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.

CSS Profile opens - Junior Year College Admission

Overview

The CSS Profile is a more detailed financial aid application used by many private colleges to distribute their own institutional aid. If you're applying to private schools, this one's important!

Quick Facts

Website: cssprofile.collegeboard.org
Cost: $25 for first school, $16 each additional
Fee waivers: Available for families with income up to $100,000

Who Requires It?

About 400 schools, primarily private universities:

All Ivy League schools
Stanford, MIT, Duke, Northwestern
Most top liberal arts colleges

Check your schools: CSS Profile School List

How It Differs from FAFSA

CSS Profile considers:

Home equity
Small business value
Non-custodial parent income (if parents are divorced)
Medical expenses

Timeline

Opens October 1
Submit at least 2 weeks before each school's financial aid deadline

Note for UC/CSU Applicants

UCs and CSUs do NOT require CSS Profile — only FAFSA.

Overview

The CSS Profile is a more detailed financial aid application used by many private colleges to distribute their own institutional aid. If you're applying to private schools, this one's important!

Quick Facts

Website: cssprofile.collegeboard.org
Cost: $25 for first school, $16 each additional
Fee waivers: Available for families with income up to $100,000

Who Requires It?

About 400 schools, primarily private universities:

All Ivy League schools
Stanford, MIT, Duke, Northwestern
Most top liberal arts colleges

Check your schools: CSS Profile School List

How It Differs from FAFSA

CSS Profile considers:

Home equity
Small business value
Non-custodial parent income (if parents are divorced)
Medical expenses

Timeline

Opens October 1
Submit at least 2 weeks before each school's financial aid deadline

Note for UC/CSU Applicants

UCs and CSUs do NOT require CSS Profile — only FAFSA.

CSS Profile opens

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Quick Facts

Who Requires It?

How It Differs from FAFSA

Timeline

Note for UC/CSU Applicants

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks

CSS Profile opens

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Quick Facts

Who Requires It?

How It Differs from FAFSA

Timeline

Note for UC/CSU Applicants

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks