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.

Last summer before apps - Junior Year College Admission

Overview

This is a great time to start thinking about summer 2026 — your last summer before applications! What you do will be your most recent accomplishment to discuss in essays and interviews.

Strong Summer Options

Research: University program, professor mentorship, independent project
Internship: Paid or unpaid experience in your field of interest
Selective Program: RSI, TASP, COSMOS, SSP, etc.
Job: Meaningful work experience, especially with leadership
Volunteer: Sustained commitment to one organization
Passion Project: Major progress on something you're building
College Visits: Finalize your list with in-person visits

What to Avoid

Expensive "college prep" programs that are just tours
Short-term volunteering with no real impact
Overloading with too many unrelated activities
Spending the entire summer on test prep (should be mostly done by then!)

Planning Timeline

Many competitive programs have December-February deadlines, so start researching now!

Encouraging Thought

Quality matters more than prestige. A meaningful summer job where you take initiative can be just as valuable as a fancy program!

Overview

This is a great time to start thinking about summer 2026 — your last summer before applications! What you do will be your most recent accomplishment to discuss in essays and interviews.

Strong Summer Options

Research: University program, professor mentorship, independent project
Internship: Paid or unpaid experience in your field of interest
Selective Program: RSI, TASP, COSMOS, SSP, etc.
Job: Meaningful work experience, especially with leadership
Volunteer: Sustained commitment to one organization
Passion Project: Major progress on something you're building
College Visits: Finalize your list with in-person visits

What to Avoid

Expensive "college prep" programs that are just tours
Short-term volunteering with no real impact
Overloading with too many unrelated activities
Spending the entire summer on test prep (should be mostly done by then!)

Planning Timeline

Many competitive programs have December-February deadlines, so start researching now!

Encouraging Thought

Quality matters more than prestige. A meaningful summer job where you take initiative can be just as valuable as a fancy program!

Last summer before apps

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Strong Summer Options

What to Avoid

Planning Timeline

Encouraging Thought

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks

Last summer before apps

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Strong Summer Options

What to Avoid

Planning Timeline

Encouraging Thought

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks