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

CSS Profile opens October 1 - required for most private schools at $25 first school $16 additional and more detailed than FAFSA

Senior Year

October

FinancialAid

Critical Priority

Task Details

Assigned to: Parent

Best time: October

Week: 1

Track Your Progress

Create a free account to track all 374 admission tasks with personalized deadlines.

Related Tasks

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Junior Year

Revisit campuses

Senior Year

Set up payment plan

Senior Year

Grade drops risk rescission

Senior Year

National Merit app materials

Senior Year