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.

Create structured college list - Junior Year College Admission

Overview

Working with your school counselor to build a thoughtful college list is one of the most valuable things you can do junior year. They have insights about where students from your school have succeeded!

Preparing for Your Meeting

Gather these materials before scheduling:

Your current unofficial transcript
Any test scores you have
Your activities list
An initial list of 15-20 schools you're curious about

Great Questions to Ask Your Counselor

"Which schools have students from our school been successful at with profiles similar to mine?"
"Are there schools I should consider that I might not know about?"
"What do you think is a realistic range for me?"

Creating Your Tracking System

Set up a spreadsheet with columns for:

School name and type (Reach/Target/Safety)
Application deadline and early options
Essay requirements
Net price calculator result
Notes on what excites you about each school

Helpful Resource

BigFuture College Search Tool

Overview

Preparing for Your Meeting

Gather these materials before scheduling:

Your current unofficial transcript
Any test scores you have
Your activities list
An initial list of 15-20 schools you're curious about

Great Questions to Ask Your Counselor

"Which schools have students from our school been successful at with profiles similar to mine?"
"Are there schools I should consider that I might not know about?"
"What do you think is a realistic range for me?"

Creating Your Tracking System

Set up a spreadsheet with columns for:

School name and type (Reach/Target/Safety)
Application deadline and early options
Essay requirements
Net price calculator result
Notes on what excites you about each school

Helpful Resource

BigFuture College Search Tool

Create structured college list

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Preparing for Your Meeting

Great Questions to Ask Your Counselor

Creating Your Tracking System

Helpful Resource

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks

Create structured college list

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Preparing for Your Meeting

Great Questions to Ask Your Counselor

Creating Your Tracking System

Helpful Resource

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks