General Admission Timeline

Getting ready to apply for college?

CollegeMapper can help you out. This page will show you at a glance what to work on each year to improve your college applications! If you plan to go to college to focus on the Arts, Military, or Athletics, check out the specialized timelines as well.

  • Get your GPA as high as you can.
  • Join a club or sport for four years.
  • Start volunteering.
  • Start drafting your resume.
  • Start reading/researching.
  • Maintain or raise your GPA.
  • Be active in a few clubs or sports.
  • Continue volunteering.
  • Continue reading/researching.
  • Take PSAT and PLAN (October).
  • Take SAT Subject Tests for AP classes (May).
  • Update your resume.
  • Do something interesting during summer.
  • Do your test prep in summer before 11th grade
  • Schedule/take all SAT/ACT.
  • Identify two target teachers for rec letters.
  • Begin to think about leadership in high school.
  • Go on campus visits.
  • Finalize college list (10 max).
  • Attend college rep visits and college fair.
  • Continue volunteering, activities, reading.
  • Ask target teachers for letters of recommendation (May).
  • Finalize your resume.
  • Do something brainy over the summer.
  • Write all essays in summer before 12th grade.
  • Give recommendation letter writers your college list and resume.
  • Try to serve in a leadership role.
  • Edit all essays.
  • Attend college rep visits and college fair.
  • College interviews.
  • Send test scores and transcripts to colleges.
  • Apply to colleges.
  • Apply for financial aid and scholarships.
  • Fight to get off of the waitlist.
  • Decide where to go to college!