When's the last day to apply for college in general?

Hey all, so it's my junior year and I'm starting to stress about college applications. I know different colleges have different deadlines, but what's the general timeline for when I should have everything submitted? Thanks in advance for any help!

Hey! It's natural to feel some stress about college applications, but knowing key dates can help you stay organized and on top of things. As you mentioned, different colleges do have different deadlines, but here's a general timeline of when you should expect to submit your applications:

1. Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA): These are typically due either November 1st or 15th of your senior year. ED is a binding agreement to enroll if accepted, while EA isn't binding, but it allows you to hear back early. Note that there are also colleges with EA deadlines in October, so make sure to check specific dates for the institutions you're interested in.

2. Regular Decision (RD): These deadlines are usually between January 1st and January 15th of your senior year, with some colleges having deadlines as late as February or even March. Again, make sure to check the specific deadlines for each college on your list.

3. Rolling Admissions: Some colleges accept applications on a rolling basis, meaning they review and make decisions as applications come in, until all spots are filled. These schools often start accepting applications in the fall and continue until their freshman class is full or a specific final deadline is reached. It's a good practice to apply early to colleges liked these for higher chances of admission.

4. Late Application Deadlines: A few colleges have late deadlines in April or May, but this is not very common. Keep in mind that applying later in the process could lead to less financial aid availability and potentially lower admission chances.

To stay on track, it's useful to make a spreadsheet or calendar with deadlines, requirements, and any additional notes for each college on your list. Start working on your applications as early as possible during your senior year (or even the summer before), and try to submit them ahead of the deadline in case you run into any unexpected issues. Best of luck with your college application journey!