While the college application process may seem straightforward on paper, actually going through it is another story. Applying to college is a big undertaking—one that requires planning, dedication, and perseverance. On top of that, students have to go through this process during the fall of their senior year. As such, many students struggle with how to organize school work while managing college application deadlines.

College is a big next step for many students, and preparing can feel like a second job on top of their everyday lives and responsibilities. But, there are ways to make the process easier and minimize stress.

In this blog post, we’ll cover tools and strategies to successfully navigate the college application process. We’ll discuss everything you need to know as you start building out your college application checklist, including:

  • What to expect from the college application process
  • When to start working on your college applications
  • How to organize school work plus college applications
  • Tips for staying organized and managing stress

To start, let’s review how the college application process works.

How does the College Application process work?

Applying to college is a complex process. Before jumping in, you’ll want to have a good sense of what it actually entails.

The college application process involves submitting applications to colleges. This may be through application platforms, such as the Common Application, or through school-specific platforms. Your application will include questions about you and your background, your transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, a list of extracurriculars, a personal statement, supplemental essays, and responses to short answer questions.

An admissions team then takes all of this information and decides whether an applicant would be a good fit for their school. If they are, they extend a letter of admission, offering students a spot in their upcoming class.

Understanding the ins and outs of the college application process will help you get a better sense of what it really takes to get into college. As you consider how to approach your applications, give yourself plenty of time to get familiar with the U.S. college admissions process.

When should you start college applications?

In general, the earlier you start the college application process, the better. To understand why, let’s look at when college application deadlines typically fall.

The most common type of application deadline is Regular Decision. At most schools, Regular Decision deadlines fall sometime in early January. That means the majority of your college applications will likely be due over winter break.

If you want to apply early to a school, your application will be due much sooner. Early Action and Early Decision deadlines are typically November 1 or November 15. So, they’ll be due while you’re still in school.

Since you’ll be working on your college applications during fall of your senior year, we recommend starting your college applications early. Beginning your applications over the summer, or even towards the end of your junior year, can help make the entire process less stressful.

Now, if you’ve already started looking into the college application process, you might know that the Common Application opens on August 1. Depending on when your school year starts, you might even be able to complete the general portion of the Common App before classes begin. This includes your profile information and questions about your family and education. 

However, as we mentioned, you can start working on your applications even earlier. Use the summer to research schools, start brainstorming and even writing your essays, and building a schedule for the fall. That way, you can have a plan in place as you head into your senior year.

Balancing school work and college application deadlines

Regardless of when you start working on your applications, the majority of students will have to balance working toward deadlines with their school work. Additionally, many students are also concurrently studying for the SAT or ACT.

As a senior, you might feel more confident in your studying and time management skills. However, you might also be taking more challenging coursework, including difficult AP courses. Throw in college applications, on top of test prep, fall sports, clubs, or work, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

Finding strategies for how to organize school work is key to staying on top of things. As previously stated, your Regular Decision applications will typically be due over winter break, after you’ve taken your finals. But early deadlines fall right in the middle of fall semester, when you’ll likely be preparing for any number of quizzes and midterms.

Managing your school work means being mindful of the classes you’re taking. If you’re still choosing your classes, you might consider not adding on that additional AP class on top of the two you’re already taking. Later on, when the semester starts, pay attention to the syllabus and note any important midterms or big projects you might need to work around.

Prioritizing your school work

When students build their college lists, many want to cast as wide a net as possible. For some, that means applying to 20, even 30 colleges. While this may seem like a good idea, overloading yourself with college applications can be harmful in the long run. Especially if navigating the application process gets in the way of your school work.

Looking ahead to college, it can be easy to let your grades slip to the wayside. You might start to feel like they’re less important than completing your applications. This is especially true for Early Decision applicants. For instance, if you apply early to a college, you will apply in November and can expect to receive an admissions decision sometime in December. This means that colleges will only be looking at your grades from freshman to junior year, not your senior year.

However, this doesn’t mean your senior year grades don’t matter. Colleges reserve the right to rescind a student’s acceptance for several reasons, including poor grades. So, let’s say you had all As and Bs on your transcript and were admitted Early Decision. If your grades suddenly drop during your senior year, the college might see this as concerning and an indicator that you aren’t ready for the demands of college courses.

Therefore, prioritizing your school work is still of the utmost importance, especially when it comes to your college applications. Remember, your high school courses provide you with foundational knowledge to prepare you for your college classes. And, if you’re taking AP courses, paying attention to your coursework is helping you prepare for the AP test (which could even lead to college credit!).

5 Tips for Staying Organized during College Application season

A great way to keep your focus on your school work is to have a plan for how to manage your college applications. Staying organized throughout the college application process is key to holding yourself accountable and staying on track to meet your deadlines.

Here are five tips for how to stay organized as you go through the college application process.

