College Application Timeline

Freshman Year: The Strategic Foundation

Best for: Families who want to plan early and avoid last-minute stress

What we work on:

• Understanding high school graduation requirements and college-prep coursework

• Course selection strategy for all four years

• Building strong academic habits and time management

• Exploring extracurricular interests (not padding résumés)

• Setting realistic goals and understanding what colleges look for

Why start now:

• Creates a four-year roadmap so nothing important gets missed

• Reduces pressure by spreading the work over time

• Allows students to explore genuinely, not scramble to manufacture achievements later

• Prevents common mistakes (weak course trajectory, scattered activities, no depth)

Sophomore Year: Building Momentum

Best for: Families who want strategic guidance before the crucial junior year

What we work on:

• Refining course selection and academic planning

• Deepening commitment to meaningful activities

• Introducing standardized testing (PSAT, SAT/ACT overview)

• Early college exploration (understanding types of schools, what might fit)

• Summer planning for enrichment or exploration

Why start now:

• Junior year is the most demanding academically—getting ahead now makes it manageable

• Testing strategy can begin without pressure

• Still time to adjust course trajectory or activity focus

• Early college exploration leads to smarter lists later

Junior Year: The Most Common (and Critical) Starting Point

Best for: Most families—this is when the college process becomes real

What we work on:

• Standardized testing strategy and timeline

• Building a preliminary college list

• Campus visits and research

• Essay brainstorming (getting ahead for senior year)

• Teacher recommendation strategy

• Understanding Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision

Why this is the most popular time:

• College search becomes concrete—you're visiting schools, talking about fit

• Testing happens junior year, so guidance is immediately useful

• Students can start essay work over the summer, reducing senior year stress

• There's still time to strengthen applications (one more year of grades, activities, achievements)

Summer Before Senior Year: Last Chance to Get Ahead

Best for: Students who didn't work with a consultant junior year but want support before application season

What we work on:

• Finalizing college list

• Drafting and editing personal statement

• Planning application timeline (ED/EA/RD strategy)

• Organizing recommendation requests

• Updating résumé and positioning activities

Why this matters:

• Senior fall is chaotic—schoolwork, applications, testing (if retaking), extracurriculars

• Getting essays drafted over summer makes fall manageable instead of overwhelming

• You enter senior year with a clear plan, not scrambling to figure it out