When Should I Start Applying for College?

Current high school juniors (class of 2025) should start looking into college applications the summer before their senior year. Getting an early start and submitting your materials ahead of deadlines can prevent last minute stress and allow more time to carefully and strategically plan out your personal college application.

When Do College Applications Open for Fall 2024?

The biggest application platform, the Common Application, typically launches annually on August 1st for the upcoming admissions cycle. So you can expect college application opening for Fall 2024 entry to go live on August 1, 2024 on the Common Application. Many individual colleges and universities then make their own institutional applications available sometime between August and October 2024.

There are some benefits to being among the first to apply once these applications open in the very early fall. Some rolling admissions colleges will decide acceptance right after applications are submitted (think a first come first serve basis). Your application gets an early look before volumes ramp up, and you'll have ample time for follow up if any materials are missing or revisions needed. However, you'll also want to ensure you don't rush through important elements like your personal statement just to submit at the absolute earliest possible date. Map out a realistic timeline that gives you enough runway to refine and perfect your application while still aiming for the earlier side of deadlines.

What to Do Before College Applications Actually Open

The summer before your senior year in high school is the perfect opportunity to prepare for a strong college application! Get a head start by drafting your personal statement and supplemental essays during the summer. Go through a few rounds of revisions over the summer without the extra pressure of classwork and activities. Update your resume with all extracurricular activities, honors, jobs, etc.

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It's also wise to request recommendation letters from teachers and mentors who know you well while it's still fresh on their minds from the previous academic year. Register for any remaining standardized tests like the SAT or ACT if needed. And start seriously researching your final college list if you haven't already.

Creating a Balanced College List

Speaking of finalizing your college list, the summer provides plenty of time for you to optimize your college list with a balance of reach, match, and safety schools. Use net price calculators and other college cost resources to estimate costs and potential aid opportunities. See if you can take advantage of any seasonal campus visit programs. And thoroughly investigate early action or early decision if you plan to apply under one of those programs.

How to Keep College Applications Organized

As you take these steps over the summer, don't forget the importance of staying organized throughout the entire admissions process. Set up a chart, spreadsheet, or calendar to meticulously track all requirements, materials, and deadlines for each school on your list. Create a prioritized backlog of tasks so you aren't overwhelmed at crunch time.

Involve parents/guardians in your organizational process so they can help you stay accountable. And look into helpful tools like application checklists to keep you focused on quickly handling any outstanding items.

What is the Difference Between Regular Decision, Early Decision, and Early Action?

When applying to college, you'll need to decide whether to apply under a regular decision (RD), early action (EA), or early decision (ED) plan if offered.

Regular decision is the traditional route with a deadline in the winter or early spring of your senior year.

Early action is a non-binding option to submit your application early, usually in November, and receive an admission decision from the college well before the spring.

Early decision is also an early application plan but is binding -- meaning you MUST attend that college if admitted. This option allows you to better indicate your school is your top choice in exchange for an earlier notification date, typically in December.

Both early action and early decision have a higher acceptance rate than applicants applying through regular decision since there are usually less people who apply with EA and ED. It is important to note that an early decision application could limit your ability to compare financial aid offers since it's a binding commitment when you are accepted.

Take a look at this graph to see the difference between regular decision, early decision, and early action:

When are Most College Applications Due?

This is dependent on whether you are applying early action (EA), early decision (ED), or regular decision (RD). Most early decision and early action college deadlines are on November 15. Most regular decision college deadlines are on January 1.

Mark those upcoming August-October 2023 application open dates and use your final summer before senior year wisely. You'll set yourself up for a relatively low-stress final admissions experience as a 12th grader by putting in the early groundwork!