A month-by-month plan only works if you start with the deadlines that never move. Before you map anything else, identify your anchor dates and write them in one place (a calendar, spreadsheet, or planning app).
Your anchor dates should include:
-
Early Action and Early Decision deadlines (often in November)
-
Regular Decision deadlines (commonly January, but vary by school)
-
UC and CSU submission windows (typically fall; confirm each year)
-
FAFSA and any financial aid deadlines for each school
-
Scholarship deadlines (many arrive earlier than you expect)
-
Test dates (SAT/ACT) and score-send timelines
-
School-specific extras (portfolio, audition, supplemental prompts, interviews)
If you’re applying from San Diego or elsewhere in Southern California, build in extra buffer time for busy counseling offices and transcript requests. At many large high schools, requests pile up quickly—your plan should account for real-life bottlenecks, not an ideal world.
Once you have your anchors, work backward. The real power move is setting your own earlier internal deadlines: “Essay draft done by September 15,” not “Essay done eventually.”
Spring of Junior Year
Spring is where you quietly win the application season, not by doing everything at once, but by making smart decisions while you still have time to adjust.
Focus on three tasks:
-
Create a balanced college list framework.
You don’t need a perfect final list yet, but you do need categories: likely, target, and reach. If you’re considering UC, CSU, private schools, and out-of-state options, note each system’s requirements and timelines. -
Build your activities and achievements inventory.
Make a master document with everything you’ve done: leadership, jobs, volunteering, sports, arts, research, and family responsibilities. Include rough dates, hours, and outcomes. Later, this becomes your activities section and your recommender “brag sheet.” -
Plan testing strategically (or decide to adopt a test-optional policy where appropriate).
If you’re taking the SAT/ACT, spring is a strong window. If not, you can invest that time into coursework, activities, and essays. Either approach works when it’s intentional.
Local tip for San Diego and SoCal students: Use your region to your advantage. Summer programs, community college classes, internships, volunteering, and local community projects can all strengthen your profile—especially when they show consistency and purpose.
Summer Before Senior Year
Summer is the best time to do the work that takes mental space—because you’re not juggling daily homework and school schedules. The goal is to enter senior year with momentum, not panic.
Your summer priorities:
-
Finalize your college list (or get it 80% there).
Confirm requirements for each school: essays, letters, test policies, portfolios, interviews, majors, and deadlines. -
Draft your main personal statement.
Aim for two complete drafts by mid-summer, so you have time to refine. Strong writing comes from revision, not last-minute inspiration. -
Collect supplemental prompts early.
Many schools reuse prompts year to year. Even if a prompt changes slightly, the core themes tend to repeat: “Why this major,” “Why this school,” “community,” “challenge,” “identity,” “intellectual curiosity.” -
Prepare your recommendation plan.
Decide which teachers you’ll ask in early fall. Draft a one-page summary and a brief note reminding them of specific moments from class. -
Build a simple tracking system.
A spreadsheet with columns for school, deadline, required materials, essay status, recommendation status, transcript request date, financial aid notes, and submission status will save you hours.
If you’re working a summer job or helping family, you can still make progress: set two weekly “application blocks” and protect them. Consistency beats intensity.
August and September
This is the month where organization matters as much as talent. By September, your plan should shift from brainstorming to execution.
Checklist for August:
-
Set up application portals (Common App and any school-specific systems)
-
Enter basic info and activities (using your master inventory)
-
Choose your final list of schools and label each by deadline type
-
Create a folder system for documents (essays, resume, brag sheet, forms)
Checklist for September:
-
Ask for recommendations early.
Give teachers at least 4–6 weeks, and longer if possible. Provide your brag sheet and your school list with deadlines. -
Confirm transcript and counselor procedures.
Every high school has its own process. In larger districts across Southern California, there may be strict request windows. -
Schedule test retakes only if they truly help.
A retake is useful when you have a clear improvement plan, not just hope. -
Begin supplemental essays.
Start with schools that have earlier deadlines, then reuse content wisely across prompts without copy-pasting blindly.
A helpful rule: by the end of September, you want your personal statement close to final and your recommendations locked in.
October and November
October and November are deadline season for early applications, and they can also be the busiest months academically. Your timeline needs both structure and flexibility.
October focus:
-
Finalize your personal statement
-
Complete early supplemental essays
-
Verify recommendation submissions are in progress
-
Double-check activity descriptions for clarity and impact
-
Request official score sends if needed (pay attention to processing time)
-
Build a final review routine: spelling, names of schools, program titles, word counts
November focus:
-
Submit Early Action / Early Decision applications with breathing room
-
Confirm portals show materials received (transcripts, letters, scores)
-
Continue writing Regular Decision and system-based applications
-
Track scholarship deadlines (some align with early rounds)
This is also where a “two-pass edit” helps:
-
Pass 1: content and clarity (Does this sound like you? Is it specific?)
-
Pass 2: technical polish (formatting, word count, grammar, names)
If you’re applying to multiple systems (for example, UCs plus private schools), separate your calendar by system so you don’t mix requirements.
December through March
Once early deadlines pass, many students relax and then scramble again in late December. Your timeline should prevent that.
December:
-
Finish Regular Decision essays before winter break ends
-
Submit any remaining applications with time for troubleshooting
-
Verify every portal checklist is complete
-
Organize your financial aid documents and family information
January:
-
Regular Decision submissions (common)
-
Scholarship follow-ups
-
Continue checking portals for missing items
-
Thank recommenders and counselors (brief, sincere, specific)
February:
-
Keep grades steady (mid-year reports matter)
-
Prep for interviews if offered
-
Watch for special requests from schools (additional forms or documents)
March:
-
Decision season begins for many colleges
-
Compare financial aid offers as they arrive
-
Keep a decision tracker: cost, aid, program fit, location, support services, deadlines to accept
A final Southern California note: if you’re comparing in-state options with out-of-state schools, build a clear cost comparison. Include tuition, housing, travel, and realistic living expenses. A “more expensive school” isn’t always wrong, but it should be a conscious decision based on fit and affordability.
At College Planning Source, we help students and families navigate every step of the college admissions process. Get direct one-on-one guidance with a complimentary virtual college planning assessment—call 858-676-0700 or schedule online at collegeplanningsource.com/assessments.
