college essay requirements checklist

College Application Checklist

Find the right college for you., junior summer: ─do before applying to college checklist.

• Set up a professional-sounding email address.
• Create a balanced list of reach, match, and safety colleges.
• Go to the application website.
• Note the regular application deadline.
• Note the early application deadline.

Junior Year: Take Tests and Other Exams for Admission

• Find out if an admission test is required.
• Take an admission test, if required.
• Take other required or recommended tests (e.g., AP Exams, IB exams).
• Send admission test scores, if required, with your application.
• Send other test scores.
• Retest by summer of junior year or fall of senior year.

Early Senior Year: Get Letters and Essay Ready.

• Request recommendation letters. Provide a résumé for reference.
• Send thank-you notes to recommendation writers.
• Start the essay drafting and revision process 2 months prior to the application deadline.
• Draft initial essay.
• Proofread essay for spelling and grammar.
• Have 2 people read your essay.
• Revise your essay.
• Proofread your revision.

Fall of Senior Year: Make a Campus Visit. Apply for Financial Aid.

• Interview at the college campus, if required.
• Submit FAFSA® if eligible.
• Submit CSS PROFILE if needed.
• Make a note of the priority financial aid deadline.
• Make a note of the regular financial aid deadline.
• Submit college aid form if needed.
• Submit a state aid form if needed.
• Check the college's financial aid website to see if you need to submit any additional institution forms.

Submit the Application. Pay Fees by Deadlines.

• Complete college application.
• Save copies of your application and application materials.
• Pay application fee. Submit an application fee waiver if eligible.
• Submit application.
• Request high school transcript to be sent.
• Request midyear grade report to be sent.
• Confirm receipt of application materials by checking your application status online.
• Send additional material if needed.
• Tell your school counselor that you applied.
• Receive letter from admissions office.

Senior Spring: Make Your Selections.

• Apply for housing and meal plans, if applicable.
• Receive financial aid award letter.
• Accept financial aid offer.
• Notify whichever colleges you’re not planning to attend.

What things do you need to provide in the college application process?

When applying to college, you’ll need to provide information regarding personal details, your academic background, your extracurricular activities, and achievements you want to highlight. You’ll also need to submit standardized test scores and letters of recommendation, if required. Along with that, you’ll want to submit any required essays, making sure they highlight your aspirations and your personality. You can even strengthen your application by including additional information about yourself and a résumé.

Most colleges will require an application fee. If you require financial assistance to cover this fee, ask your school counselor about application fee waivers.

What are five things you need to know about college application process?

When navigating college admissions requirements, consider these five points:

• Go through each college's admissions requirements, including transcripts, test scores, essays, and recommendations.
• Pay close attention to submission deadlines to ensure you deliver all required documents on time.
• Familiarize yourself with the admissions criteria, including academic performance, extracurricular activities, and personal attributes.
• Check out the available financial aid options, such as scholarships and grants. Follow the designated application timelines.
• Visit the colleges you're interested in. Take advantage of any interview opportunities to express your interest and gain valuable insights into the institutions.

Is the admissions process the same for all colleges?

The admissions process can differ between institutions. Colleges you apply to may ask for standardized test scores and recommendation letters. Or they may have more specific requirements. Before you even begin an application, you’ll need to review the admissions guidelines of each college you plan to apply to and personalize your application to their needs.

How important are extracurricular activities in the college admissions process?

Participating in extracurricular activities can significantly influence the college admissions process. Colleges seek students who aren’t only academically accomplished but also have a diverse range of interests and a demonstrated dedication to their passions. Being actively involved in clubs, sports, community service, and leadership roles can positively impact your application and highlight your potential contributions to the college community.

Are interviews required for college admission? How should I prepare for them?

Colleges may require interviews as part of their admissions process, or they may not require them. You’ll want to verify the specific requirements of each college. If a college recommends an interview or it’s mandatory, make sure to prepare yourself thoroughly. Practice answering common interview questions, research the college, and think about how to express your objectives and interests effectively. Interviews offer a chance to present yourself in a more personal and engaging way, so take advantage of this opportunity.

Related Articles

Related topics.

How to Write Your College Essay: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

Getting ready to start your college essay? Your essay is very important to your application — especially if you’re applying to selective colleges.

Become a stronger writer by reviewing your peers’ essays and get your essay reviewed as well for free.

We have regular livestreams during which we walk you through how to write your college essay and review essays live.

College Essay Basics

Just getting started on college essays? This section will guide you through how you should think about your college essays before you start.

• Why do essays matter in the college application process?
• What is a college application theme and how do you come up with one?
• How to format and structure your college essay

Before you move to the next section, make sure you understand:

How a college essay fits into your application

What a strong essay does for your chances

How to create an application theme

Learn the Types of College Essays

Next, let’s make sure you understand the different types of college essays. You’ll most likely be writing a Common App or Coalition App essay, and you can also be asked to write supplemental essays for each school. Each essay has a prompt asking a specific question. Each of these prompts falls into one of a few different types. Understanding the types will help you better answer the prompt and structure your essay.

• How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges
• Personal Statement Essay Examples
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• Extracurricular Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Diversity College Essay
• Diversity Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Standout Community Service Essay
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• How to Write a “Why This Major” Essay if You’re Undecided
• How to write the “Why This College” Essay
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• Why This College Essay Examples
• How to Write The Overcoming Challenges Essay
• Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

Identify how each prompt fits into an essay type

What each type of essay is really asking of you

How to write each essay effectively

The Common App essay

Almost every student will write a Common App essay, which is why it’s important you get this right.

• How to Write the Common App Essay
• Successful Common App Essay Examples
• 5 Awesome College Essay Topics + Sample Essays
• 11 Cliché College Essay Topics + How to Fix Them

How to choose which Common App prompts to answer

How to write a successful Common App essay

What to avoid to stand out to admissions officers

Supplemental Essay Guides

Many schools, especially competitive ones, will ask you to write one or more supplemental essays. This allows a school to learn more about you and how you might fit into their culture.

These essays are extremely important in standing out. We’ve written guides for all the top schools. Follow the link below to find your school and read last year’s essay guides to give you a sense of the essay prompts. We’ll update these in August when schools release their prompts.

See last year’s supplemental essay guides to get a sense of the prompts for your schools.

Essay brainstorming and composition

Now that you’re starting to write your essay, let’s dive into the writing process. Below you’ll find our top articles on the craft of writing an amazing college essay.

• Where to Begin? 3 Personal Essay Brainstorming Exercises
• Creating the First Draft of Your College Application Essay
• How to Get the Perfect Hook for Your College Essay
• What If I Don’t Have Anything Interesting To Write About In My College Essay?
• 8 Do’s and Don’t for Crafting Your College Essay
• Stuck on Your College Essay? 8 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block

Understand how to write a great hook for your essay

Complete the first drafts of your essay

Editing and polishing your essay

Have a first draft ready? See our top editing tips below. Also, you may want to submit your essay to our free Essay Peer Review to get quick feedback and join a community of other students working on their essays.

• 11 Tips for Proofreading and Editing Your College Essay
• Getting Help with Your College Essay
• 5 DIY Tips for Editing Your College Essay
• How Long Should Your College Essay Be?
• Essential Grammar Rules for Your College Apps
• College Essay Checklist: Are You Ready to Submit?

Proofread and edited your essay.

Had someone else look through your essay — we recommend submitting it for a peer review.

Make sure your essay meets all requirements — consider signing up for a free account to view our per-prompt checklists to help you understand when you’re really ready to submit.

Advanced College Essay Techniques

Let’s take it one step further and see how we can make your college essay really stand out! We recommend reading through these posts when you have a draft to work with.

• 10 Guidelines for Highly Readable College Essays
• How to Use Literary Devices to Enhance Your Essay
• How to Develop a Personalized Metaphor for Your College Applications

How To Apply For College: Forbes Advisor’s Application Checklist

Updated: Jan 2, 2024, 1:26pm

Applying for college can be a lengthy, stressful and complicated process, with lots of moving parts and deadlines. Filling out an undergraduate application typically involves gathering documentation, taking standardized tests, writing essays and asking for letters of recommendation, among other steps. It’s easy to get overwhelmed.

To help you stay organized, we’ve put together this college application checklist. Here, we round up all the materials you need and the dates by which you need them. We even provide a printable version of this checklist to guide you as you work through this process.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics , education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

• 6,290 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
• 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
• All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
• Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
• Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

Save This Checklist

Keep track of your most important application tasks and deadlines with the simplified PDF version of this checklist. Save it to your phone or print it out for easy reference. (If you print it, make sure to choose the “fit to paper” scale option!)

Forbes Advisor’s College Application Checklist 

Before you start.

You can’t begin the application process until you’ve made a plan. Start by narrowing down your prospective schools. Know where you’re applying, what each application entails and the due dates you need to meet.

Decide About Early Decision

It’s important to determine whether you plan to apply for early decision or early action at any school. As the name implies, early decision often involves an earlier due date for your application.

Early decision comes with perks—admission rates for early-decision applicants tend to be higher, for example, and you learn about your admission decision more quickly—but this method comes with strings attached, too. For example, if you are admitted on early decision, you may have to give your response before learning whether other colleges have also accepted your applications, and you may have to withdraw your applications to other schools.

Get a Jump Start on Standardized Tests

You should prepare for and take the SAT early on since many students take the SAT multiple times. If you plan to take the ACT more than once, consider taking the ACT early on as well. And make sure to sign up for the Common App , which allows you to use a single form to apply to multiple colleges.

Your Checklist

• Know which schools you’re interested in
• Take the SAT
• Know if you plan to apply for early decision
• Mark down all college application due dates
• Sign up for the Common App

Two Months Before College Applications Are Due

A couple of months before your deadlines, things are getting down to the wire. If you’re submitting standardized test scores, it’s time to make sure your results are up to snuff. If you plan to take the ACT , now is the time to do it. And if you weren’t satisfied with your earlier SAT scores , it’s time to retake that test as well.

• Take the ACT
• Retake the SAT (if applicable)

Four Weeks Before College Applications Are Due

Most undergraduate applications require letters of recommendation , at least one of which must come from an academic source. You could ask a teacher, a school counselor or another faculty member to write your recommendation letter.

Keep in mind that these individuals are busy professionals who may be writing multiple letters of recommendation for other students, so it’s important to give them at least a few weeks to complete this task.

• Ask for letters of recommendation

Several Weeks Before Applications Are Due

Not all universities ask applicants to submit essays, but this is a common requirement for many. If you’re applying to schools that require college essays , you’ve probably been working on yours for a while—potentially even as assignments in your English class.

In the weeks leading up to your application deadlines, it’s time to polish up those essays and get them ready for submission. Gather feedback from trusted peers, teachers and mentors, and make edits as necessary. Make sure your essays answer the prompts, comply with word count requirements and are free of grammatical errors.

• Complete college essays

The Week Before Applications Are Due

At this point in the application process, it’s time to gather all the materials required for your college application. These may include the application forms themselves, preliminary transcripts, test scores and essays. Make sure your letter-writers have finished your recommendation letters as well.

Once all your documents are in order, there’s no need to keep waiting—submit those applications.

• Gather letters of recommendation and required materials
• Submit all applications

Before, During and After Applying to College

Applying for college and applying for financial aid are separate processes. Before, during and after your college application process, you should be researching scholarships and grants to help you pay for your education.

