Parents’ Timeline for the College Application Process
Some of our resource links are repeated because they help in several categories
and apply for more than one year. Go here for over 100 resources:
+100 College Flight Plan Resources
FRESHMAN YEAR
Academic Preparation
- Students need to practice good study habits and work hard to keep their GPA high. They do not want to spend the next three years trying to improve their poor freshman-year grades.
- Get help from tutors in classes where a student is struggling. Catch it early, especially in math and foreign languages.
- A student should check with their college counselor to ensure they meet all the college-bound requirements. The high school’s college counselor has many students to help prepare for the application process. Students should not wait for for the counselor to come to them. The national student-to-counselor ratio is 424:1, and in California, it is 900:1. The recommended ratio is 200:1.
- If a student plans to play a sport in college, they need to research the requirements of the NCAA.
- Students need to research the practice PSAT that will take place in October of their sophomore year. They should take a practice test before they go to know what to expect. This test is vital to prepare for the actual PSAT in junior year, which can qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
- Students should practice taking the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. Here are the books and courses we recommend.
- A student should ask their counselor if they qualify to take AP (Advanced Placement) courses.
Personal Development
- Students should keep all their social media accounts positive and clean. Expect college admissions officers to look them up during the application process.
- Students need to develop a plan to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. They should define their values and purpose in life. 87% of 16 to 29-year-olds say they have no purpose. Very sad stat!
- Students should work on improving their time-management skills and eliminating bad habits. Time management is one of the main struggles of first-year college students. The sooner they perfect their skills, the better.
- Students should spend their summers productively. They need to apply for summer internships, job shadowing, college camps, etc. Students should ask professionals about their jobs. Do they like what they do? How much education is required? They should be bold in asking if they can shadow these professionals for a few days sometime in the future.
- Students should seek every opportunity to take career assessments to narrow down the areas that fit their skills.
- Students need to develop the skill of writing thank-yous to show gratitude: a much-admired trait. They should order thank-you notes with their first and last names on them.
Extracurricular Pursuits
- Students need to get involved in extracurricular activities and volunteer opportunities that fit their strengths and interests. Colleges look for students with dedicated interests in a few activities rather than surface interests in many.
- A student should work with friends to develop entrepreneurial endeavors and find volunteer opportunities that meet a need in their community or another location. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or time-consuming.
Application Awareness
- The family needs to keep good records in a safe place of activities, jobs, awards, honors, etc. Start from the summer before the student’s freshman year. Keep an activities journal.
- The family needs to visit universities in the area and places they travel to over the summer.
- Students need to make an effort to get to know their teachers and the faculty. They will be asking some of them to write recommendation letters for their college applications, so they need to know the student well.
Financial Awareness
- Talk as a family about college funding. Create a plan. The student should get a job and save money, if necessary. Families should explore possible scholarship opportunities.
We encourage students to finish their year strong and sign up for challenging courses for their sophomore year.
We commend students for starting this process early. They will see some of these suggestions repeated in the full timeline
for those who did not begin preparing in freshman year.
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Academic Prep and Goals
- Students need to pursue a quality curriculum and improve their study habits. They should continue to work hard to keep their GPA high. The grades and test scores submitted in their applications give them permission to play. Their extracurricular activities and essays will help them get across the finish line.
- Students should continue to get help from tutors in classes where they struggle. Catch it early, especially in math and foreign language.
- Students need to request a meeting with their college counselor to ensure they are on the right track with their courses for entrance requirements into college. Remember: They should not depend on the school college counselor to totally prepare them for the college application process. If they need answers, they should be the squeaky wheel. The national student-to-counselor ratio is 424:1, and in California, it is 900:1. The recommended ratio is 200:1. Use other resources in addition, if possible.
- Students will register for the practice PSAT that takes place in October. They should take several practice tests before they go to know what to expect. This test is vital to prepare for the actual PSAT in their junior year, which can qualify them for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
- Students should set us a meeting with their counselor to ask about AP (Advanced Placement) and Honors courses they should take.
