Masuk Free Press

The countdown to the official end of the college application process has begun, with May 1st just around the corner. While the class of 2025 can take a breath of relief, for the juniors of Masuk, it is only the beginning. Applying to colleges may be the most daunting task of all four years of high school, but you do not have to go into it blind. As a senior, I have written up a plan of action for attacking the battle of college applications. This is a senior’s guide to college applications. 

Quarter 4 of junior year:

The process begins in the fourth quarter of junior year. While many students may not yet be thinking about college, this is the perfect time to start exploring your options as school winds down. Spring break and long weekends are ideal opportunities to tour college campuses. Visiting schools allows you to get a sense of the campus culture, and academic programs. Touring is pretty much a vibe check, you will be able to feel if you would fit in with the school or not. You can also tour colleges virtually if you are unable to visit in person. As you explore different schools, start building a rough list of colleges that interest you. Don’t worry about finalizing anything yet. 

During this time, you should also begin thinking about or already know who you might want to write your letters of recommendation. Asking for them before the school year ends gives advisors plenty of time to write thoughtful, detailed recommendations. Do not wait until the last minute, as many teachers only agree to write a certain amount of letters. 

Summer before senior year:

With fewer academic obligations, summer is a crucial time to finalize your college list and begin working on your essay. Start by refining your list of schools. Generally, it is recommended to apply to between five and eight colleges, but there is no limit or minimum. Applying to too many schools may overwhelm you when it comes time to start applications, and applying to too few may be a risky move.

Categorize your schools into three types: safety, target, and reach. A safety school is one where your academic profile; GPA, test scores, etc., are above the school’s average admitted student, giving you a high likelihood of getting accepted. Safeties should also be schools that you would 100% consider going to and can afford. Target schools are where your stats align with the average student, meaning you have a solid chance of getting in. Reach schools are more competitive, either because your academics fall below the average or because the school has a very low acceptance rate overall. Remember however, it is normal to not get into any of your reach schools.

At the same time, you should begin brainstorming your college essay. Most schools use the Common Application which releases their essay prompts in the spring, so summer is the perfect time to start identifying a story that highlights who you are beyond your GPA and test scores. There are a ton of online resources and in person services to help guide you on how to write your essay. 

If you are unhappy with your original SAT score, during the summer is also a great time to get tutoring or get in extra studying to be able to retake it in the fall. 

Aug. 1:

Aug. 1 marks a major milestone: the Common Application officially opens. This is when things start to get real. Your first task should be to create an account on the Common App website. Once logged in, you can begin filling out the basic information; your courses, extracurriculars and awards/honors. You’ll also want to add colleges to your dashboard so you can see what each school requires in terms of supplemental essays and deadlines. Use this time to get familiar with the platform and how it works. 

Then, start drafting your college essay if you haven’t already. It does not have to be finalized anytime soon, but begin to write it so that you have plenty of time for changes, and to get edits from teachers and peers. Starting early lessens the pressure you’ll feel when deadlines start rolling in.

Sept. – Oct.:

With school back in session during these months, time management becomes key. Start by working on your applications and supplemental essays for your early action or early decision schools. Be careful, early action is very different from early decision. Early decision (ED) is for those who only have eyes for one college. It is a legally binding agreement that if you get in, you will attend that school (unless you encounter financial issues). Early action (EA), however, is simply submitting your application early to hear back about your decision sooner than other applicants. Typically, ED has a higher acceptance rate while EA has around the same as regular decision.

It’s helpful to create a separate folder to keep all your essay drafts in one place. You may notice that many colleges ask similar supplemental questions, such as “Why this school?” or “What is something you are passionate about?” You can often reuse essays for different colleges. However, make sure to write thoughtful responses. Just because they are supplements, does not mean they don’t matter as much as the rest of your application, they are, besides your main essay, the only way an admissions counselor can get to know you.

By October, it’s time to focus on completing applications for early deadlines. Early action and early decision deadlines typically fall around Oct. 15 and Nov. 1  or 15, depending on the school. Once early applications are submitted, shift your attention to the rest of your list. Regular decision applications are usually due between December and January, so this is the time to begin writing additional essays and finalizing application materials for those schools. Even if you ED to a school, do not hesitate to apply to others, it is not worth taking a gamble just to be rejected and having to rush the rest of your applications in December. 

Nov. – Jan.:

Between November and January, the goal is to stay organized and finish strong. As you submit each application, you’ll receive login information for the school’s application portal. These portals are where you’ll track the status of your materials, and ultimately where you’ll receive your decision. If you’re applying for financial aid, FAFSA and other profiles like CSS will also be due in December or January.

By the time you reach the end of January, you’ll likely have submitted all of your applications, and may have even received some decisions. At this point, all that’s left is to wait. While you wait for your decisions, consider applying for scholarships or honors programs that may have later deadlines.

Applying to college is undoubtedly a challenging process, but with careful planning and consistent effort throughout the year, it becomes far more manageable. So take it step by step, trust your preparation and remember that this is about finding the best fit for you, not just the biggest name.