Unlike student loans, scholarships and grants do not require repayment. These forms of aid may be need-based, merit-based or use other identifying characteristics, like ethnicity or religion. If you qualify for a scholarship or grant, make sure to apply—these awards can add up to make a big difference.

• Apply for scholarships and grants

During October

We recommend submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) regardless of whether you think you will qualify for financial aid. The factors determining aid eligibility are complex, so you may qualify for a federal student loan even if it seems unlikely to you. Many states use the FAFSA to determine eligibility for state-level student aid as well. Some aid is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so submitting the application in a timely manner is wise.

Also by October, you should know whether you will be registering to take any AP exams. The College Board usually requires all AP test-takers to register for their exams by November 15, but your high school may impose an earlier deadline for registration. Make sure you know and are on track to meet those deadlines.

• Gather materials and submit the FAFSA
• Know when to register for AP exams

By May, you should have received responses for all your college applications. Of the schools that granted you admission, you should have narrowed down your options and decided where you’d like to attend. Now, it’s time to make it official.

Note that if you were accepted to a school on early decision, you will have to complete this step of the process much earlier in the year—usually by February.

• Accept an offer of admission
• Decline offers of admission from schools you will not attend

During June and July

By this point, you’ve accepted admission to a college and you’ve graduated from high school—but we’re still going. Now that you’ve officially wrapped up your high school career, it’s time to tackle these last remaining tasks: submitting AP scores and official transcripts.

Send these materials in June if possible, and check with your prospective college for its specific deadlines—they are usually in early or mid-July.

• Submit AP scores (if applicable)
• Submit final transcripts
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Apply to college

Whether you're applying to college for the first time or transferring to complete your degree, here’s how to get started on your college application.

What is Common App?

Each year, more than 1 million students apply to more than 1,000 Common App member colleges worldwide through our online college application platform.

Follow the steps below to get started, or visit our first-year and transfer application guides for more information.

How it works

Create your profile.

Your Common App profile is your chance to shine. It’s everything you want a college or university to know about you - from your academic coursework to your extracurricular activities.

Add colleges to your list

Now you get to decide what’s most important to you in a college or university. Search through the characteristics and add colleges that align with them.

Gather requirements

Once you’ve decided where you want to apply, make a checklist of everything required. Each college and university is different, so make sure you stay on top of their application requirements.

Submit applications

Be sure to take a moment to celebrate this huge accomplishment! And remember to finish the academic year on a high note, apply for financial aid and prepare for the future.

The application guides

Now that you know what to expect from the process, you’re ready to apply. We’ve created two simple guides, one for first-year and one for transfer applicants.

For first-time students

Use this guide if you’re in high school and intend to apply as a first-time full-time freshman. It will walk you through the application from start to finish.

For transfer students

If you’re looking to transfer to a four-year institution or intend to restart your college journey, this is the place to get started.

Essay Prompts

The Common App essay prompts provide an amazing opportunity for you to tell colleges and universities about who you are and how you can contribute to your future campus experience.

Explore colleges on Common App

Search more than 1,000 member colleges and universities using Common App. See application requirements, access virtual tours, learn about academic programs, testing policies and student experience on campus. Get started today to add colleges to your My Colleges tab in application.

Get Common App on your phone

Take Common App with you where ever you go. Our mobile app helps you track your progress, stay on top of application requirements, and manage deadlines.

College exploration and planning

There are so many important factors involved in finding the right college for you. Here are some resources to help you discover the most important qualities in your future college campus.

Whether you're at home or on the go, we're here to support you throughout your journey in applying to college. 

Download Common App for mobile . 

We want to make sure you have the opportunity to provide details about how COVID-19 has impact you personally and academically on your college applications. If you need it, there is a question on the Common App this year and you will only have to complete the question once. The question is located in the Additional Information section of the application, and will allow colleges and universities to better understand your experience. Your school counselor will also have space in the Common App recommender system to talk about how the pandemic affected your school.

Learn how to plan for the question, and if responding to the question is right for you, by visiting our blog .

Wondering how to approach the college essay? Common App's Scott Anderson offers his timely advice on sharing your personal and academic experience. Learn more on our blog .

Start your application today

Important Addresses

Harvard College

University Hall Cambridge, MA 02138

Harvard College Admissions Office and Griffin Financial Aid Office

86 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA 02138

Social Links

If you are located in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway (the “European Economic Area”), please click here for additional information about ways that certain Harvard University Schools, Centers, units and controlled entities, including this one, may collect, use, and share information about you.

Application Tips

• Navigating Campus
• Preparing for College
• How to Complete the FAFSA
• What to Expect After You Apply
• View All Guides
• Parents & Families
• School Counselors
• Información en Español
• Undergraduate Viewbook
• View All Resources

Search and Useful Links

Search the site, search suggestions.

Application Requirements

We look forward to learning about you through your application.

Here you'll find a detailed explanation of each admission application requirement. Most of the information here applies to both first-year and transfer applicants, and requirements are the same for domestic and international applicants.  

Don't forget to reference our Application Tips for guidance on filling out the Common Application.

Application

We accept the Common Application  and the Coalition Application by Scoir . Both are treated equally by the Admissions Committee. Complete and submit your materials as soon as possible to ensure full and timely consideration of your application. Your portions of the application are due by the application deadlines (November 1 for Restrictive Early Action and January 1 for Regular Decision); high school counselors are given an additional week to submit materials on your behalf. 

If you use the Common Application , you must submit your application before your supporting materials (Secondary School Report, Teacher Recommendations, etc.) can be released to a college. Until you submit your own application sections, no part of your application will be transmitted to the Harvard Admissions Office.

If you use the Coalition Application , remember you must submit the separate Harvard supplement in addition to the application by the application deadline for your application to be considered complete. 

