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High school juniors…it’s your turn up at bat. 2017 will be the year you reach an extremely important milestone – applying to college, which of course means writing your college essay. AHHH! PANIC! Wait, no, don’t. Because if you’re reading this post, then you’re already WAY ahead! We here at CEA say that the most important tool to a successful college admissions essay is starting early. Right now, you have just under one year before most major college application deadlines. Phew. You can breathe now. So, no need to stress over college applications quite yet. You’ll have plenty of time over the next few months to binge on your favorite Netflix shows, focus on your classes (after all, junior year is always the hardest), and maybe even take a few visits to college campuses to get a feel for what campus life is like. However, there are a few things you can do up to the point where you actually begin the writing process. Use this handy dandy calendar to stay organized and keep yourself on track and you will have absolutely zero stress. OK, maybe not zero stress, but you’ll be a lot better off. Kick back and give this a read, then go out and actually do it…trust us, we’re experts.
Use this time to look back on your high school career. What have you accomplished over the last three years? What activities have you participated in? Have there been any significant events in your life? Have you overcome any challenges? Keep a notebook (or…Google doc?) and write down anything that comes to mind. Your notes and ideas may one day turn into college essay gold. Plus, this information will be very helpful when it comes to writing your formal resume.
We at CEA believe that it’s never too early to start your college essay. In fact, our ten part video series, College Essay Academy, is packed with information about what lies ahead for you. Knowing what challenges are to come will help you conquer them head on.
The Common App often releases its new prompts at some point in March. Be on top of the news and start to familiarize yourself with the questions once they do come out. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that once you start writing the prompts won’t matter as much as they think you do. So don’t choose one just yet!
April: Do research!
May: Focus on your AP’s (and other exams)!
June: Pick recommenders!
July: Enjoy your summer experiences!
August: Begin writing!
September: Keep writing!
October: Finish up your early applications!
November: Finish up your regular decision applications!
December: Hit submit!
