I thought I had a decent college application timeline senior year plan, and then school started ramping up and now I feel like I am somehow behind before I have even submitted anything.
Right now I have a rough list of schools, a personal statement draft that I keep rewriting, and a few activities descriptions started. But I still do not know what should happen first between finalizing my college list, asking for recommendation letters, polishing the main essay, and dealing with early deadlines.
I keep seeing different advice like:
- finish the Common App essay before anything else
- lock in your school list first
- ask teachers for recs immediately
- focus on supplements early if you are applying EA or ED
If you already went through senior fall, what did your timeline actually look like month by month?
I would really love a realistic order of operations, especially for:
- when to ask for recommendations
- when to finalize ED/EA vs regular decision schools
- when to start supplements
- how much time to leave for the application portal stuff that seems small but takes forever
Also, did anyone build in buffer time for burnout or school exams? That is the part I think I am underestimating.
If you have a simple timeline that worked, please share because right now mine is just a messy notes app checklist.