College Application — Senior Year Timeline

A month-by-month senior year roadmap — from summer brainstorming to Common App submission to financial aid — so no deadline catches you off guard.

Summer Before Senior Year

• Finalize your college list: 3–4 reach schools, 3–4 match schools, and 2–3 safety schools — use Naviance or College Board's BigFuture
• Request letters of recommendation from 2–3 teachers before school ends for the year — give them your resume and context
• Start your Common App account at commonapp.org and fill in all biographical and activity sections
• Draft your Common App personal statement — choose one of 7 prompts and write a full draft before September
• Research each school's specific supplemental essay requirements — some require 3–4 additional essays

September–October

• Request your official high school transcript — your counselor sends it; make sure they know your full list of colleges
• Register for (or confirm scores from) the SAT or ACT — check if your target schools are test-optional and whether submitting helps you
• Complete and submit all Early Decision or Early Action applications — most EA/ED deadlines are November 1 or November 15
• Finalize your personal statement with at least 3 revision passes and feedback from a teacher or school counselor
• Write first drafts of all school-specific 'Why Us?' supplemental essays — these require genuine research; visit the college's course catalog

November–December

• Submit any remaining EA or ED II applications (ED II deadline is typically January 1)
• Complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov as soon as it opens (December 1 for the next academic year) — file early, not by the deadline
• Complete the CSS Profile at cssprofile.collegeboard.org if any of your target schools require it (most private universities do)
• Follow up with recommenders and your school counselor to confirm all materials have been submitted

January–February

• Submit all Regular Decision applications — most deadlines are January 1 or January 15
• Apply for private scholarships — check Fastweb, Scholarship America, and your local community foundation

March–May

• Compare financial aid award letters side by side — use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's comparison tool
• Visit your top choices before committing — talk to current students, not just admissions officers
• Submit your enrollment deposit by May 1 (National Decision Day) and decline all other offers promptly
• Accept, decline, or appeal financial aid packages — appeal letters are effective, especially with competing offers