- Students will benefit from taking AP subject exams after completing each course while the information is fresh in their minds.
- If students still plan to play a sport in college, they need to meet the NCAA requirements. They should contact the coaching staff of the schools they want to attend. It is essential to let the coaches know they are very interested in their schools. Research the requirements of the NCAA.
- It is vital to get help EARLY from professionals for SAT and ACT preparation. There are specific strategies to follow when taking these tests. Students should take as many practice tests as possible to learn where they need to improve. Plan which dates they will take the SAT or ACT. Register before the deadlines to avoid late fees.
Personal Development
- Students should keep all their social media accounts positive and clean. Expect college admissions officers to look them up during the admissions process.
- Students need to stick with their plan to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Take assessments to clarify them. They need to learn to live by their values and pursue their purpose in life. College admissions officers are looking for students who know what they stand for and have a plan for their lives.
- Students need to continue to improve their time-management skills and break bad habits. (Time management is one of the main struggles of first-year college students.) Perfect this sooner rather than later.
- Students should take as many assessments as possible to narrow in on careers that fit their skills.
- Students need to take assessments to determine what they want their college experience to be. What type of university would they like to attend?
- Students should ask professionals about their jobs. Do they like what they do? How much education is required? They should be bold in asking if they can shadow these professionals for a few days sometime in the future.
- Students need to develop the skill of writing thank-you notes to show gratitude: a much-admired trait. They should order thank-you notes with their first and last names on them.
Extracurricular Goals
- Students need to stay involved in extracurricular activities. They should strive for leadership positions in the activities that best suit them. Remember: Colleges are looking for a student with a dedicated interest in a few specific activities rather than a surface interest in many.
- Students should work with friends to develop entrepreneurial endeavors and find volunteer opportunities that meet a need in their community or another location. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or time-consuming.
- Students need to plan ahead for their summer activities. They shouldn’t wait until the last minute, or many opportunities will be lost. They should apply for summer internships, job shadowing, college camps, etc.
Application Readiness
- A student needs to set up an email account with their full name on it to be used for all college-related correspondence.
- Students should form a list of colleges they think they might be interested in attending. 10-20 schools.
- Families need to visit universities in their area and places they travel to during breaks or for sports competitions.
- Students should get contact information from each tour guide, admissions person, professor, or coach that they meet during their visit. The student should:
- Keep a journal with all the details of their visits to compare them later.
- Send hand-written thank-you notes on personalized stationery (a rare effort these days) to those who helped them better understand the university.
- Refer to their visit details in their application essays using the notes in their journal.
- Students should research the universities they cannot visit.
- Students should attend college fairs and ask the representatives interesting questions.
- Students should continue to record all activities, jobs, awards, honors, etc., from the summer before freshman year. Keep them in a safe place to use for college, scholarship, and job applications.
- Students need to continue to strengthen their relationships with teachers and faculty. They will be asking some of them to write recommendation letters for their applications, so they need to know the student well.
Financial Goals
- Families need to talk about college funding. Create a plan. Students should get a job and save money, if necessary. Continue to explore possible scholarship opportunities. Find professionals who can help in these areas.
We encourage students to finish their year strong and
sign up for challenging courses for junior year.
JUNIOR YEAR
Academic Achievement
- Students need to continue to pursue a quality curriculum with AP and Honors courses. They should work hard to earn competitive grades. The quality of their curriculum and their GPA are the first two qualifications universities require to be considered for admission. Their extracurricular activities and their essays will be what can keep them in the “yes” pile.
- Students need to study for and take the PSAT (in October), which qualifies students for National Merit Scholarships. Ask their counselor for dates if they don’t have them.
- Students need to get help EARLY from professionals for SAT and ACT preparation. There are specific strategies to follow when taking these tests. They need to take as many practice tests as possible to learn where they need to improve. Plan which dates they will take the SAT or ACT. Register before the deadlines to avoid late fees.
