August 1st is a special day for rising seniors. The Common App is released for their year, and they can begin to address the college-specific portion of the Common App for the colleges on their list.
First, list the available deadlines for each college on your list. Be aware of any deadlines to be considered for your major, merit aid, or special programs (e.g., Honors program. If you are applying for need-based aid, record the deadlines for filing the financial aid forms.
Then, list the college-specific essays you need to write, with their minimum and maximum word lengths.
Finally, decide which deadlines you wish to aim for each college.
Decide what your favorite college is and see if it has Early Decision. Decide with your parents whether Early Decision makes sense considering your family’s financial situation. Remember that an Early Decision is binding. If accepted to the Early Decision college, you must rescind your other applications and attend it. You will not have the opportunity to see what other colleges accepted you and what their net price would have been.
Try to complete the rest of your applications by the early action deadlines, when available. Since this may not be feasible because of time constraints, consider priority deadlines, how many essays are needed, and which colleges you like best.