When's the right time to start college applications?

Honestly folks, I'm a little lost. I know applications are a big deal, so when should I actually start putting them together to ensure I'm not rushing at the last minute? Any advice will be much appreciated!

The best time to start preparing for college admissions would actually be during your junior year of high school. It's often a good idea to start exploring colleges, arranging visits, and speaking with college representatives if possible around this time. Also during your junior year, you'll take your SATs or ACTs and might also start to develop a shortlist of colleges that you're interested in.

However, you will likely start the actual application process at the beginning of your senior year. Use the summer before your senior year to draft your personal statement and complete the common information sections on your applications.

From August to November of your senior year, you would generally be finalizing your list of schools, finishing up your essays, and completing any supplementary application materials required by the schools you're applying to. The deadlines for college applications can vary widely depending on whether you're applying early action (usually in November of your senior year), regular decision (often in January), or for rolling admissions (could be as late as spring of your senior year).

Remember, each college has its own application deadline, so you'll want to keep a careful calendar of these. And always aim to finish your applications at least a week before the deadline to avoid any last-minute issues or stress.

There's a lot of work that goes into college applications, so starting early gives you plenty of time to thoughtfully complete all the necessary components without feeling overwhelmed. Best of luck!