- When students are sure about their college lists, they can use the college codes to send their results directly to the universities when they register. They need to become knowledgeable about the Super Score option first.
- Students should set up a meeting with their counselor to ask about AP (Advanced Placement) and Honors courses they should take.
- Students should take AP subject tests after completing each course while the information is fresh in their minds.
- Students should schedule meetings with their college counselor, but remember, counselors are very busy. Students must take charge of this application process and be proactive in getting answers to their questions. (The national student-to-counselor ratio is 424:1, and in California, it is 900:1. The recommended ratio is 200:1.) Get outside help, if possible.
- If a student still plans to play a sport in college, they need to meet the NCAA requirements. They should stay in close contact with the coaching staff of the schools they want to attend. The student needs to let the coaches know they are still very interested in their school. Research the requirements of the NCAA.
Personal Development
- Students need to keep all their social media accounts positive and clean. Expect college admissions officers to look them up.
- Students should take more assessments to narrow in on the careers they will pursue.
- Students need to stick with their plan to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Take assessments to clarify them. They need to learn to live by their values and pursue their purpose in life. College admissions officers are looking for students who know what they stand for and have a plan for their lives. They will need to show this in their essays.
- Students need to hone their time-management skills and eliminate bad habits. (Time management is one of the main struggles of first-year college students.)
- Students should ask professionals about their jobs. Do they like what they do? How much education is required? They should be bold in asking if they can shadow these professionals for a few days sometime in the future.
- If the student hasn’t done so already, they need to order personalized note cards to send thank-you notes during the next few years. They need to develop the skill of writing thank-you notes to show gratitude: a much-admired trait.
Extracurricular Activities
- Students need to stay involved in extracurricular activities. They should strive for leadership positions in the activities that best suit them. Remember: Colleges are looking for a student with a dedicated interest in a few specific activities rather than a surface interest in many.
- Students should work with friends to develop entrepreneurial endeavors and find volunteer opportunities that meet a need in their community or another location. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or time-consuming.
- Students need to plan ahead for their summer activities. They shouldn’t wait until the last minute, or many opportunities will be lost. They need to look for college programs in the areas they want to study and apply for summer internships, job shadowing, college camps, etc.
Application Prep
- The student needs to set up an email account with their full name on it to be used for all college-related correspondence.
- Students should attend college fairs and ask the representatives interesting questions.
- Students should start to narrow their list down to 10-15 schools with the majors they want to study.
- Students need to visit universities in their area and places they might be vacationing over the summer or for sports competitions. They should ask intelligent questions to show their interest in the school.
- Students should get contact information from each tour guide, admissions person, professor, or coach that they meet during their visit. The student should:
- Keep a journal with all the details of their visits to compare them later.
- Send hand-written thank-you notes on personalized stationery (a rare effort these days) to those who helped them better understand the university.
- Refer to their visit details in their application essays using the notes in their journal.
- Students should research the universities they cannot visit.
- Students should continue to record all activities, jobs, awards, honors, etc., from the summer before freshman year. Keep them in a safe place to use for college, scholarship, and job applications.
- Students need to continue to strengthen their relationships with teachers and faculty. They will be asking some of them to write recommendation letters for their applications, so they need to know the student well.
- Students will start to brainstorm ideas for their 650-word Personal Statement for the Common Applications. They will begin writing their Personal Statement at the end of their junior year and finish by August 1st. This gives them time to focus on the supplemental essays many universities require.
- Students will utilize their high school college application software, but they shouldn’t rely on it exclusively.
Financial Plan
- Families need to determine the total cost of attending each of the colleges. (Include tuition, books, lodging, and travel.) This information can usually be found on the colleges’ websites.
- Families should talk about college funding. Create a plan. The student should get a job and save money, if necessary. Continue to explore possible scholarship opportunities. Find professionals who can help in these areas.
