When should high school seniors start working on college applications?

A good rule of thumb is to start lightly in spring of junior year, then do your main work in the summer before senior year.

By March through May of junior year, most students should begin building a college list, learning each school’s deadlines, and thinking about who might write recommendation letters. This is also a smart time to plan testing, if you’re taking the SAT or ACT, and to keep a simple record of activities, awards, jobs, and responsibilities.

Summer is usually the best time to really begin applications. You can draft your personal statement, organize your activities section, finalize your list, and note which colleges require supplemental essays. Even getting a rough draft done before school starts can make senior fall much less stressful.

By August or September of senior year, students should ideally be polishing essays, confirming recommenders, and filling out the Common App or other application platforms. Senior fall is when you want to revise and submit, not when you want to be starting from scratch.