When should I start applying for colleges?

<p>some of you have told me to do it in 11th but some others told me in 12th when is best to apply like really send out transcripts and those kinds of things?? Thanks guys</p>

<p>In 11th grade, I'd say start researching on what schools you want to go to, your major, which area you prefer and whatnot. Make a list of colleges that you plan on applying to and look at them in depth.</p>

<p>I think 11th is too soon to start applying, so I'd say start your applications around mid 1st semester of senior year. At least that's when I started mine. For me, 1st sem of Senior year was really hectic, since I had to re-do my SAT/ACT's/TOEFL (I'm an international student, yes) in a few months. More specifically though I started applying around late October-November.</p>

<p>Remember though, if you're doing Early Decision/Early Action, you have to look at the deadlines of each school.</p>

<p>some ppl advise you to start ur summer of junior yr.</p>

<p>well, the applications sometimes aren't even available until the fall...</p>

<p>oh hahah nvm then... i guess you could work on essays tho....rite??</p>

<p>^^ Most colleges change the application essays each semester. They'd answer the spring essay for a fall application with a different essay question.</p>

<p>geeez. but you could still come up with a general topic...cuz most essays are a similar topic</p>

<p>Babyhood. JK</p>

<p>Rather than "starting to apply" -- not that I'm criticizing that -- I actually think the earlier time is better spent researching a list. And even if you believe you already have one? Get to know those colleges more intimately. If you can't visit, read up on them, ask questions , email their reps. By the time you are ready to actually finalize the app, you may feel as if you are almost a student there already, and your application contents may reflect that.</p>

<p>You could spend the time comparing possible safeties (with each other), possible matches -- prioritizing which ones are best & least fitting for you. No matter where you apply, you want to maximize the possibility of good outcomes in the face of your unknown competition.</p>

<p>My D is a jr so I was browsing the college websites and most of them have posted their applicatons for next year. My D is going to work on her essays this summer. She has started talking to teachers about recommendations and they want her college list and recommendation forms in May before school gets out so they can work on them over the summer. I would suggest being ready in September of your senior year to start submitting applications to colleges that have rolling deadlines</p>

<p>Aug or Sept after Jr year. Many schools will not have their apps or sups ready prior to that time. If you start then you can get to your teachers and GC early in Sept for reco's, before the mad rush starts at your school.</p>

<p>When you start looking at possibilities is at least as early as junior year because you need to do some planning to assure you have what is needed by the colleges you may apply to when it comes time to apply. Testing is an example. Some colleges require SAT IIs, many do not. If you plan to apply to one that does, you need to start figuring out when you are going to take those tests so they can be timely submitted when you do apply.</p>

<p>As to actually applying, most don't start taking applications until Sep or Oct of your senior year. However, there are a number that start taking applications earlier than that (even as early as June after your junior year). You need to check particular colleges you might apply to.</p>

<p>Anecdotal comment: One of my D's friends was in a real hurry to get started on her applications. She started sending apps, teacher recs, and so on, in August following her junior year. This may have been a coincidence, but her files at schools were by far the ones most likely to have "missing" parts. We all speculated that the schools simply weren't completely ready to receive her electronic or snail mail correspondences so early. She ended up resending things in October. Agree with drusba. Make sure the colleges/unis you are sending things to are ready to receive the material.</p>

<p>Unless you are applying for early admission (skipping your senior year of high school), you really can't apply your junior year.</p>

<p>Spend your time enjoying life and having valuable, good experiences! That way you will be able to tackle college admissions by genuinely expressing your love of learning and your experiences in high school. And maybe you will even find inspiration to write a unique, interesting essay.</p>

<p>wow all of these are amazing thanks guys yeah it sounds like I have to start deciding what schools and my major in 11th and really get my decisions done by then and then in fall of my senior year start really applying and getting transcripts done right? ok thanks guys again :)</p>

<p>We started visiting colleges during spring break of junior year. Some college applications are online as early as summer (July/August??) of each year. You can probably open a common app. account at any time (might want to look into this) and start to enter data whenever you want. This includes essay writing. You can find topic choices onthe Common. App site. I'd also recommend you start to compile a "resume" or list of activities and dates. That will come in very handy.</p>

<p>If you're interested and if you're applying to any schools that use the common app, you can start your essay over the summer. The essay topics don't change from year to year, so you could get a bit of a head start, if you wish. Also, sometimes it's a good idea to ask your teachers at the end of junior year if they'll do college recs for you in the fall/winter, particularly if it's a popular teacher or if they only do a limited number of recommendations.</p>

<p>Otherwise, I agree with most everyone else. Figure out which schools you want to apply to and try to visit those schools. Think about the environment you want to be in and what you might be interested in doing during/after college.</p>

<p>With D1, we visited schools all through junior year starting with a science open house in Pennsylvania in October and ending in Vermont in May. She then asked teachers for recommendations so they would be done before the end of school . Over the summer, she did all her applications and essays. She brought in her completed applications the first full week of school and was the first in her school that year. The GC had time to go over them, become more familiar with her circumstances, and check every detail. I think that was a good and less stressful way to approach the process and D2 who is a rising junior plans to do things the same way.</p>