Submitting Your Application

Receiving confirmation of your application.

After you submit your application, we will send an email confirmation with a PIN to access the Applicant Portal. We begin sending these daily application confirmation emails in mid-September each year. Most applicant receive their confirmation email the day after they submit their application online. Applications sent in the mail will take up to two weeks to process.

If you have not received your confirmation email, please check your spam/junk folder for messages from [email protected] or [email protected]. 

If have searched your inbox and still cannot find your confirmation email, we encourage you to check the application system you used and ensure you clicked "Submit" and not just "Save".

If you still cannot locate your application confirmation email, please contact us . Choose the category “Admissions” and then the subject “Applicant Questions (if you've already submitted your application)” in the drop-down menu, or call 617-495-1551.

Paying the application fee or requesting a fee waiver

You may pay your application fee online with a credit card via the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir websites.

You may also send a check or money order to Harvard College Admissions, 86 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Please include the applicant’s name with the payment.

Fee waivers: We are committed to making the application process accessible for all students. If the admissions application fee presents a hardship for you or your family and you plan on applying for financial aid, the fee will be waived. Please follow these instructions to request your fee waiver . Requesting a fee waiver will not disadvantage your application in any way.

Completing the Harvard supplement questions

Complete the Harvard Questions with the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir*. This includes the following five required short-answer questions, each with a 150 word limit. 

• Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?
• Describe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience? 
• Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.
• How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
• Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you. 

*Please note that the Harvard supplement is separate for the Coalition Application, so you must submit both the application AND supplement for your application to be considered complete. 

Additional application questions

What if i am homeschooled.

Each applicant to Harvard College is considered with great care and homeschooled applicants are treated the same as all other applicants. There is no special process, but all relevant information about your educational and personal background is welcome. In addition to the application, all applicants are required to submit a transcript (which can be created by the family member or agency overseeing your schooling), and recommendations. If the application fee presents a hardship for your family,  simply request a fee waiver .

Hear from Harvard students who were homeschooled, in the Harvard Gazette article ‘ Homeschooled en route to Harvard .’

What if I need to make updates to my application after I submit it?

Do not resend your application in order to make updates. If you need to update your identification or contact information, or send updates, additional information, or corrections, please do so via the  Applicant Portal .

Misrepresentation of Credentials

Be completely accurate in your application materials. If we discover a misrepresentation during the admissions process, you will be denied admission. If you have already been admitted, your offer will typically be withdrawn. If you have already registered, your admission will normally be revoked, and we will require you to leave the College. Harvard rescinds degrees if misrepresentations in application materials are discovered.

The determination that an application is inaccurate or contains misrepresentations rests solely with the Admissions Office and will be resolved outside the student disciplinary process.

School Reports and Teacher Recommendations

Secondary school report.

The secondary school report is a required form that is submitted by your school counselor or another school leader. This form gives an overview of the student's academic record. It includes the applicant's academic transcript(s), a letter of recommendation, and a school profile (if available). If a counselor is unable to submit a letter of recommendation for the applicant, another teacher or school leader may submit an additional recommendation letter. 

Midyear School Report

When you apply, your school counselor will often send your transcript with few or no senior year course grades included. That is why the midyear school report is required - to allow us to review your performance in the first half of your senior year coursework .  The midyear school report must be completed by your school counselor or other school official. Please request that the midyear school report is completed and returned to our office as soon as possible. 

Midyear School Report FAQs

What if i'm applying restrictive early action and i don't have my midyear grades yet.

Restrictive Early Action applicants are not required to submit the midyear report by the November 1 deadline. If you applied Restrictive Early Action and are deferred to Regular Decision, please submit the midyear report and transcript in February, or as soon as your midyear grades are available.

I'm an international student and my academic year is different. Do I still need to submit the midyear report?

If you study the IB curriculum or the A-level curriculum, then we expect that your school will send predicted grades, based on your current classroom work and the results of any internal or mock exams you have taken up to that point. If your school does not issue official or predicted midyear grades for your final year of school, then you do not need to submit the midyear report form, although the item may remain on your checklist.

What if I have already graduated from high school?

If you have already graduated from high school, you should ignore the midyear report requirement (though the item may remain on your Checklist in the Applicant Portal) and simply ask your school to send a final school report if you have not already done so.

Teacher Evaluations

Ask two teachers in different academic subjects who know you well to complete the Teacher Recommendation forms (which includes an evaluation form and a letter of recommendation). If you wish to submit additional letters of recommendation, you can do so after you submit your application. In your application confirmation email, there will be a personalized link to send to your recommenders.

What courses should I take to prepare for applying to Harvard?

There is no “one size fits all” rule about which curriculum to study during secondary school years. Students should challenge themselves by taking courses deemed appropriate by their teachers and counselors. But some students believe that “more is always better” when it comes to AP, IB or other advanced courses.

While some students prosper academically and personally by taking large numbers of such courses, others benefit from a more balanced approach that allows them additional time for extracurricular and personal development. Even the best students can be negatively affected by taking too many courses at once, and might benefit instead from writing, reading or research projects on subjects of great interest to them.

To learn more, read our Guide to Preparing for College. To avoid the “burnout” often seen among secondary school students, please refer to our article, Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation .

Is there a specific math requirement?

Applicants to Harvard should excel in a challenging high school math sequence corresponding to their educational interests and aspirations. We recommend that applicants take four years of math courses in high school. Ideally, these math courses will focus on conceptual understanding, promote higher-order thinking, and encourage students to use mathematical reasoning to critically examine the world. Examples include rigorous and relevant courses in computer science, statistics and its subfields, mathematical modeling, calculus, and other advanced math subjects.

Students’ math records are viewed holistically, and no specific course is required. Specifically, calculus is not a requirement for admission to Harvard. We understand that applicants do not have the same opportunities and course offerings in their high schools. Moreover, many programs of study at Harvard do not require knowledge of calculus. We encourage applicants to take the courses that are available to them and aligned with their interests and goals.

Students intending to study engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, statistics or other fields where calculus is needed may benefit from taking calculus in high school. However, students at Harvard can still pursue such fields by starting with one of our introductory calculus classes that has no high school calculus prerequisite. On balance, we encourage all students to master foundational mathematical material instead of rushing through any of the more advanced courses.

Final School Report and Transcripts

All admitted students who choose to enroll are required to send a Final School Report and transcript as soon as their final grades become available – no later than July 1 . The Final School Report and transcript should be completed and sent by a school counselor or other school official through:

• Naviance Network
• Common Application
• Coalition/Scoir Application

IB students should send their final results as soon as they are released in mid-July. We will expect to see final A levels results by mid-August. We are unable to accept a transcript as an email attachment.

Standardized Test Scores

Harvard College will require the submission of standardized test scores from applicants for admission as part of the comprehensive application process that takes a whole-student approach.

The College will accept the SAT or ACT to meet the standardized testing requirement. In exceptional cases when those tests are not accessible, one of the following can meet the requirement:   

• AP exam results
• IB Actual or Predicted Scores   
• GCSE/A-Level Actual or Predicted Results   
• National Leaving Exams Results or Predictions

Standardized Testing FAQs

Can i self-report my test scores.

Yes. Applicants may provide self-reported SAT and ACT test scores (including Subject Tests, Advanced Placement, IB, etc.). Admitted students who decide to enroll at Harvard College will be required to submit official test scores.

How do I send my test scores?

You are free to use the College Board Score Choice option or the similar option offered by the ACT. Our official codes are 3434 for the College Board SAT Reasoning Tests and 1840 for the ACT if you are submitting official test scores as part of your application.

• How to send your SAT scores
• How to send your ACT scores

Are there test score "cutoffs"?

There are no score cutoffs, and we do not admit “by the numbers.” For the ACT, we will evaluate your highest composite score and any other scores you choose to share with us. We take into account your educational background when reviewing your scores.

How should I prepare for standardized tests?

Our admissions committee understands that opportunities to prepare for standardized tests vary greatly for students of different socioeconomic backgrounds. You may find it helpful to utilize free-test prep from Khan Academy or join a free SAT bootcamp on Schoolhouse.world . The ACT provides sample tests to practice.  Such free programs could help students from under-resourced schools by providing the academic tools that will serve them well on standardized tests and also in college. Students can also do well by studying widely and deeply  on their own with the help of family, school, or community organizations.

What do standardized tests and grades indicate about academic preparation for college?

SAT and ACT tests are better predictors of Harvard grades than high school grades. However, admission officers understand that not all students attend well-resourced schools throughout their lives, and that those who come from modest economic backgrounds or first-generation college families may have had fewer opportunities to prepare for standardized tests.

High school grades in a rigorous academic program can also be helpful in assessing readiness for college courses, but the thousands of secondary schools around the country and the world employ various high school curricula and a wide range of grading systems - and some have no grades at all. Other students have been homeschooled or prepared for college by taking part in multiple schooling opportunities both in person and electronic.

Given the wide variation in how students prepare for Harvard – as well as the fact that most applicants and admitted students have outstanding academic records – it is difficult for high school grades to differentiate individual applications. That does not mean that high school grades are unimportant. Students who come to Harvard have done well day to day in their high school studies, providing a crucial foundation for academic success in college, including a 97% - 98% graduation rate.

Each application to Harvard is read with great care, keeping in mind that talent is everywhere, but opportunity and access are not.

How will Harvard evaluate the new digital SAT?

The College Board's shift to a digital delivery of the SAT will not impact the way in which Harvard reviews test scores within applications. Please  visit the College Board FAQs  for more information.  

Supplemental Materials

Our standard application materials typically give us ample information for making admission decisions. However, we recognize you may have truly exceptional talents or achievements you wish to share, and we want you to have every opportunity to best represent yourself.

At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, supplementary materials—such as music recordings, artwork, or selected samples of academic work—may be evaluated by faculty. These materials are entirely optional.

Material Types

How to submit documents and articles.

Scholarly articles, research, creative writing or other documents of which you are the primary author should be submitted in the Upload Materials section of the Applicant Portal . This is the most efficient and direct method of submitting these materials, because they will be added directly to your official application. All submissions should include a list of any individuals with whom you collaborated in the production of the work. If appropriate, please identify your research sponsor, mentor, and/or laboratory or research group leader and provide a short description of your particular contribution to the work.

How to submit media (video, audio, or images)

You may submit optional supplementary media materials (e.g. videos, audio recordings, or images) electronically via Slideroom . Details for submissions in art, dance or choreography, musical performance or composition, will be found on the Slideroom website. There is a small submission fee, but if this fee causes you economic hardship, you may request a fee waiver at the point of submission. You may also contact us to request a fee waiver.

If you encounter technical difficulties on Slideroom, you may submit a document via your portal with YouTube video links. Our team may follow up to request a Slideroom submission at a later time. 

Should I submit other academic materials?

Harvard accepts other standardized tests or other academic credentials if you choose to submit them. In any admissions process, additional information can be helpful. For example, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, A-levels, national leaving examinations, national or international contests, early high school assessment scores such as the PSAT or pre-ACT, or courses taken outside your school during the school year or summer are just some examples of information that could be submitted. Subject Tests and the essay portion of the SAT have been terminated, except in certain special circumstances. Harvard admission officers review all materials that an applicant submits, so if you’ve already taken Subject Tests or the essay portion of the SAT, you may still submit them along with your other application materials.

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Not sure how to fill out the admissions application to Harvard? Here are some helpful tips from our admissions committee.

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Here's everything you need to know about applying to Harvard College as a first-year applicant.

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College Application Checklist

College applications deadlines are almost here! Before you submit, run through the following checklist to make sure you have all the pieces of your college application ready.

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1. Personal Information :

Whether you are using the Common App, the Coalition App, or a school-specific college application, make sure you fill out your personal information section. Start a few days ahead of time so you can ask your parents, your advisor, or someone else for help if you have any questions.

2. Activities List, Extracurriculars, and Honors :

On the Common App, activities list descriptions are limited to 150 characters, so it’s helpful to try writing them out on a separate document first. Make sure to highlight your accomplishments, the lessons you learned, and the traits you developed during the activity. The Common App also allows you 50 characters to describe your position information. Be sure to indicate there if you were the president, founder, or held another leadership role.

3. Test Scores :

SAT and ACT scores are less important this year since COVID-19 has made testing so difficult to schedule. However, if you are planning on sending test scores, make sure to send official score reports or self-report your scores on the application. Be sure you know what each school requires. Some encourage self-reported scores (where you only submit score reports after you are accepted and if you decide to attend that school), while others require you to send the official score reports when you apply. Don’t forget about SAT Subject Tests if you took them!

4. Recommendation letters :

You should have already asked your counselor and your teachers for recommendation letters. If you haven’t already received a notification that your recommenders have submitted their letters, send a polite email to check in with them as soon as possible. You are allowed to submit your college application before your recommenders submit their portions, but they must be submitted by each school’s deadline.

5. School-Specific Questions:

Universities usually want more information than what you enter in the personal information section of the Common App. Make sure you have filled out all of their individual sections. Oftentimes, these include questions on your intended major, your interest in special programs like honors colleges or dual degrees, and whether you have family members who attended that university.

6. Essays :

On the Common App, most schools require the main Common App essay (about 650 words). Many schools also require supplemental essays. Coalition App schools also often require individual supplements (sometimes instead of a personal statement, and sometimes alongside a personal statement). Schools that manage their own application systems (like Georgetown or MIT) also have multiple essays. Check out blog posts from CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts to get advice about writing essays for specific schools! Hint: it’s best to fill out your whole application a few days in advance of the deadline in case you discover any “surprise” essays—sometimes they only appear after you have selected preference for a particular major program or college within the University.

7. COVID-19 Essay and Additional Information Section:

This year, the Common App includes a space to write up to 250 words explaining how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected you. This can be about your family, your academics, testing, or anything else relevant. In addition, the Common App includes an “Additional Information” section where you can address anything that didn’t fit elsewhere in your application. Usually, it’s best to address any circumstances that affected your academic performance (such as physical or mental health issues or a financial situation with your family), explain a transfer between high schools, or detail additional responsibilities (such as childcare or working to support your family). Don’t repeat any information that you report elsewhere in the application, and don’t link to examples of published work or other projects. Admissions officers will likely not have time to read them, and adding unnecessary information may hurt your application.

8. Portfolios:

Some schools allow you to submit a portfolio exhibiting your artistic or musical talents. This is usually required if you are applying to a fine or performing arts program. If you aren’t applying to a specialized program, you can often still submit this as a supplement. However, it is only advisable if you have a particularly strong art or music sample. Most admissions officers refer portfolios to professors in relevant departments. For example, if you were to submit a sample of paintings, it would be reviewed by an art professor, not by an admissions officer. If you do choose to submit a portfolio, make sure to send high quality scans or recordings.

Each school requires an application fee, usually around $40-50 but up to $75 per university. If this is a hardship for you and your family, determine whether you may be eligible for a fee waiver. Generally, these are available to students whose families fall within certain income brackets, receive federal/state/local public assistance (including public housing and free or reduced school lunch), or who receive a fee waiver for the SAT or ACT. If you’re not sure, you can also talk to your school counselor who can fill out a fee waiver form for you.

10. Financial Aid Information :

For domestic students, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid if you are hoping to receive need-based aid. It is not necessary to submit this by the application deadline, but try to submit it as early as possible. The earlier you submit, the earlier schools will be able to give you an idea of the financial aid package (including loans, grants, scholarships, and work study) they can offer you. If you’re hoping to attend one of your early schools, having that information as early as possible can help you decide whether or not you need to also apply to schools during the regular decision round. If you’re applying to a highly selective school, you will also need to fill out the CSS Profile through the College Board in order to provide more contextual information about your family’s finances. Note that the CSS Profile is not free, so if you need a fee waiver, be sure to check your eligibility and talk to your school counselor.

Final Thoughts

If you are applying to a school that is not on the Common App, Coalition App, or a university system application (such as the UC App), take extra time to make sure you aren’t missing any additional pieces. Keep in mind that some schools, like Georgetown, require you to submit an application fee before you fill out the rest of the application, so starting early is to your advantage.

Remember to try and submit your application in its entirety a day or two ahead of the deadline in case the application server crashes on November 1st or your school’s early deadline. Congratulations on making it this far, and good luck!

This informational essay was written by Brynlee Emery, Georgetown University Class of ‘19. If you want to get with your application from Brynlee or other CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts , register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.

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• How to Apply for College | Timeline, Templates & Checklist

How to Apply for College | Timeline, Templates & Checklist

Published on October 18, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 24, 2024.

Most US college application deadlines for undergraduate programs are between late November and mid-March, and you should start thinking about applying for college the summer before junior year. Your application should typically include the following:

• Personal information, extracurriculars, and awards
• Transcripts
• Standardized test scores
• Recommendation letters

Table of contents

College application timeline, research schools, apply for financial aid, take standardized tests, write college application essays, complete college applications, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Use our timeline to make sure you’re on track with all the different parts of your college application.

To save the timeline and refer back to it throughout your application process, you can download the PDF below.

College application timeline (.pdf)

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Most students apply to several different schools. After researching schools and deciding which ones you’ll apply to, you should keep track of their deadlines and requirements.

Make your college list

Begin compiling a college list the summer before your junior year. Start researching schools based on their academic programs, financial aid packages, clubs and activities, and geographical location.

You should have a final list of your top schools by the second semester of your junior year, so you can plan for college visits that same semester. To maximize your options, aim to apply for eight schools:

• Two reach schools where it might be difficult for you to get accepted
• Four match schools where you have a good chance of getting accepted
• Two safety schools where you feel confident you’ll get accepted

Visit schools

Take time to do on-campus or virtual visits to prospective schools, but avoid visiting in the summer, when less faculty and staff are available to meet on campus. For highly selective schools, you should consider visiting campuses during the second semester of your junior year to meet and demonstrate interest to admissions officers and professors before you apply in the fall.

You can attend in-person or virtual college fairs to talk with current students and alumni. High school visits, where admissions officers from universities visit high schools, are also useful to learn more about a particular university.

Consider where you’d feel most happy learning and living based on the school and class sizes, academic programs, and geographical location.

Note requirements and deadlines for each school

In the summer before your senior year, note all deadlines and requirements for your prospective schools in a document or spreadsheet.

Choose early decision, early action, regular decision, or rolling admissions

In August or September, you should choose an admissions plan for each university. Most students choose the regular decision process, with deadlines spanning from late November to mid-March.

Early decision (ED) and early action (EA) plans allow students to apply for and receive admissions decisions earlier than regular decisions. Some schools’ early decision and early action rounds are less competitive, admitting a higher percentage of students than in regular decision rounds. However, you should only choose early decision or early action if you have thoroughly researched schools and are committed to attending a particular college.

Early decision is binding: you must attend that college if accepted, unless the financial aid package is insufficient. Some universities offer two rounds of early decision deadlines (ED I and ED II), one in fall and the other in winter. The ED II round in winter gives you more time to prepare a stronger application package, research and visit colleges, and explore financial aid options.

Early action is non-binding: you have until the May 1 deadline to choose which college to attend. It also allows you to explore more financial aid packages from schools you are accepted to. Some highly selective private schools offer restrictive early action, which is also non-binding, but prevents students from applying ED/EA to other private schools.

Students should prepare application materials for other schools’ regular decision deadlines if their early decision or early action applications are rejected.

Some schools also offer rolling admission , which offers a flexible six-month application window and a decision response around four to eight weeks after submission. However, rolling admission favors early applicants, since admission stops once the class reaches capacity.

You can alleviate some, or even all, of the financial burden of college by applying for federal student aid, application waivers, or scholarships from schools, corporations, or charitable foundations.

Apply for the FAFSA

As early as October 1, you can file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your eligibility for loans, grants, and work study. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) should be mailed to you about four weeks after you file the application.

International students should check with the US Department of Education for financial aid opportunities.

Apply for application fee waivers

An application fee waiver removes the application fee, typically for students who demonstrate financial hardship. You or your guidance counselor can request an application fee waiver.

Complete scholarship applications

Ask your school counselor, local community groups, and prospective colleges about scholarship opportunities as early as the beginning of your junior year. Throughout your high school career, continue compiling a list of scholarship opportunities in a scholarship application tracker spreadsheet .

Highlight overlapping essay prompts, so you can write one essay that covers multiple prompts. Sometimes you can adapt your main college essay into a scholarship essay. However, remember to tailor each essay to the prompt.

Start filling out scholarship applications, gathering required documents, and writing scholarship essays in the summer before your senior year. Throughout your senior year, apply for as many scholarship applications as possible; many students don’t take advantage of scholarship opportunities.

Register and take your standardized tests in your junior year to allow sufficient time to prepare for the test and retake it if necessary.

Take the SAT or ACT

To practice for the official test, you should register for and take the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT) or the Pre-American College Test (PreACT) in either your sophomore year or the fall of your junior year.

Take the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT) in the spring of your junior year to allow sufficient time to retake the exam in the fall of your senior year if needed. Register for the SAT or ACT at least a month before your testing date to avoid late registration fees.

Due to the COVID pandemic, some schools no longer require students to submit test scores. However, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Take Advanced Placement exams

If applicable, take your Advanced Placement (AP) exams in May of your sophomore, junior, and senior years. Depending on the school’s policies, if you score a 4 or 5 on an AP exam, you can earn college credit for certain first-year courses.

Your college application essays give you the opportunity to personalize your application. Colleges look for an essay that differentiates you from others and demonstrates your positive traits. Start brainstorming topics and drafting your essays the summer before your senior year to give yourself sufficient time for revising and receiving feedback.

If you’re struggling for time, check out our tips on writing your college essay fast .

Write your main college admissions essays

It’s a good idea to start working on your essays the summer before your senior year. Some essays can be reused or revised for different schools, depending on the prompt—though you might have to adjust its length if different colleges have different word count limits. The process of brainstorming and writing the first draft typically takes one to three weeks.

Write supplemental essays

Start writing any supplemental essays (such “Why this college?” essays and diversity essays ) in August or September of your senior year. Be careful when responding to these prompts, which are usually more specific than main college essay prompts. As with your main college essays, revise and get feedback on these essays.

Revise your essays and get feedback

Start revising your essay after you’ve written your first draft. Most students go through multiple drafts and take about two to four weeks to revise and get feedback. Remember to take breaks between editing stages.

In August or September of your senior year, get feedback from two to three people—ideally people who know you well, have good writing skills, and are familiar with college application essays. You can also get help from an essay coach or editor. Scribbr essay coaches can help.

