Deciding to go to college is undoubtedly exciting, but it can be overwhelming to think about all the work it takes to get there. When you’re at the very beginning of your high school years, how can you know that you’re setting yourself up for success down the road? When you’re starting senior year, how can you stay on top of the many deadlines and requirements for college applications? With so much to do, it’s hard to know where or when to start! 

To keep you on the right path, we’ve created the Ultimate College Application Checklist. Follow along from freshman to senior year to make sure you’re focusing on the important things when it comes to preparing for and applying to college.

• Learn how your school calculates GPA. Different schools use different scales and methods for calculating that one big number. For example, you will probably earn extra points for taking advanced classes — but how many? Take a look at your school handbook or talk to your teachers or counselors to figure out what goes into your GPA.
• Maintain good grades. While college can feel far away if you’re only starting high school, your freshman year grades are still important. Be sure to take a mix of classes that challenge you and also allow you to explore your interests.
• Get involved in meaningful extracurricular activities. When it comes time to apply for college, the admissions committee is going to want to see what makes you unique, not just what grades you made. Choose extracurricular activities that interest you not only to start building your resume, but also to make new friends, be a part of your community and have fun!
• Search for scholarships. Even with financial aid, college can be expensive. Scholarships, or award money you don’t have to pay back, can help you cut down on cost. Start with Niche’s How to Pay for College video for tips on finding scholarships from multiple sources.

• Meet with your school counselor to go over your class schedule and goals. Your school counselor is there to help you every step of the way on your journey to college. Meet with them to make sure you’re taking good classes for your skill set and goals.
• Keep up those good grades!
• Stay involved in your extracurriculars. There may be leadership opportunities for upperclassmen in your clubs or organizations, so be sure to stay involved during sophomore year. You’ll thank yourself later!
• Create a Niche account to start researching colleges. You can start reading reviews of colleges you already know about or you can explore colleges you haven’t heard of. The possibilities are endless!
• Take The Niche College Quiz for personalized recommendations. You tell us about yourself, your priorities and interests, and then we give you a list of colleges that would be a great fit. After you’re done, visit your suggested schools’ profiles to research and add the ones you like to your list.
• Research potential majors. While you don’t have to know what you want to study when you apply for college, it’s good to have some general ideas. Watch our How to pick your college major video to get started and use our guide to college majors to research your options.
• Take the PSAT if your school offers it. This is a great way to kick start your test prep because it’ll show you which parts of the SAT you’re already strong in and which parts you should focus on when you study.
• Continue scholarship search. Keep using those tips you learned in the How to Pay for College video!

September – February

• Begin test prep and take the PSAT to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program. If you haven’t already taken it, now’s the time. When you take the PSAT during your junior year, you’ll be considered for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which means you may have a chance to gain national recognition and receive a scholarship.
• Attend college fairs. Virtual or in-person, college fairs can be a great place to acclimate to the college search process. Here’s our guide on making the most of college fairs.
• Build your college list on Niche by adding 5-10 schools. Keeping the colleges you’re considering in one place will help you research and compare them. Include lots of safety, target and reach schools for now and narrow them down later. Consider factors like location, tuition, reputation, size and if the school has a strong program for your intended major (if you know it already). Check out this blog post for more tips on how to start your college list.
• Find out which colleges on your list are test-optional and create a testing plan. While the shift to test-optional or test-blind policies was initially a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges still have them in place years later (as of fall 2023, the number is approximately 2,000). Look at the schools on your list and each of their admissions requirements to decide which tests, if any, you want or need to take.
• Register for SAT/ACT (if necessary). If you decide to take standardized tests, here’s some basic info you’ll need to know:
  • The SAT is generally offered March-June and October-December. Get a rundown of the SAT basics here.
  • The ACT is offered February-December. Learn more and sign up on the official ACT website.
  • Not sure which to take? Here’s our quick comparison of the SAT and ACT.

