<p>OP, I hope you'll factor in your knowledge of your kid and how your own household works, obviously. My kids are the kind who "work well under pressure" and consolidate their thoughts best at the end of a process. They are not unnerved by the hour drawing nearer, and I have worked that way myself most of my life.
^ Wow that was the biggest "spin" I've ever read about procrastination ;)</p>
<p>But not all families can tolerate working that way. Each of my kids has chosen girlfriends and boyfriends who are the opposite, meaning more logical/scientific/organized but less intuitive/creative, so I'll defend both styles. Some families (not ours) seem to organize all the main points of any complex process at the beginning and then pursue their hypotheses and narrow the focus until there's a conclusion. Sometimes I'm in awe of that, admiring their early starts. Other times I stand up for our way because it's more exploratory and sometimes includes good surprises along the way. In both cases, the outcomes are fine.</p>
<p>Our public schools start after Labor Day. Here, the actual writing didn't get serious until after 3rd week of September, as soon as they were settled into their course routines for senior year and our major fall religious holidays were done. Visits to some campuses were still a big scheduling factor for many autumn weekends of senior year, too. These can be helpful, though, for conversing with each child, away from a busy household, about how s/he is thinking and feeling (don't forget feelings!) about the whole process. </p>
<p>For us, summer was used to collect the applications, figure out the differing deadlines and chart all that, website research on different places. It's still fine to tweak the list; it isn't sacred. Sometimes what you learn along the way causes you to add or delete a school from your list, and that's fine.</p>
<p>You say your D is very busy until mid-August. What I would do is just plenty of organizing the pieces and parts during the summer, without writing, because the writing might not come out well when she's in summer mode. Let her experience that. It'll be maturing, anyway. Also, cruise the 'net a lot and share perceptions about the various colleges as they describe themselves. Pin down from the 'net what each school's department offers by looking at course catalogues; in other words, get into some detail on the net about each school. And enjoy looking at all the "shiny pictures" as my D calls them. </p>
<p>Tell her that during the last two weeks of August, you'll both spend a few evenings that week laying it all out together -- what needs to be written for whom; where there might be overlaps, making sure she still likes the list, etc.
Also, if there are details that only you need to tend to, such as travel plans for visits, motel reservations, tour times, etc. I believe that's a good thing for the parent to just handle solo without driving the kid crazy. They don't really care where they'll stay or how many miles it'll be. </p>
<p>Then try to keep an August week that's totally relaxing before school cranks up again.</p>
<p>Part of me wants to tell you to take that deep breath and believe that, while it is going to be a busy year, you will be able to juggle and manage this. If you start now claiming it can be positive and is an example of what college itself is like -- juggling many responsibilities against time -- but positively, not dragon-like on that topic, then it can be shared as a learning experience, too.</p>
<p>CC helps so much, especially when you think you're going crazy and you find out hundreds of others are on the same page, or were and didn't go crazy.</p>