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.

Note supplemental requirements - Junior Year College Admission

Overview

Different colleges have different essay requirements beyond the main personal statement. Getting organized now prevents last-minute panic later!

How to Research Requirements

Add schools to your Common App account (opens August 1)
Visit each college's admissions website
Search "[College Name] supplemental essays 2025-2026"
Check essay databases like College Essay Guy

Common Supplemental Essay Types

"Why Us?" — Why do you want to attend this specific school?
"Why This Major?" — What draws you to your intended field?
"Community/Diversity" — What will you contribute?
"Extracurricular Elaboration" — Tell us more about an activity
"Intellectual Curiosity" — What do you want to explore?

Create a Tracking System

Set up a spreadsheet with:

School name
Number of supplemental essays
Word limits for each
Specific prompts
Deadlines

UC Note

UCs use Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) — you'll choose 4 of 8 prompts, 350 words each. Same essays for all 9 UC campuses!

Overview

Different colleges have different essay requirements beyond the main personal statement. Getting organized now prevents last-minute panic later!

How to Research Requirements

Add schools to your Common App account (opens August 1)
Visit each college's admissions website
Search "[College Name] supplemental essays 2025-2026"
Check essay databases like College Essay Guy

Common Supplemental Essay Types

"Why Us?" — Why do you want to attend this specific school?
"Why This Major?" — What draws you to your intended field?
"Community/Diversity" — What will you contribute?
"Extracurricular Elaboration" — Tell us more about an activity
"Intellectual Curiosity" — What do you want to explore?

Create a Tracking System

Set up a spreadsheet with:

School name
Number of supplemental essays
Word limits for each
Specific prompts
Deadlines

UC Note

UCs use Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) — you'll choose 4 of 8 prompts, 350 words each. Same essays for all 9 UC campuses!

Note supplemental requirements

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

How to Research Requirements

Common Supplemental Essay Types

Create a Tracking System

UC Note

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks

Note supplemental requirements

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

How to Research Requirements

Common Supplemental Essay Types

Create a Tracking System

UC Note

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks