When should I start preparing for college admission?

You should start preparing in freshman year of high school. This includes focusing on grades, exploring extracurricular activities, and beginning to think about your interests and potential career paths.

What are the most important college admission deadlines?

Key deadlines include: Early Decision/Early Action (November 1-15), Regular Decision (January 1-15), FAFSA opens (October 1), and CSS Profile deadline (varies by school). Our timeline tracker helps you never miss a deadline.

How many college admission tasks are there?

There are 374+ tasks across all four years of high school, including academic preparation, standardized testing, extracurricular activities, college research, applications, and financial aid.

What is included in the admission timeline?

The timeline includes tasks for: A-G requirements tracking, standardized test prep (SAT/ACT/AP), college research and visits, application essays, letters of recommendation, financial aid (FAFSA/CSS), and scholarship applications.

Common Application opens - Junior Year College Admission

Overview

August 1 is an exciting milestone — the Common App opens! Time to start filling in your application sections.

First Steps

Create account at commonapp.org with an email you check regularly
Start your Profile section (personal info, demographics)
Add colleges to "My Colleges"
Begin the Activities section

Activities Section Tips

10 activity slots available
50 characters for position/leadership
150 characters for description
Order by importance to YOU
Use action verbs: Founded, Led, Organized, Managed
Every character counts — abbreviate wisely!

What NOT to Do Yet

Don't stress about perfection on day one
Don't submit anything yet!
Don't panic if you can't finish in one sitting

August Timeline

Early August: Profile and activities sections
Mid-August: Continue activities, review essays
Late August: Polish everything, add final details

Encouraging Thought

You've been preparing for this all year. Now you get to show who you are!

Overview

August 1 is an exciting milestone — the Common App opens! Time to start filling in your application sections.

First Steps

Create account at commonapp.org with an email you check regularly
Start your Profile section (personal info, demographics)
Add colleges to "My Colleges"
Begin the Activities section

Activities Section Tips

10 activity slots available
50 characters for position/leadership
150 characters for description
Order by importance to YOU
Use action verbs: Founded, Led, Organized, Managed
Every character counts — abbreviate wisely!

What NOT to Do Yet

Don't stress about perfection on day one
Don't submit anything yet!
Don't panic if you can't finish in one sitting

August Timeline

Early August: Profile and activities sections
Mid-August: Continue activities, review essays
Late August: Polish everything, add final details

Encouraging Thought

You've been preparing for this all year. Now you get to show who you are!

Common Application opens

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

First Steps

Activities Section Tips

What NOT to Do Yet

August Timeline

Encouraging Thought

Helpful Resources

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks

Common Application opens

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

First Steps

Activities Section Tips

What NOT to Do Yet

August Timeline

Encouraging Thought

Helpful Resources

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks