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.

Document activities meticulously - Junior Year College Admission

Overview

Starting a detailed activities tracker now will save you so much time when applications open! Future you will be very grateful.

What to Track for Each Activity

Activity name and organization
Your position/role
Grade levels involved (9, 10, 11, 12)
Hours per week and weeks per year
Specific description of YOUR contributions (this is key!)
Awards or recognition received
Quantified impact whenever possible

Common App Preview

You'll eventually need to fit each activity into:

50 characters for position/title
150 characters for description

Start practicing this format now - it's trickier than it sounds!

Example Transformation

❌ Before: "Member of debate team"

✅ After: "Varsity Captain; Led team to state semifinals; Mentored 8 novice debaters; Organized 3 tournaments"

Powerful Action Verbs

Founded, Led, Organized, Managed, Created, Developed, Increased, Raised, Coordinated, Trained, Mentored

Pro Tip

Update this document monthly - it's much easier than trying to remember everything at the end of the year!

Overview

Starting a detailed activities tracker now will save you so much time when applications open! Future you will be very grateful.

What to Track for Each Activity

Activity name and organization
Your position/role
Grade levels involved (9, 10, 11, 12)
Hours per week and weeks per year
Specific description of YOUR contributions (this is key!)
Awards or recognition received
Quantified impact whenever possible

Common App Preview

You'll eventually need to fit each activity into:

50 characters for position/title
150 characters for description

Start practicing this format now - it's trickier than it sounds!

Example Transformation

❌ Before: "Member of debate team"

✅ After: "Varsity Captain; Led team to state semifinals; Mentored 8 novice debaters; Organized 3 tournaments"

Powerful Action Verbs

Founded, Led, Organized, Managed, Created, Developed, Increased, Raised, Coordinated, Trained, Mentored

Pro Tip

Update this document monthly - it's much easier than trying to remember everything at the end of the year!

Document activities meticulously

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

What to Track for Each Activity

Common App Preview

Example Transformation

Powerful Action Verbs

Pro Tip

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks

Document activities meticulously

Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

What to Track for Each Activity

Common App Preview

Example Transformation

Powerful Action Verbs

Pro Tip

Task Details

Track Your Progress

Related Tasks