Angelina’s College Application Timeline 

Winter and Spring of Junior Year:

During the winter and spring of junior year the college search is on. During this time, you should be creating your college list.

How do I begin my college list?

In order to begin your college list, you need to ask yourself a few questions….

• Where do I want to go to school? - Location is a major part of picking a college. In order to decide which location is best for you, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you want to go someplace warm or cold?

2. Do you want to commute or live on campus?

3. Do you want to go to college in a big city or a small town?

4. Do you want to stay in New York or go to school in a different state?

5. Do you want to stay on the east coast or go to school on the west coast?

• What kind of school do I want to attend? - Different colleges have different opportunities to offer students. It’s important you know which opportunities are important to you before selecting a school. In order to do this, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I want to attend a big school or a small school?

2. Do I want small class sizes or large lecture halls?

3. Are there any academic programs I want my college to have?

4. Are there any extracurricular activities I want my college to have?

5. Do I want to attend a school with an academic or athletic culture?

6. Do I want a more or less academically rigorous school?

• What schools can I attend? - Academic requirements range between schools and can be found on the college’s website. You should have safety schools and reach schools!  In order to find which colleges are best for you, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Does (insert college) require standardized test scores? If they do, what scores are required?

2. How does my GPA compare to the GPA of students admitted to the college?

3. Do admissions look for students involved in extracurricular activities?

End of Junior Year:

1. A list of potential schools: This list does not have to be finalized!!! I had 10 schools on my list at the end of junior year and I applied to 6.

2. Begin attending virtual tours and information sessions for the schools on your list. The more you learn about a school the easier your decision will be!

3. Create a Common Application account: Once you have created an account, add the schools you are interested into your list. Once you add your schools check out their writing requirements. You should make a list of all of the essays you will need to write.

4. Begin brainstorming for your essays: Procrastination is not your friend! Once you have a list of the essays you need to write you should brainstorm ideas. I made a google doc and bulleted possible topics for each of my essays.

Summer Going into Senior Year:

1. College Essay: During the summer you should write a rough draft of your college essay. Your teacher will help you make edits in September, but the more you do over the summer the less work you do in September.

2. Supplemental Essays: During the summer you should write a rough draft for each of your supplemental essays. You will have to edit these on your own so stay organized.

3. Stay Informed: Keep attending information sessions, virtual tours, and if possible visit campuses. The more information you learn about each school the easier your decision will be!