We know it seems as though you have a whole year to apply to college, but it's really only about nine months away as you want to apply by November to maximum merit aid. Here's a timeline and checklist of what you should be doing and when you should be doing it (and you can download it here for your use):

Spring, Junior year - Research and Preparation

  • Research colleges and sign up for tours

  • List extracurricular activities and start building a resume

  • Brainstorm personal statement

  • Catalogue supplemental materials

  • Sit for at least one, if not two, SAT/ACT tests

  • Sign up for college emails and read them!

  • Plan summer activities

  • Brainstorm the Common Application prompts

  • Visual artists: Develop one work every two/three weeks for a total of 20-25 pieces by October senior year

  • Film students: Collaborate with others, learn different filmmaking roles, write short screenplays, make short movies

  • Acting students: Get comfortable performing on Zoom, read plays, start thinking about monologues

  • Music students: Get comfortable performing on Zoom, video all performances, research programs and professors, start signing up for lessons with them

  • Clean up your personal social media and develop your creative social media accounts

  • Select teachers for recommendations and talk to them BEFORE SCHOOL IS OUT FOR THE SUMMER

Summer, Junior year - College visits and fine tuning

  • Visit colleges

  • Take final SAT/ACT

  • Start the Common Application and complete demographic, academics, extracurricular activities sections

  • Finalize college list

  • Brainstorm and write supplemental essays

  • Prepare supplemental creative materials

  • Continue to open and read emails from schools to which you are applying, follow their social media accounts and comment on their posts

  • Organize ALL your application requirements (essay prompts, required number of recommendations, creative material requirements) and calendar their due dates

Fall, Senior year - Put all the pieces together

  • Focus on academics

  • Finalize college list and decide schools for Early Action and Early Decision applications

  • Confirm letters of recommendation

  • Request transcripts

  • Finalize personal essay

  • Finalize supplemental essays

  • Complete/submit supplemental creative materials

  • Complete the FAFSA and CSS (if needed by school)

  • Submit Early Decision and Early Action applications

Winter/Spring, Senior year: Congratulations, you're in the home stretch

  • Send letters of continuing interest (for deferred decisions)

  • Rescind applications if accepted Early Decision

  • Analyze acceptances and compare schools

  • Attend Accepted Students Days

  • Submit deposit by May 1

Learn how we can help your student stay organized and focused for all steps of their college application process. Set a meeting today, here's our calendar

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6 Components of a Competitive Visual Arts Portfolio