We encourage our students to finish their year strong and
sign up for challenging courses for senior year.
SUMMER BEFORE SENIOR YEAR
Academic Achievement
- Students should get help early from professionals for SAT and ACT preparation. There are specific strategies to follow when taking these tests. They need to take as many practice tests as possible to learn where they need to improve. Plan which dates they will take the SAT or ACT. Register before the deadlines to avoid late fees.
- If students are sure about their college lists, they can use the college codes to send their results directly to the universities when they register. Become knowledgeable about the Super Score option first.
- If a student still plans to play a sport in college, they need to make sure they meet the NCAA requirements. Students need to stay in contact with the coaches of the schools they want to attend. It is essential they let the coaching staff know they are very interested in that school. The prospective student-athlete will still have to apply and be accepted by the university. Research the requirements of the NCAA.
Personal Development
- Students need to stick with their plan to develop their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Take assessments to clarify them. They need to continue to live by their values and pursue their purpose in life. College admissions officers are looking for students who know what they stand for and have a plan for their lives. They will need to show this in their essays.
- Students need to decide the majors that best fit their natural abilities and interests.
- Students must continue to keep all their social media posts positive and appropriate. Expect admissions officers to take a look at them when considering their admittance.
- Students should hone their time-management skills and other positive habits. (Time management is one of the main struggles of college freshmen.)
- Students should ask professionals about their jobs. Do they like what they do? How much education is required? They should be bold in asking if they can shadow these professionals for a few days sometime in the future.
- If the student hasn’t done so already, they need to order personalized note cards to send thank-you notes during the next few years. They need to develop the skill of writing thank-you notes to show gratitude, a much-admired trait.
Extracurricular Leadership
- Students need to stay involved in extracurricular activities. They should strive for leadership positions in the activities that best suit them. Remember: Colleges are looking for a student with a dedicated interest in a few specific activities rather than a surface interest in many.
- Students should work with friends to develop entrepreneurial endeavors and find volunteer opportunities that meet a need in their community or another location. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or time-consuming.
Application Success
Most applications are available to complete starting August 1st. Students should develop a plan for how and when this application work will be completed. It takes more time than one thinks to do it correctly and get a compelling application out the door. They should seek guidance in the areas where they need it. +100 College Flight Plan Resources
- The student needs to set up an email account with their full name on it to be used for all college-related correspondence.
- Students need to keep all their social media accounts positive and clean. Colleges will research their applicants.
- Students should narrow their college list down to 8-10 schools with their major and the qualities they are looking for in a school. Include some more selective schools and a few safety schools.
- If students did not include university codes when registering for the ACT or SAT, they need to send their scores to the colleges per the instructions of each college. Review Superscore options before they are sent.
- Students will create their application accounts in August. Over 900 universities accept the Common App. Students applying to a University of California school must open a UC account. Some universities require students to apply on their websites.
- Students will write their 650-word Personal Statement for the Common Application. They will create their essays in Google Docs and cut and paste them into their applications.
- If students apply to the University of California schools, they will choose which 4 of the 8 Person Insight prompts they would like to answer. They will then write the four 350-word essays required. They will be able to adjust some of these essays to fit the supplemental essay prompts from other universities.
- Students will write their 650-word essay for the Coalition Application if they are using it.
- Students will need to create a document with detailed descriptions of their activities, jobs, awards, honors, etc. They will describe their leadership roles in each activity. This will make it easier when they have to fill in their applications. They will need to have someone proofread their activity descriptions before they enter them.
-
- Common App Activities Section only allows 150 characters (not words) to describe each activity, including what the student accomplished and any recognition they received.
- UC Activities section allows more characters (250-350). It will require students to detail how they earned an award, program descriptions, their responsibilities, experience, description of their leadership, etc.
-
- Students will create a simple resume summarizing their high school accomplishments and activities. They will use this for job searches, summer pursuits, and people who recommend them.
