<ul>
<li><p>Schools have different dates. It also depends on if you are applying Early Decision or Early Action. Many of the ED 1 and EA deadlines are October or November. However, most regular decision applications are not due until January, February in some cases.</p></li>
<li><p>You can really take the SATs whenever you choose. It is recommended that a student start taking the tests in the spring of their junior year, however, at least people I went to school with started in the fall of junior year (11th grade).</p></li>
<li><p>Some colleges have a published date that they will respond to you. If not, they have a window in which you will know their decision. For example, I applied EA to a school whose deadline was November 1. I had my application submitted at the beginning of October. I got my decision at the end of December. Most decisions are to a student in the months of March and April.</p></li>
</ul>