The application timeline

Junior year

Most of the work that admissions offices read is already done by the end of junior year: grades, course choices and activities. Junior year is also when most students take the SAT or ACT for the first time and begin building a list of universities.

• Take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall if your school offers it; it is also the qualifying test for National Merit.
• Plan when you will take the SAT or ACT, leaving time for a second attempt.
• Visit campuses where you can, and read what current students say about them.
• Ask two teachers who know your work well whether they will write recommendations.

Summer before senior year

The Common App opens on August 1 each year. Many students draft their main essay over the summer and finalize their list of universities, including any they will apply to early.

Senior year: fall

Early decision and early action deadlines are usually November 1 or November 15. Regular decision deadlines are usually between January 1 and January 15, though some universities set later dates or admit on a rolling basis.

The FAFSA, the federal application for financial aid, usually opens on October 1. Many private universities also require the CSS Profile for their own aid. Submit both as early as you can; some aid is limited.

Senior year: winter and spring

Early applicants usually hear back in mid-December. Regular decision results usually arrive between mid-March and early April. Most universities ask admitted students to reply by May 1, known as National College Decision Day.

Compare financial aid offers before you decide. Offers differ in how much is grant aid, which does not have to be repaid, and how much is loans or work-study.