- Students will list the people whom they would like to write Letters of Recommendation for them. They will prepare a packet for each person containing their resume, unofficial transcript, and descriptions of their strengths, values, goals, purpose, and plans for the future. The student needs to thank the recommenders for doing this for them.
- Students will continue to visit universities in their area and places they might be vacationing over the summer or for sports competitions. They should ask intelligent questions to show their interest in the school.
- Students should get contact information from each tour guide, admissions person, professor, or coach that they meet during their visit. The student should:
-
- Keep a journal with all the details of their visits to compare them later.
- Send hand-written thank-you notes on personalized stationery (a rare effort these days) to those who helped them better understand the university.
- Refer to their visit details in their application essays using the notes in their journal.
-
- Students should research the universities they cannot visit.
- Students should continue to record all activities, jobs, awards, honors, etc., from the summer before freshman year. Keep them in a safe place to use for college, scholarship, and job applications.
- Students need to call the admissions offices of their universities to request an interview with alumni in their area. They should immediately send thank-you notes to interviewers. Same day! They will stand out from the other candidates if they make this effort.
- Applicants should call the admissions office with well-thought-out questions. This will demonstrate their interest, and records of these calls will go into their file.
- Students should attend college fairs and ask the representatives interesting questions.
Financial Arrangements
- Families need to determine the total cost of attending each of the colleges. (Include tuition, books, lodging, and travel.) This information can usually be found on the colleges’ websites.
- Parents should get all the FAFSA information together to simplify filling out the form on October 1st.
- Families need to continue to find more scholarships. Most will require an applicant to write an essay. Find professionals who can help in these areas. Search for student loans if necessary.
We encourage our students to get as much accomplished with their application process
before senior year begins. It will lessen their stress.
SENIOR YEAR (Review the “Summer Before Senior Year” timeline first)
Academic Success
- Students should keep pursuing academic excellence. Admissions officers will be looking at how applicants perform during their senior year.
- Students should study for and retake the SAT or ACT if they are not satisfied with their previous scores.
- Students need to take AP subject tests after completing each course while the information is fresh in their minds.
- If a student still plans to play a sport in college, they must meet the NCAA requirements. Athletes should stay in contact with the coaches of the schools they want to attend. It is essential to let the coaching staff know they are still very interested in their school. Even if a coach gives a verbal commitment or Letter of Intent, the student-athlete will still have to apply and be accepted by the university. Students should go on Official Visits in the Fall.
Personal Development
- Students should continue to develop their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. They should take assessments to clarify them. They need to focus on living by their values and pursuing their purpose in life. College admissions officers are looking for students who know what they stand for and have a plan for their lives. They should speak about their unique characteristics during college interviews and write about them in their application essays.
- Students should continue to keep all their social media posts positive and appropriate. Admissions officers may take a look at them when considering their admittance.
- Students need to practice good time-management skills and other positive habits. These skills will prepare them for success in life. Senior year is not a dress rehearsal.
- Students should ask professionals about their jobs. Do they like what they do? How much education is required? They should be bold in asking if they can shadow these professionals for a few days sometime in the future.
Extracurricular Success
- Students should stay involved in extracurricular activities and strive for leadership positions in the activities that best suit them. Remember: Colleges are looking for a student with a dedicated interest in a few specific activities rather than a surface interest in many.
- Students should continue to work with friends to develop entrepreneurial endeavors and find volunteer opportunities to meet a need in their community or another location. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or time-consuming. Staying involved will be very helpful if they are waitlisted by a school. They will ask the applicant to answer, “What have you been doing since you applied?”
- Students need to plan ahead for their summer activities following their senior year. They shouldn’t wait until the last minute, or many opportunities will be lost. They should look for college programs in the areas they want to study and apply for summer internships, job shadowing, and jobs.
Application Success
- Students should attend college fairs and ask the representatives interesting questions.
- Students should continue to visit universities in their area and places they might be traveling to in the Fall. They should ask intelligent questions to show their interest in the school.
