It’s hard to believe that college deadlines are already approaching. When determining when to submit your applications there are a few things to remember:
First, check to see whether a college has Early Action or Early Decision. Make sure you understand whether the school’s policy is binding or has restrictions. Most Early Decision’s require you to commit to the school if you are admitted. This means you must also withdraw all other applications. Early Action means that you are in an early round, however, depending on the school, you may be restricted to how many Early Action school’s you can apply to.
Second, make sure that you have completed all the required testing and acquired all the appropriate paperwork necessary to meet each decision deadline. If you still need to take the SAT in Nov or Jan, an Early Action or Decision is probably not the best plan. The same logic applies if you are counting on your senior year grades to boost your GPA.
Finally, don’t wait until the last minute. Know the deadline date for each school you are applying to, then set your personal deadline 2-3 weeks before that time. This gives you time to review your essay’s and applications with a clear head, as opposed to watching the clock and submitting by midnight!