Early Decision and Early Action Calendar

This article was originally published on Big Future.  If you’re planning to apply early decision or early action, follow these steps to stay on track. Junior Year January–June Take college admission tests. Visit colleges during spring break, if possible. Use College...

The Facts About Applying Early: Is It Right for You?

This article was originally published on Big Future.  About 450 colleges offer early admission plans. Under these plans, students can apply to colleges early — well before the usual deadline — and get a decision early. Some students who apply under these plans have a...

College Deferral: A Cyclical Limbo of Hope and Cognitive Dissonance

Deferred. Often the grey area that rarely gets discussed, deferred isn’t a yes or a no. Rather, it’s a slap in the face that feels much more like a no than a yes. The admission counselor read my application and wasn’t impressed. They shrugged their shoulders and threw...

Application Timeline: When to Apply to College

This article is published in the 2014 I’m First Guide to College Before senior year begins (or as soon as possible after!) it’s time to plan out your application timeline. Before you do that, however, it’s important to be aware of the various types of deadlines...

College Applications are like Chinese food

My college application process was like a bowl of sweet and sour chicken (which by the way according to my Chinese roommate is not real Chinese food, but nonetheless) because it was both exciting and bitter at times. Luckily however I made it through and so I learned...