February – June

• Sign up for campus visits and/or virtual tours. Colleges can seem like a dream on paper, but there’s not always the same feeling once you get there. When you visit, get a feel for academic offerings, campus layout, dining options, dorm situation and social scene. To make the most of your visits, plan them properly. If you can’t go in-person, explore virtual visit options.
• Meet with your school counselor to review your college list and senior year schedule. Your counselor can help you figure out which schools are safeties, targets and reaches if you’re unsure, and they can also make sure you’re all set for a successful senior year.
• Research majors and related careers. It can be easy to get stuck focusing on your day-to-day, but it’s important to zoom out and think about the bigger picture every now and then. Our How to pick your college major video has tips for you as you consider what to study and what kind of career to pursue after college.
• Take the SAT/ACT and retest (if necessary). Before you show up on test day, check out our tips and tricks. We’ve got plenty of suggestions for proper test prep to help you earn your ideal score. If you don’t like your score, set a new goal, hit the books and try again in the fall—or superscore it. Still need help? There are plenty more test prep resources.
• Keep your grades up! Junior year grades are the most closely analyzed by college admissions teams. Give that extra effort so you’re putting your best academic self out there.
• Request recommendation letters. Ideally, ask your junior year teachers or, if you know your intended major, a teacher who teaches a relevant subject—and ask months ahead of your deadline so your recommenders have plenty of time. We have some pointers for getting counselor recs, too. Check out our guide to all the things you should consider when asking for a letter of recommendation.

July

• Continue scholarship search.
• Read student/alumni reviews on Niche to see what colleges are really like. One of the best ways to figure out what a college is really like is to talk to people who actually went there—and reading reviews on Niche is like talking to hundreds of them at once.
• Narrow down your college list. Start deciding which schools you’re most interested in. Be sure to keep a good balance of reaches, targets and safeties!
• Get summer experience. Spend your summer wisely by volunteering, getting a job, job shadowing or participating in a summer college program or camp. Your best bet to impress schools is to do something relevant to your interests, skills or goals.
• Make an activities/honors list. As you begin filling out college and scholarship applications, a high school resume will be extremely helpful. List your activities, accomplishments, awards, volunteer work and actual work experience from freshman year until now. Mention the tasks you accomplished, skills you gained and/or leadership roles you held. Creating an all-purpose brag sheet can also help you prep for your personal essay, scholarship apps, alumni interviews and more.
• Brainstorm personal essay ideas. This is your time to share something about yourself that the admissions team can’t know from your resume alone. It’s a big task, but our How to write a college essay video can help you get started—and finish the job.
• Start planning out your finances. It can be a touchy subject, but it’s best to hash out the financial responsibilities with your parents or other members of your support system before you get too far along in your search. Go back to our How to pay for college video for a refresher on all things financial aid and budgeting, or work your way through our financial aid checklist for the most productive convos.

August

• Many application portals open Aug. 1st! You’ve prepared for so long, and now’s the time. Keep an eye on the schools on your list so you know when their application portals will be open.
• Finalize your college list. It’s time to narrow down your list to only the schools you’re actually applying to. Be strategic: Choose at least two safety schools, several target schools and one or two reach schools.
• Create application account(s) (ex: Common App, Coalition App, ApplyTexas, UC Application). Each application account serves different colleges, so do some research to see which application is accepted by which schools on your list.
• Review applications to note requirements, essays, deadlines, etc. While there will probably be a lot of overlap, some schools may have unique supplemental questions you need to answer, or different materials they require. Make sure to keep a list of everything you need for each college on your list so you don’t miss anything.
• Get your materials together (resume, unofficial transcript, etc.). You may need to contact your school’s administration office or school counselor for some of these items, so it’s important to know what you’ll need early in the process.
• Draft your personal essay. Put pen to paper—well, fingertips to keyboard. For a little inspo and insight, go back and watch How to write a college essay or check out our guide to acing the college essay.

Direct Admissions

In the fall of your senior year, you officially become eligible for Niche Direct Admissions! Through this program, colleges can offer you acceptance and a scholarship based on your Niche Profile — no application needed. Just create or log into your Niche account, make sure your profile is up-to-date, start exploring Direct Admissions colleges and add the ones you like to your list. That’s all it takes to be considered! For more details and to see our FAQs, visit this page.

