Hey, I'm a junior just getting started with my college list and I’m a bit confused about regular decision deadlines in general. Are they the same across most schools, or does each college have its own deadline? Any tips for keeping track?
Hello! It's a great question, and it's very smart to get ahead on planning for application deadlines. The truth is, regular decision deadlines can vary widely from college to college. Some deadlines might be as early as November 30th, while some could be as late as early February, so it's important to check for each specific school on your list.
Here are a couple of strategies for managing these various deadlines:
1. Spreadsheet Tracking: Consider making a comprehensive spreadsheet that includes all the colleges you're applying to, along with their respective application deadlines. List down your colleges in one column, and the deadlines (including for financial aid and anything else) in another. This way, you'll have a centralized and organized place to check all your deadlines.
2. Online Calendar: If you're more of a digital native, another strategy is to use an online calendar (like Google Calendar) to keep track. You can set reminders for a week or two weeks before each deadline hits so that you don't miss any.
3. College Apps: There are also some app-based tools like Common App, Coalition App, and UC App that gather underlying data about your college list from their databases, including deadlines.
Just a friendly tip - always aim to submit your applications ahead of the deadline, not just to navigate any potential technical issues, but also to give yourself ample time to polish your applications. Best of luck!
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