1. Build a timeline of important dates.

With so many deadlines and applications to manage, you’ll need a way to organize and keep track of them. Once you know which colleges you want to apply to, do some research and write down all of your application deadlines. You can use the calendar in your phone, online, or a physical calendar hanging in your room. Be sure to include deadlines for both your college applications and your financial aid applications.
On top of your college application deadlines, consider adding other important key dates. This could include testing dates for the SAT or ACT or deadlines to ask for letters of recommendation. It could also include important events, such as big games or birthday parties, where you don’t want to be worried about working.

2. Create a college application checklist.

Once you have your deadlines mapped out, you’ll want to create a master to-do list. Your college application checklist should include important steps for completing your applications. These may be general steps, such as filling out the FAFSA, or school-specific steps, such as writing your supplemental essays.

The more detailed your checklist, the better. Having smaller, more specific goals will help you get a better sense of how to move your applications forward. And, they’ll help you decide which steps to tackle first, and in which order.
If you’re not sure where to start, many college prep platforms like StudyLab offer sample college planning checklists. For example, StudyLab’s College Checklist includes test prep, building a college list, and more.

3. Give yourself manageable, weekly goals.

If you start your applications over the summer, your application deadlines may feel far away at first. But you’ll be surprised how fast the weeks start flying by. So, don’t waste time not knowing what to work on or how to start chipping away at your applications.

This is especially important when it comes to your essays. Give yourself mini-deadlines for brainstorming sessions, first drafts, etc. That way, you can start making progress on your essays and have something concrete to edit as you get closer to your final application deadline.

4. Keep your documents and application materials organized.

With multiple applications and many moving parts, you’ll need to find ways to keep track of your important documents. With everything online, create different folders on your computer or online to make sure you aren’t missing anything as you go. For instance, you may want to keep a folder with all of your essay drafts organized by school, or by deadline. 

Furthermore, if keeping your essays straight seems like a challenge, consider building a  spreadsheet. Include the school, the deadline, the prompt, and your draft, so you can easily refer to what you have already written and what still needs to get done.

5. Don’t wait until the last minute.

Consider which parts of the college application process require the most time. For instance, your 650-word personal statement will almost certainly take more time than a 50-word short answer response. Moreover, keep in mind your first draft should not be your final draft. If you write your first draft the week your application is due, you won’t have enough time for comprehensive edits and rewrites.

Another component of your applications to think about in advance are your letters of recommendation. Although you don’t need to write them, you do need to give your recommenders plenty of time to do so. In general, you want to give your recommenders a minimum of 4-weeks to write their letters of recommendations.

Remember, while exploring different organizational strategies, do what is best for you. If you like having all your information in one place, make a master spreadsheet. Or, if you do better seeing everything laid out in person, consider making a wall of post-it notes or getting a large calendar for your room. There’s no one way to stay organized, so look for tools that will genuinely help you.

Tips for managing stress

While staying organized can keep you on track, stress is a natural part of the college application process. Balancing your coursework with your extracurriculars and applications, on top of family responsibilities and a social life, is no small thing. 

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Pace yourself.

Even if you’ve made a plan to start early, remember there’s only so much you can do in a day. It’s a lot easier to feel overwhelmed when your quality of sleep and mental health are suffering. So, be sure to prioritize your health and give yourself manageable goals.

Find time to step back and take a break.

The college application process can feel all-consuming. While it is certainly important for those planning to attend college, remember it is not your whole life. It’s just as important to take breaks and decompress, whether that’s reading a book, playing video games with your friends, or spending time with your family.

Lean on your support system.

Remember, you don’t have to go through the college application process alone. Talk to your friends and family about the process, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your counselor or a trusted teacher for support. If you feel like you need more personalized guidance to complete your applications, a college counselor can provide more substantial support.

Stay flexible.

Even the most well thought out plans can’t account for everything. Moreover, it’s important to be flexible and take things one at a time. If you happen to get sick or injured or overwhelmed with school one week, don’t hesitate to step back from your applications and pick them up later. On the other hand, if you have a last minute college you suddenly decide to apply to, know that you can always adjust your college list and prioritize what is most important to you.

How to Organize School Work and College Applications – Takeaways

The reality of college application deadlines means juggling school work with college applications. While not an easy thing to do, it’s important to stay on top of your applications so your grades don’t suffer. Planning ahead, creating a calendar or checklist, and mapping out your progress can help you feel more confident going forward. And, you can be sure you haven’t missed any steps when it comes time to submit your applications.

If you’re a high school junior looking ahead to your college applications, take some time to plan out your approach and set yourself up for success. Consider what you can start early to minimize stress later on. For students already in the midst of the college application process, don’t forget to give yourself credit for all your hard work. Take a breath, get organized, and remember to take your college application checklist one step at a time.