<p>Just wondering, when are you juniors starting/finishing your college apps. I've heard of people that are just about done already. I'm a junior but I haven't started yet, should I be concerned? When should I get my teacher recommendations, filling out common app, writing college supplements, etc? I think I will be starting the common app essays pretty soon and finishing it in the summer. Is it true that you can't fill out the common app until Aug 1st?</p>
<p>All I would recommend is that you ask your teachers to write your recs this spring (that is you <em>ask</em> them; they won’t write them) and them remind them in the fall. They may well not do it until the last minute, but at least you’ve done your job. My kids were the classic procrastinators, doing too much of the work over Christmas break. Please realize that all those “little” supplementals are really important, and can take as much time or more than the main Common App essay But honestly, you are not “behind” at all.</p>
<p>I will be writing my essays over the summer for all the schools I’m applying to and then come August 1st, I’ll fill out the common app save the essay and writing supplements.
I return to school the second week of August. At that point, I will ask 2 of my teachers for recommendations giving them a month and half (October) to complete them. During this time, I will have my essays and writing supplements perfected.
By October 15th, my SCEA application and safety applications will be completed and sent out. Come December, I’ll find out my SCEA decision. If accepted, I will send off 2 other reach school applications. If deferred or rejected, I will submit all of the applications that I had completed.</p>
<p>Students have different approaches to the college app process. Some do everything in the spring of their junior year while others spend the summer writing essays; and still others feverishly write their essays over winter break. Should you be worried that you haven’t started yet? No. As long as you have sufficient time to complete the apps to the best of your ability it doesn’t matter when you start.
Side note: technically you can’t start filling out the Common App for the 2015 application cycle until August. So while you can start writing your essays based off of last year’s app, you won’t be able to actually fill out your app until fall of your senior year. </p>
<p>If you can get started now - great. But treat anything you write as a draft. You’ll be surprised how much things change over the next six months - and you won’t be the first person to write the perfect essay now, only to look at it when it’s time to send it in and wonder who wrote that drivel? You scoff now, but just wait. </p>
<p>I suggest starting to look over everything you wrote early about a month before it’s due and decide if it’s still something you really want to send.</p>