What advice do you have on planning college application? (including scholarships, financial aid, ED)
End of junior year? junior-senior summer? Early senior year?
I started planning March of my Junior year because I had to research certain coursework requirements for a rough list of schools I had, and that was when course selection for senior year was. I started finalizing my college list, writing essays, and figuring out logistics over the summer. My final school was added in September of my Senior year, and I had to have it decided by then because my school heavily monitors and sets deadlines for Secondary School Reports for seniors (~95% of us go to college, so this helps keep it more efficient).
By spring of Junior year you should have your SAT/ACT results so you can get an idea of what schools you can look at. THen maybe over spring break you visit colleges (or summer if necessary).
Do a draft of your Common App eassay and get a list/description of all your ECs and years and hours.
By early senior year, before Thanksgiving, you should apply (or earlier for ED).