US University Timeline
Since the theme for any university application is TIME MANAGEMENT, here is an outline of the US University application timeline: when to start writing, when to submit, and more. Enjoy!
(NOTE: Iâll be referencing to the CommonApp only in this post, not the Coalition or Questbridge. Iâll also be referencing to the A-level timeline. And will be sharing from an International student perspective, not a US student)
(NOTE: I didnât include UC timelines because I didnât apply to any of them, so I donât know any helpful tips I can give on that)
1. CommonApp Essay
Since the CommonApp prompts generally stay the same every year, Iâd recommend to start writing for your essay by the summer of Grade 11 (UK Year 12). Choose a couple prompts (3-4) you think youâve got a good story on, including the âfreeâ prompt, should you choose to do it.
Start reading online examples of successful students for your chosen prompts, and the study the delivery of each essay. Imagine yourself the admissions officer, and ask yourself what each essay shows through writing.Â
Remember, delivery is most important in your essays. Not everyone can read your mind or understand exactly what youâre trying to convey if you write vaguely. Show traits that make you a valuable student: perhaps you had organised a charity for a friend with cancer (compassion, leadership), or you began a donation box to start feeding the stray cats in your neighborhood (leadership, teamwork), you vocalised your concerns about your friendsâ actions (honesty, courage), etc.Â
2. Taking the SAT/ACT
Iâd recommend taking the SAT/ACT in the second semester of Grade 11 (Year 12), just to get it over with, or if you get a low score, give enough breathing room for you to retake it.Â
I did my SAT in my first semester of my senior year, near my midterms, and while I did get the privilege to study for it for longer, I wouldnât recommend it, because it was a struggle to balance both the SAT and midterms (which are important for US university applications)
3. Early Action v. Early Decision
The deadlines for these two typically fall around the end of October, results come out by December.Â
I personally think that in any case you should at least apply for an Early Action school (if there is no Early Decision school youâre already looking at).Â
Why? Because itâll give you an opportunity to make mistakes.Â
That sounds quite bad, to be honest, but I had applied Early Action to a very reputable university, and realised made a bunch of mistakes throughout the essay writing, the additional information section, and even during the interview.Â
Mistakes in the sense that my delivery wasnât how Iâd wanted it to go, or there may have been parts where I sounded too desperate, and so on.Â
I definitely spruced things up by the Regular Decision round: sounding more confident, having more clarity in my answers, showing curiosity and interest rather than desperation.Â
4. Priority Filling
When I wrote most of supplemental essays, I did so a couple weeks near the deadline, where, then, I had only noticed the priority filling dates (e.g. Duke University).Â
This was a mistake on my part, and I was definitely procrastinating the writing process.Â
In another post, I wrote about how you should tackle the supplemental essays, and Iâd definitely recommend to start doing supplemental essays the moment universities officially release the prompts for your application cycle.Â
If you send in your application before the priority filling dates, or at least a week or two before the deadline, youâll get a better chance for an interview.Â
While, interviews donât matter as much, thereâs only so much we can show in our essays, and a good recommendation from an interviewer will definitely add character into your application.Â
NOTE: Official Regular Decision typically fall around the beginning of January.
5. CSS Profile or Any Other FINANCIAL AID FORMS
If youâre applying for financial aid as an international student, there are definitely many pros and cons to weigh. Whether it be a diminished acceptance probability, or the fact that there would be a mountain of paper work to fill in, thatâs your choice and your familyâs choice to decide.Â
Anyways, most likely, the form youâll be filling in is the CSS Profile. The profile opens in October and Iâd recommend to immediately start filling in what you can. Iâm not sure when youâll be reading this post, but in 2021, the profile was incredibly tedious and long, so Iâd recommend to fill in what you can ahead of time, and submit alongside your applications.Â
After submitting your CSS Profile, however, the job isnât done. Some schools will ask for additional information (UPenn, Williams, etc.), and SOME SCHOOLS MIGHT NOT USE THE CSS PROFILE, and have their own system (Princeton). So, make sure to check each of your university portals and list down all the additional documents theyâre asking for, get it done asap, and donât procrastinate!
NOTE: CSS Profile deadlines vary greatly from university to university, with some deadlines being in Early January (Regular Decision) to Early February (Regular Decision).Â
For Early rounds, CSS Profile submissions will usually fall around the same date as the application deadline.













