<p>I’ll try to post a timeline from memory/experience and give advice/pointers that helped me or would have helped me:</p>
<p>Summer: Create College List - Have 15 or so and then start narrowing, either through visits, research, virtual tours, etc. Also prepare for standardized tests if not complete. </p>
<p>July 1st: Common App opens (Most of the supplements are still not available, but the main essay, short answer questions are. I really wish I had started during the summer rather than wait to work on it/edit it).</p>
<p>September: Take the ACT if you want/need to </p>
<p>Also during the month colleges not on the Common App and Common App supplements will begin to open up. I suggest that you begin completing those as well as prepare for any standardized test that remains.</p>
<p>First Day of School Task: Ask Teachers for recs and request transcripts, get this step done early in the school year, so teachers will be able to write D/S a good rec and not a rushed one towards the deadline. (My suggestion, schedule a time with the teacher to talk about class times that were memorable/demonstrate D/S talents and abilities). </p>
<p>October: First option for SAT, SAT II’s (Might be the last if applying Early)</p>
<p>At the end of October/start of November Early Apps are due, so continue working on those. </p>
<p>November: Most Early (SCEA, ED, EA are all due during this month including UC’s) Some colleges will accept a rushed/electronic version of the November SAT/SAT II, so be on the look out if you need the tests.</p>
<p>Also on a side note if you are satisfied but not entirely pleased with your SAT scores, you can retake for almost free. It costs $9.95 per score report, but only $41.50 for the SAT where you get 4 reports for free. This means that you would spend $40 for sending scores to schools or you could spend $40 get the scores sent and another crack at the SAT. </p>
<p>November-December: Continue working on college apps for RD deadline. Note that many schools have rolling admissions, such as state schools so get that app out of the way early. Also some colleges have priority deadlines (Harvard and USC come to mind) that are in December, so be on the lookout for those. For USC you get consideration in scholarships and Harvard allows a more flexible interview scheduling (no other benefit).</p>
<p>December: Mid Dec. Will be the time that Early decisions are released. </p>
<p>Try to put the finishing touches on apps remember that often the Common App server is prone to crashing and down time as you get closer to the deadline (often Jan 1st of 2nd for a bunch of schools).</p>
<p>January: Most apps are due (so they should be done). </p>
<p>January-March: Sit back and relax, your S/D is a second semester senior. Be on the lookout for scholarships (note: some scholarships open earlier, so it is good to always be on the lookout for scholarships and what worked for me was to keep an Excel file up to date (update weekly) with ongoing scholarships, what it required, etc.)</p>
<p>March-April: Decisions from colleges will be on the way back in the mail. This is the time of joy and sadness (for most). I was accepted early so did not go through this process and was very happy during this time, while many friends experienced disappointment and frustration, so you should consider early schools. Once letters are back narrow the list and pick the school right for you and don’t look back.</p>
<p>May: In the beg. of May most deposits are due. As an amendment to the looking back, if you get of the waitlist at a school, you should probably look back, otherwise keep looking forwards. </p>
<p>June-August: I guess enjoy summer, maybe try to secure an internship or simply relax. I am sort of in that stage right now, just working and preparing for college. </p>
<p>Hope this provides the timeline that you were looking for. Please feel free to ask questions if something isn’t completely clear.</p>