Answer one question: what grade is the student in right now? This page names the next worksheet. It does not list months. The junior-senior execution plan lives on the 11th-12th grade execution sheet. Round choice (ED / EA / RD) lives in the admissions calendar article.
When should we start the college application process?
Begin with the next useful task for your grade. Early preparation means choosing courses, exploring interests and keeping honest records. Junior planning connects that record to a researched college list. Formal application work follows each college's current opening dates and deadlines; you do not need to write senior applications in ninth grade.
| Current stage | Start here | Leave with |
|---|---|---|
| Grades 9–10: preparation | Choose sustainable courses and activities. | One course question or activity trial to discuss. |
| Grade 11: planning | Research colleges, costs and testing requirements. | One unresolved list or testing decision. |
| Grade 12: applications | Verify deadlines, required documents and writing tasks. | One next task, its owner and an internal target date. |
For the wider junior-year sequence, use the junior planning checklist. Then choose a grade below to open the worksheet for the next decision.
Starting late?
First check which deadlines remain open at colleges you would actually attend. List the nearest deadline and the materials still missing, including school document lead times. Use the admissions rounds calendar to understand the options, then put the immediate task on the execution sheet. Do not rush into an early plan merely to catch up or assume a general calendar overrides a college's current instructions.
1. Current grade
2. Next action
Pick a grade to see the one Resource to open first.
If two grades overlap (summer after 10th, or August of senior year), pick the grade the student is entering and use that card only.
If your family needs help choosing the next application task, bring the open question from this page to a consultation.