested in before applying. This helps you see if a college is a good fit for you and shows admissions offices that you’re genuinely interested. If you decide to wait until after you’re accepted, make sure you do plenty of research beforehand. It’s especially helpful to talk to someone who’s been to the school before.

Ask for recommendations

It’s a good idea to ask your teachers and school counselor for recommendations before October ends. Sit down with each of them and talk about the activities you’re involved in outside of class. It’s important that the people recommending you know you personally. Make sure you get confirmation from everyone you ask before the end of October, and send them a written note with your deadlines.

Essay prep

By autumn, schools had already shared their additional essay topics for the current application cycle. When exploring your preferred institutions, be sure to note down or print out their essay questions. Begin brainstorming and drafting your initial responses. This will provide you with plenty of time to gather feedback on your answers and make any necessary revisions.

Request fee waivers if needed

If you think you might qualify for application fee waivers, take some time to research the process. Make sure to find out how to get a waiver at each university you plan to apply to.

November

Fine tune your college list

At this point, you should have chosen the 6 – 10 schools you plan to apply to. Remember to include a mix of schools: some that might be a bit of a stretch, some where your grades and scores fit well with those of admitted students, and some where you’re pretty confident you’ll get in. Keep up the good work!

Extracurriculars

Now is a great time to estimate how much time you spend on extracurricular activities and write a clear explanation for each one. Some students find it helpful to create a list of their achievements to keep track of everything they’ve done in high school. Don’t hesitate to talk to your parents and mentors; they can help you remember all the things you’ve accomplished so far.

Notify school of college application deadlines

It’s important to make sure that the school registrar and the people giving recommendations know exactly when their parts of the applications need to be submitted. We suggest checking in with them about a week before the application deadline to double-check that everything has been sent in on time.

Write essays

Make sure to finish most of your essays by the end of November. This will give you enough time to ask mentors or teachers to review each essay and help with editing. Remember, essays are really important for getting into college, so it’s a good idea to get some help with editing to make them as good as possible.

December

Submit testing

Submit your test scores (like SAT, ACT, etc.) online and make sure they arrive a few weeks before your application deadline.

Make sure those recommendations are in

You’ll get an email once someone submits a recommendation for you, so make sure to send all your recommendations before the deadlines. Keep reminding the people you asked for recommendations, but remember that many teachers will be writing a lot of college recommendations this fall. Stay on top of deadlines while being polite and respectful to your teachers.

Work on final drafts of essays

These final weeks are important for improving your compositions. Give yourself enough time to set your essays aside for a week before revisiting them for a final round of revisions. Ideally, each of your essays should be reviewed by at least one other person.

January

Most colleges have their Regular Decision application deadlines this month. Make sure you’ve gathered everything you need, then click Submit and take a moment to relax!

Best wishes for your senior year’s fall semester. Remember to stay focused on your high school studies and extracurricular activities. While the college application process can be tough, colleges want to see your commitment until graduation!

Final Thoughts

Keeping a specific schedule for college applications is a great way to stay organized and motivated during the application process. Being aware of the application deadlines helps you stay on track with your schoolwork and complete the process smoothly.

Best of luck to you!