September

• Follow up with your recommenders. Follow our guide to reminding your recommenders and you’ll have your letters of recommendation in no time.
• Begin online portion of applications. Start filling out what you can, and take note of the supplemental materials you’ll need to send in after you finish the online portion.
• Retake the SAT/ACT (if needed). If you weren’t happy with your previous SAT score, now is the time to take it again.
• Complete your CSS profile for non-federal financial aid. Here’s the most up-to-date list of schools that require a CSS profile. And here are all the ins and outs on how to create a CSS profile—and why.

October – November

• Tell your school counselor you’ll need your transcript and/or a recommendation letter for EA/ED/Priority deadlines (if necessary). Protocol varies at each high school, but you’ll want to request them at least two weeks before they’re due. For the whole spiel, check our comprehensive guide on requesting transcripts for college. Not sure whether you’re interested in applying early action (EA) or early decision (ED)? We can help you decide which admission types best fit you.
• Review all application materials for errors or missing pieces.
• Submit EA/ED/Priority applications and send any supplemental documents (transcripts, letters, test scores) required. Most early application/early decision deadlines are Nov. 1 or Nov. 15. The Common Application early decision deadline is typically Nov. 1.
• Set up your account for each college’s portal to ensure your materials have been received. This is important for several reasons—it’s where you’ll be able to see if your application has been received, where you’ll be notified if you missed any documents and often where you’ll find your admissions decision when it’s ready.
• Create an FSA ID. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines your eligibility for financial aid. Even if you think your family won’t qualify, submit a FAFSA. You never know what you might receive, and FAFSA also often determines your eligibility for work study jobs on campus. Create a username and password (FSA ID) on the FAFSA website to get started. You’ll be able to file in December.

December

• Tell your school counselor you’ll need your transcript and/or a recommendation letter for regular deadlines (if necessary). Again, you’ll want to request your transcripts at least two weeks before they’re due (and ideally, you requested your recommendation letters months before!). For the whole spiel, check our comprehensive guide on requesting transcripts for college.
• Complete and submit FAFSA.
• Review EA/ED acceptances. If accepted, celebrate! If deferred, send a letter of continued interest. If rejected, review your application and its essay, and decide whether to make improvements for future applications. 
• Submit regular deadline applications and send any supplemental documents (transcripts, letters, test scores) required. Before you do: Read our last-minute reminders. Most regular decision deadlines are Jan.1 or Jan. 15. The Common Application deadline is typically Jan. 1. After hitting “submit,” there are still a few things to wrap up.
• Set up your account for each college’s portal to ensure your materials have been received. This is important for several reasons—it’s where you’ll be able to see if your application has been received, where you’ll be notified if you missed any documents and often where you’ll find your admissions decision when it’s ready.

January – February

• Submit mid-year grade reports (if necessary). Some colleges require mid-year or second semester grade reports. If this is the case, make sure your counselor has the necessary forms.
• Apply for scholarships. The internet is your friend—most of the time. Here are really easy and inventive ways to use Google to fuel your scholarship search.
• Prepare for any interviews you may have. Many schools set up interviews between applicants and alumni. If you have this opportunity, do all the prepwork for a successful interview, including how to navigate a virtual interview.
• Review EA/ED/Priority acceptances. If accepted, celebrate! If deferred, send a letter of continued interest. If rejected, review your application and its essay, and decide whether to make improvements for future applications.

March – April

• Review acceptance letters and financial aid packages. First, celebrate any acceptances you received! If deferred/waitlisted, reach out and write a letter of continued interest. If rejected, send an appeal letter. And if you need help understanding your financial aid offer, we’ll walk you through it with our Understanding financial aid award packages video.
• Decide on your top schools.
• Keep applying for scholarships.

May

• Make your final decision by May 1 — and celebrate! Yes, you did it! After you notify your school that you’ll be attending in the fall (and let the other schools know you’re heading elsewhere), it’s time to celebrate!
• Submit your deposit and housing application. 
• Sign up for orientation.
• Send in your final transcript. 
• Thank your supporters for all of their help. Let your friends, family, teachers and counselor know where you’ve decided to go. They’ll be so happy for you! A note, a gift, a high five—just show them how much you appreciate their support. Here’s a rundown of all the people you should be thanking. Congratulations!

Download The Ultimate College Application Checklist PDF!