2023/2024 College Application Timeline & Deadlines

Quad Education graphic: the best college application timeline
Updated:
March 11, 2024
8 min read
Contents

”Rohan

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 07/08/23

Here our experts explain everything you need to know about creating a successful application timeline.

Writing college applications can be stressful enough without having to worry about deadlines. In your junior year of high school, creating a timeline for your college application process is a great idea to keep everything organized.

This article will discuss why you should create a proper timeline, give you some steps to do before creating that timeline, and supply you with an example college schedule with deadlines you can use for your application.

What You Need to Know About the College Application Timeline

A clear timeline for college is a great way to keep yourself organized when applying to colleges. Generally, your junior and senior years of high school are hectic and can be easy to lose track of. 

Having a clear timeline ensures you can manage the college application process and helps you plan so you’re not rushing through your applications. It will also help you see what you must do at different times of the year so you can schedule accordingly. 

If you were to rush through your application, you may not get accepted into the college of your desire, which could affect your future. A well-organized college application deadline will help you avoid that.

Many colleges will also require you to take the SAT or ACT. If this is the case, you will want to ensure you take them well ahead of deadlines to avoid delays in your application. So remember to keep these factors in mind.

Creating Your College Application Timeline 

This section will explain why having a college application schedule can be so important and tell you everything you need to ensure the application process goes smoothly. 

Having a clear timeline ensures that you can manage the college application process and helps you plan so you’re not rushing through your applications. It will also help you see what you need to do at different times of the year so you can schedule accordingly. 

If you were to rush through your application, you may not get accepted into the college of your desire, which could affect your future. A well-organized college application deadline will help you avoid that.

Many colleges will also require you to take the SAT or ACT. If this is the case, you will want to ensure you take them well ahead of deadlines to avoid delays in your application. So remember to keep these factors in mind.

Below we cover what you should focus on each month of your application year to create high-quality materials to boost your chances of getting into your top schools.

2023/2024 College Application Timeline

Now that you have decided which schools to apply to, you can start creating your college application process timeline. You might want to put specific deadlines in your calendar when creating a timeline.

January to April of Your Junior Year

We recommend that you start preparing for your college applications during this time with the following activities:

  • Meet with your school’s counselor to build your college list and check college sites for their academic and testing requirements.
  • Plan college visits.

May of Your Junior Year

This is when some of the real work begins:

June to August Between Your Junior and Senior Year

Making sure you stay on track during the summer between your junior and senior years will help you find balance when applying to college. The following are a few things you can work on during your summer break.

  • Take your final ACT or SAT.
  • Brainstorm and write three to four drafts of your Common App Essay.
  • Open all application accounts and begin filling out your demographic information.
  • Complete the Common App Activities section.
  • Complete the Common App Additional Information section (optional).
  • Complete your passion project/capstone project.
  • Visit your top colleges.

September of Your Senior Year

Entering your senior year of high school can be stressful, but by checking these tasks off your college application timeline you’ll be able to stay on track.

  • Get feedback on your personal statement/common app essay and write a final copy.
  • Finalize your top school’s list. 
  • Request that all SAT and/or ACT test scores be sent to the colleges you are applying to.
  • Decide if you want to apply for early decision.
  • Complete supplemental essays for early decision/early action programs.
  • Check-in with the status of recommendation letters.

October of Your Senior Year

Make sure you know the different deadlines for early action or early decision, as this is the time of year application deadlines start to appear. 

  • Start finalizing and submit applications for early action.
  • Double-check deadlines before this time.

November of Your Senior Year

At this point, you should almost be done with your application and should focus on completing supplemental essays for regular decision schools.

December of Your Senior Year

If not already finished, you should:

  • Finalize and submit applications for regular decision schools.
  • Consider acceptance for early action or early decision.

January to March of Your Senior Year

While you wait to hear from schools, you might need to do the following:

March to April of Your Senior Year

You’ve reached the end of your college application process! As you wait for acceptance letters to roll in, remember to  take note of the following:

  • Regular decision acceptances are sent out.
  • Make a final decision on which school to attend and send the tuition deposit by May.
  • Notify the people who wrote recommendation letters of your decision and thank them for their support.

Though this timeline is a broad overview of what you will need to keep track of, you will need to make sure you know the specific dates for the schools you are applying to.

College application timeline

By following this timeline example above, you will have plenty of time to get everything done for your college applications without them interfering with your school work.

2023/2024 College Application Deadlines 

Here are the Application deadlines and dates for the year. 

2023/2024 UC Application Deadlines & Dates 

  • UC Application starts: August 1
  • UC Application submission: October 1 – November 30
  • UC Application deadline: November 30
  • UC Transfer Application deadline: 
  • Fall semester: November 30
  • Winter/spring semester: July 31

Here are some application deadlines for top schools you might be interested in:

Deadline
Type
Date
Regular decision Around Jan. 1
Early Decision ED I: Around Nov. 1
ED II: Around Jan. 4
Early Action Around Nov. 1
Transfer Decision Fall: Around March. 1-15
Spring: Around Oct. 15 - Nov. 1

If you don’t plan on applying to any of these colleges, make sure to do your research and check each institution’s admissions page to get the deadlines you need.

FAQs: College Application Timeline

Now that we’ve gone through the college application timeline and process, you might still have some questions that need to be answered. Here are some FAQs to help you get into college

1. When Is the Best Time to Start Applying for Colleges?

The best time to start applying for college is the summer before senior year. Though you will want to start some of the preparation for college applications midway through your junior year of high school, you won’t need to open your college application account until the summer between your junior and senior years. 

This will give you time to look through the website and take note of what you will need to submit for their completion.

2. What Are The Steps of The College Application Process?

The college application process starts with deciding what schools you want to apply to and what you must submit. This should also be when you start preparing for the ACT and SATs, which you will take in the summer between your junior and senior years. 

Once you start your senior year of high school, you should be able to start the application process and be starting to finalize any essays needed for the applications. You should submit your application in the fall or winter of your senior year and expect to be notified in the spring.

3. Why Should You Begin Applying to Colleges the Summer Before Your Senior Year?

Starting the college application process the summer before your senior year is good because it allows you time to research schools, meet early deadlines, and apply for financial aid, which will reduce stress. This approach helps you stay organized and increases your chances of getting into top-choice schools. Alternatively, you can use our free College Planning Timeline tool to ensure you know when you need to start preparing for the college application process !

4. How Long Does the College Application Process Take?

Typically, the college application process can take anywhere from several weeks to several months to complete. The length of the process depends on how much time you give yourself to perfect your application and meet deadlines. 

It can also vary depending on the individual school’s processing time. We recommend starting in the summer before your senior year!

5. How Late Is Too Late for College Applications?

Each school has its own deadlines, and ultimately, it depends on when you want to attend school. We recommend giving yourself several months to a year or more to begin the application process, which includes school selection, resume building, acquiring letters of recommendation, and much more. 

6. How Long Does It Take to Fill Out a College Application?

Filling out a college application can take between a few hours and a few weeks, depending on how much of your material is already prepared and what the individual school’s requirements are. 

For example, if you have to write an essay it may take you a few weeks, but if you haven’t required essential materials yet, it may take months to gather everything you need for submission.

Final Thoughts

Having a detailed college application timeline is a great way to stay organized and focused when applying for colleges. Making sure you have the dates needed for the applications will help you complete the process and stay on top of school work, which is a vital step in the application process. We wish you the best of luck!

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