The college application timeline.

    Month by month, from the spring of junior year through decision day. Built for rising seniors and the parents asking them what they should be doing right now.

    Build your timeline in KollySee the full checklist
    1. 1

      May (junior year)

      Build your school list.

      Start with 15 to 20 schools, mark each as reach, target, or safety. Compare acceptance rates, SAT and ACT middle 50%, and cost after aid. Lock the list by late summer.

    2. 2

      June – July

      Pre-write the Common App essay.

      The Common App goes live August 1, but the prompts almost never change. Start drafting in June so you have a real draft by the time your account opens.

    3. 3

      August 1

      Common App opens. Start your account.

      Fill the activities list, honors, and recommendation requests early so they're done before school starts. Most students lose two weeks here that they could spend writing.

    4. 4

      August – September

      Draft your main essay and supplements.

      Aim for two full revision passes on the Common App essay before October. Supplements should be drafted school-by-school as you go, not stacked at the end.

    5. 5

      October 1

      File the FAFSA.

      FAFSA opens October 1. Earlier filers get more institutional aid. Run your net-price calculator at each target school the same week.

    6. 6

      November 1

      Early action and early decision deadlines.

      Most ED and EA deadlines are November 1 or November 15. Supplements for these schools should already be in their second revision pass.

    7. 7

      December

      Hit every regular-decision supplement.

      RD essays for January 1 deadlines should be drafted by mid-December. Most students underestimate how many supplements a 15-school list requires.

    8. 8

      January 1 – 15

      Regular decision deadlines.

      Most RD deadlines fall in this window. Final-read every essay one more time before you submit. Verify recommender letters are in for every school on your list.

    9. 9

      February – April

      Decisions arrive. Negotiate financial aid.

      ED decisions land in December. Most RD decisions arrive between March 15 and April 1. Compare aid offers and ask each school to match before you commit.

    10. 10

      May 1

      Decision day.

      Commit by May 1. Send your final transcript, pay the deposit, and hand-write the thank-you notes to your recommenders before graduation.

    Kolly turns this into your timeline.

    Add your target schools, and Kolly auto-fills the deadlines, supplement counts, and recommendation tasks. Free to start, no card.

    Start your timeline