<p>I am a junior in high school right now.</p>
<p>When should I start the application process?</p>
<p>Is it necessary to hire an essay "coach" to help me write my essay?</p>
<p>No, no it is not.</p>
<p>You can start thinking about essays, how to present your ECs, etc. right now. The CA is still up and essays change little if at all from year to year. </p>
<p>The actual sending in (electronically or hard copy) of applications and supporting documents (transcripts, letters of rec, etc.) cannot be done until early next fall when the 2011 CA and other college applications are released.</p>
<p>If you haven’t already, talk to your HS GC, they should be able to help you with how your school deals with the college application process.</p>
<p>So some Searches on this and the Essay subforum to find books about writing college admissions essays.</p>
<p>Should I ask for recs right before junior year ends or right when senior year starts?</p>
<p>Before junior year ends is probably better. I know one teacher at my school wouldn’t write recommendations for people who asked her senior year, since she hit her limit of ones she could reasonably find time to write before then.</p>
<p>Right now you should be starting to craft your list. Over the summer start brainstorming and drafting the essays you KNOW you’ll have to write–the Common App essay, a blueprint “Why ____?” essay, etc. Plan to take the SAT/ACT/SAT IIs if you haven’t already. And of course keep up your grades and EC participation.</p>
<p>Fall is for refining your list, writing and editing and retouching essays, and filling out applications.</p>
<p>(Please don’t hire an essay coach.)</p>
<p>If you are going to need recommendations for colleges to which you are applying you may want to start asking teachers now so that they have you on their list when they become necessary. As to essays, it never hurts to start early coming up with what you are going to say. Also, you need to start checking now for when colleges start accepting applications. Majority, including high ranks, usually have start dates in September (UCs aren’t even until later) but some colleges start in August and some colleges even start in June.</p>
<p>What is your reason not to hire an essay coach? And what is the maximum number of
colleges I should apply to? I am currently thinking about Vanderbilt, johns hopkins, MIT, Princeton, UT engineering</p>
<p>Essay coaches are, quite frankly, usually a waste of money. If you can’t write an incredible essay, an essay coach won’t be able to do it for you, and pretty much everyone can write a just good essay on their own.</p>
<p>An essay coach is more likely to suck all the spirit out of your essay than improve it. Read some books on college essays and writing in general if you need help.</p>
<p>The number of colleges you should apply to depends on:
a) whether you are applying to top schools
b) whether you need financial aid, and if so, what kind and how much
c) whether you are happy with your safety.</p>