my parents are saying i should’ve been almost finished with college essays by now (it’s august 18), i haven’t even made a complete college list yet. Am i behind a lot?
Also, do Early action and early decision and regular decision applications have the same deadline for all schools or different?
Schools do NOT all have the same deadlines. Read each school’s website carefully.
The time you need the essays done is before the deadline. Of course, you should budget enough time for revisions.
It takes a long time to brainstorm & write a college admissions essay, so I’d start ASAP if I were you. Deadlines vary, so you need to memorize the deadlines of prospective colleges.
Getting your common app essay done before senior year starts is a really good idea. Then get your list firmed up and start working on any supplemental essays individual colleges require.
The schedules definitely vary. EA and ED are earlier than RD. Each school has their own dates. it can take weeks to get test scores sent, so be sure to send them at least a month before they are due (more if you can). You also need to make sure your recommendations and transcripts are sent, too.
Don’t memorize the dates – make a spreadsheet of due dates from the websites. Include all your admissions tasks, and check it regularly.