Explore the essay coaching service

Begin creating accounts and filling in your personal information on college application portals the summer before your senior year. Start collecting and requesting official documents and recommendation letters at least three to four weeks before the deadline.

Create accounts on college application portals

After creating a prospective college list, create accounts on their respective application portals in the summer before your senior year.

The Common Application , with over 900 member universities, is the most popular. The Coalition Application, with more than 150 member universities, offers resources to help all students gain access to college.

Some schools, such as the University of California system, MIT, and Georgetown University, have their own application portals.

Fill out your personal information, extracurriculars, and awards

It’s a good idea to start a list of your extracurriculars, awards, jobs, and leadership experience in your sophomore year. Throughout your high school career, keep adding to your list, which can also be used to build your resume if needed.

Upload your essays

If you paste your essay directly into the text box, remember it won’t retain formatting like italics or bold text. Sometimes, dashes or other characters might alter the word count, so check that you’ve respected the word limit after inputting your essays.

If you have to upload a file, make it a PDF. Use a simple standard font, like Times New Roman, and format spacing to 1.5 or double space.

Send your high school transcripts and test scores

As soon as you complete your part of the application, ensure your school counselor sends your transcripts to the right colleges. Make sure your SAT, ACT, and AP scores have been sent to the correct schools. Some schools allow results to be self-reported, while others require official score reports from testing organizations.

Request letters of recommendation

Many colleges require one to two letters of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, coach, or employer who knows you well. As early as the end of your junior year, you should unofficially notify teachers or counselors of upcoming requests to give them sufficient time to write a thoughtful personalized letter during the summer.

Once you have completed your portion of the online application, send an official request through the application portals and check whether your recommenders have submitted their letters two to three weeks before the deadline.

Write your resume

Some schools require you to write a resume. While you may not have much or any work experience, you can highlight your educational career. Include your academic achievements, awards, projects, and leadership positions. You can also include any work experience, internships, or summer programs.

Review your application

Before submitting, double-check that all necessary materials are included.

Here’s a checklist you can use to track your progress through the application process.

College application checklist

I’ve researched schools and made my college list.

I’ve done on-campus and/or virtual visits to prospective schools.

I’ve chosen application plan deadlines for each school.

I’ve organized deadlines and requirements in a college application tracker.

I’ve filed my FAFSA.

I’ve submitted scholarship applications.

I’ve taken my standardized tests.

I’ve written my college application essays .

I’ve created accounts on application portals.

I’ve filled out my personal information, extracurriculars, and awards.

I’ve requested my test scores be sent to the correct colleges.

I’ve requested my transcripts be sent to the correct colleges.

I’ve requested recommendation letters.

I’ve paid application fees or applied for application waivers.

I’ve checked that my application has all the necessary documents and information.

Congratulations!

It looks like your application is ready to submit. Good luck with getting accepted!

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
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• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

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• How to end an email
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You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

• Your personal information
• List of extracurriculars and awards
• College application essays
• Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

• Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
• Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
• Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

• For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
• For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
• Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
• Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

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Essay Completion Checklist

If you're returning to class after some time, essay assignments could seem overwhelming. It may have been years since you considered the best way to brainstorm, structure, and write an academic paper, and in the course of your studies you'll have to write plenty!

Don't worry. We've teamed up with the ODU Writing Center to give you an essay checklist. When starting any assignment for class, be sure to review your class syllabus and assignment requirements as outlined by your professor first. There's a good chance your instructor has already addressed any questions you may have.

This checklist, the Writing Center, and online resources are a great place to start, but don't forget your instructor is available as well. If your answer isn't in the syllabus or you still have questions, contact your professor for a phone call or virtual meeting. They are here to help.

When you start writing, the ODU Writing Center is here for you as well, no matter where you are! You can make appointments online, set up tutoring sessions, or send your work for review from their website. You can also access  help documents  about grammar, research, citation, style, and more anytime.  Click here for more details . Organization 

• Is there a clear introduction,  body , and  conclusion ?
• Does the introduction provide sufficient background for the reader? Are the "who," "where," "why," "what," and "how" questions addressed?
• Is there a  thesis sentence ? Is the purpose clear?
• Does the essay move from general to specific?
• Are there smooth  transitions  between related ideas?
• Is the essay clearly organized? 
• Does every  paragraph  relate back to and reinforce the  thesis ?

Content and Style 

• Does the essay meet the  assignment  requirements as outlined in the syllabus?
• Does the essay address the audience clearly?
• Is the  length sufficient  to cover necessary points and assignment requirements?
• Are there sufficient examples and detail to make the points clearly?
• Is the  tone appropriate  to the assignment?
• Is any aspect of the paper insulting or prejudicial?

Research and Sources  

• Are all  sources credible  according to the instructor's specifications?
• Is the research accurate, unbiased, and complete?
• Is each source used within the essay properly cited?
• Is the analysis based on the research?
• Does the analysis contain  sound logic ?
• Is the documentation in the Works Cited page and body of the essay correct according to assignment style requirements?
• Have all quotations been checked, introduced, and attributed?
• If material was paraphrased, are the sources still clearly referenced?
• Are all facts accurate, or have potential refutations been addressed?

Proofreading 

• Has the essay been through a grammar and punctuation check?
• Is the essay spell checked?
• Are the page numbers correct?
• Is the title capitalized correctly?
• Has the writer used the correct margin and font according to assignment guidelines?
• Has the essay been submitted to any necessary  plagiarism  software required by the instructor?
• Will the essay be submitted on time?

Great writing is part of being a successful student in most college classes, but don't be intimidated! The writing center and your instructors are here to help. 

For help throughout your online student journey, please visit our student support page to find out all the resources ready to assist you as you earn your degree online. 

Have questions? Contact us.