- Students should get contact information from each tour guide, admissions person, professor, or coach that they meet during their visit. The student should:
- Keep a journal with all the details of their visits to compare them later.
- Send hand-written thank-you notes on personalized stationery (a rare effort these days) to those who helped them better understand the university.
- Refer to their visit details in their application essays using the notes in their journal.
- Students need to research the universities they cannot visit.
- Students should call the admissions offices of their universities to request interviews with alumni in their area and send thank-you notes to the interviewers immediately following. Same day! This will help applicants stand out among the other candidates.
- Students should call the admissions office with well-thought-out questions. This will demonstrate a student’s interest, and records of these calls will go into their application file.
- Students need to decide which majors best fit their natural abilities and interests.
- If students have not done so already, they need to create their application accounts. Over 900 schools accept the Common App. Students applying to a University of California school must open a UC account. Some universities require students to apply on their websites.
- Students need to finalize their college list and record the deadlines for submitting applications. Remember: the deadline is the LAST day to apply. Shoot for submitting at least two weeks before the deadline.
- For students planning to do Early Decision (ED: binding) or Early Action (EA: non-binding), be aware of the earlier deadlines (usually November 1st.) If they are accepted for ED, they must withdraw their applications from all other schools. If deferred ED or EA, follow each university’s instructions.
- Students will complete all the general information on their applications.
- Students should review all the supplemental essays required by their universities and put the prompts into a Google Doc along with the word limit and deadline. They should create their essays on the docs and then cut and paste them into their applications. Some supplemental prompts are similar and may be adjusted to fit more than one school. Students can write their supplemental essays in early September. They should seek help and have others proofread their work.
- Students should kindly remind and thank the people writing their Letters of Recommendation. A hand-written thank you note will speak volumes about an applicant.
- Students should send their ACT or SAT scores to each college on their list per the college’s instructions if they did not include them when registering for the test. Review Superscore options before they are sent.
- Students need to create portal accounts for each college to check their application status.
- If a student is waitlisted by a university, they may be required to write a short essay stating what they have accomplished since submitting their application. They should follow the exact instructions the university gives them. The waitlist is not a bad thing. It means the applicant has the qualifications needed, but the first-round acceptances have been handed out, and the schools are waiting for those responses. There is still hope!
- Students can write appeal letters to universities that reject their applications if they are still interested in attending. They need to follow the school’s specific instructions on what they will accept.
Financial Arrangements
- Families need to determine the total cost of attending each college, including tuition, books, lodging, personal expenses, and travel. This info can usually be found on the colleges’ websites.
- Students can meet with their counselor to get a fee waiver if they cannot afford the application fees. It averages about $50 per application, but some can be as high as $90.
- Parents should fill out and submit the FAFSA, which is available on October 1st and may be due as early as November 1st. If necessary, fill out the CSS Profile.
- Students need to apply for financial aid well before the deadlines. The schools have limited funds, so applying early can make a difference. Apply for scholarships by the deadlines. Most will require applicants to write an essay. Investigate college loan options. Find professionals who can help in this area.
- Families should compare the financial aid offered by each college. Call the university with questions.
Before Making the Big Decision, a Student Needs to:
- Review all acceptance packages.
- Review financial aid packages.
- Make their decision by May 1st if they are not doing Early Decision.
After Making the Big Decision, a Student Needs to:
- Send an acceptance letter with a tuition deposit before the deadline.
- Graciously inform the other colleges of their decision not to accept their offers.
- Submit their housing application immediately for schools that do not guarantee a room. Research other housing options if necessary.
- Sign up for orientation sessions at their college.
- Ask their high school to send their final transcript to their chosen college.
- Visit their college if they have not already.
- Send their AP Exam scores to the college they chose after receiving them in July.
- Write thank-you notes to all of their supporters. They could not have done this without them! An attitude of gratitude will get a person far in life.
- Prepare for college life as much as possible. First-Year College Life Survival Books
