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.

Complete PIQ first drafts - Junior Year College Admission

Overview

By early August, you should have first drafts of all 4 UC Personal Insight Questions. Here's how to polish them!

First Draft Goals

Complete (not perfect!)
Addresses the prompt directly
Includes specific, concrete details
Shows reflection and growth
Written in your authentic voice

Self-Editing Checklist

For each PIQ, ask:

✅ Does it answer the prompt directly?
✅ Is it specific (names, numbers, details) rather than vague?
✅ Does it reveal something about who I am?
✅ Is there reflection — what did I learn?
✅ Is it different from my other 3 PIQs?
✅ Is it under 350 words?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being too general or vague
Simply describing activities without reflection
Repeating information from elsewhere in application
Exceeding word limit (essays cut off at 350!)
Writing what you think they want to hear

Next Steps

Take a day off after drafting
Self-edit using checklist above
Share with readers for feedback
Aim for polished drafts by early September

Overview

By early August, you should have first drafts of all 4 UC Personal Insight Questions. Here's how to polish them!

First Draft Goals

Complete (not perfect!)
Addresses the prompt directly
Includes specific, concrete details
Shows reflection and growth
Written in your authentic voice

Self-Editing Checklist

For each PIQ, ask:

✅ Does it answer the prompt directly?
✅ Is it specific (names, numbers, details) rather than vague?
✅ Does it reveal something about who I am?
✅ Is there reflection — what did I learn?
✅ Is it different from my other 3 PIQs?
✅ Is it under 350 words?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being too general or vague
Simply describing activities without reflection
Repeating information from elsewhere in application
Exceeding word limit (essays cut off at 350!)
Writing what you think they want to hear

Next Steps

Take a day off after drafting
Self-edit using checklist above
Share with readers for feedback
Aim for polished drafts by early September

Complete PIQ first drafts

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

First Draft Goals

Self-Editing Checklist

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Next Steps

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks

Complete PIQ first drafts

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

First Draft Goals

Self-Editing Checklist

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Next Steps

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks