As you plan and prepare for college, these checklists from ECMC: The College Place will help keep you on track throughout the process. The checklists highlight important aspects to focus on during each season of the year, including tips for both money and time management, and college and career planning.
You will apply to colleges during your senior year. Most deadlines are in the fall semester, while some are in winter/spring. Many applications open on August 1 before your senior year begins. Here are common types of application deadlines and their typical timeline:
Early Decision (ED) - Earlier application deadline (usually in November) and the student is notified of the college’s decision earlier than usual (usually by December 15th). The benefits of applying ED are that you get the process done early and it can help your application stand out. Applying Early Decision is binding - the student is automatically agreeing to accept the school’s offer of admission.
Early Action (EA) - Earlier application deadline (usually November) and the student is notified of the college’s decision earlier than usual (usually by the 15th of December). The benefits of applying EA are that you get the process done early and it can help your application stand out. Early Action is NOT binding, so the student is NOT automatically agreeing to accept the school’s offer of admission and usually has until May 1st to make their decision.
Regular Decision - Traditional application timeline. This application deadline is usually December, January, or February and students are notified of the college’s decision in March or April. The benefits of applying Regular Decision is that you give yourself time to create a strong and thought-out application.
Rolling Admission - An admissions procedure by which the college considers your application as soon as all the required credentials, such as school record and test scores, have been received. No application deadline.
Complete necessary steps in Maia Learning (this allows Lincoln to send important application documents to the universities you are applying to, including transcripts and letters of recommendation). Unsure how to do this? Learn more here.
Ask teachers for Letters of Recommendation (LOR)
The best time for this is late spring of your junior year or early fall of your senior year
Ask your teacher in person if possible
Ask them at least three weeks before your application deadline
Ask the teacher what information they want from you to help them write their letter - this can include your resume, information about your goals, interests, experience, etc.
After you talk to your teacher, make the official teacher LOR request in Maia Learning under the Recommendation Request tab in the Universities section
Understand the Lincoln process for Requesting Transcripts and Counselor Letters of Recommendation
There are multiple forms that must be submitted to your school counselor to request your Counselor LOR
Make sure all these forms are submitted to your counselor by three weeks before your application deadline
This is a time-consuming process, so get familiar with it and start early!
If a Counselor LOR is not required for the colleges you are applying to, don't worry about requesting one! In this case, you just need to follow the steps to request a your transcript (which is much easier)
Organize your Activity List (max 10 activities in Common App) by creating a Google Doc where you list all of the activities you've been involved with in high school that includes:
Position/Leadership description (max 50 characters)
Organization name (max 100 characters)
Description activity, what you accomplished, recognition received, etc. - think concise language and active verbs, like a resume (max 150 characters)
Total hours spent on activity per week and per year (this can be approximate)
See tips from College Essay Guy for How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List
Draft your college essay/personal statement (see Writing the College Essay page for resources)
Download your unofficial transcript (this will be helpful to have handy when you fill out your educational history in your applications)
In StudentVue, go to Course History; click the "Unofficial Transcript" button near the top right corner of the page; you will get an error message saying the document needs to be built- wait two minutes and click the "Unofficial Transcript" button again; your transcript should pop open as a PDF
Visit the website for each college on your list to confirm application deadlines and understand any additional admissions requirements, such as:
Course requirements (ex: A-G course requirements for many California universities)
Supplemental essays
Portfolios (often for visual or performing arts)
What are the Application Deadlines? Are you planning to apply Early Action or Regular Decision? Make sure to keep track of your deadlines!
Is a Counselor Letter of Recommendation required? If so, go to the Sending Transcripts & Counselor Letters of Rec tab of the Counselor Website to get all the information you need for how to request a Letter of Rec from your counselor. You must submit necessary info and materials to your counselor at least three weeks before your college application deadline. Note: If a Counselor Letter of Rec is not required for the schools you are applying to, don't worry about this step! Either way, make sure you are communicating with your counselor!
Other Letters of Recommendation required? Teacher, Coach, Mentor? How many letters are required, and does the college website have suggestions about what kind of letters they're looking for? Make sure to start thinking about who you would like to ask to write your letters and look at your MaiaLearning account to become familiar with how to request your letters of rec.
SAT or ACT required? Some schools require test scores, and others don't. Make sure to check the college websites to know what the schools you're applying to require. If test scores are required, get an idea of the score range the college is looking for.
Application Platform? Do you have to apply directly on the College Website? Does the college partner with Common App or Coalition App? Do they use other application platforms, like the UC Application?
You will be able to find this information through the admissions page of the university websites and by adding the university to your Applying List under the Universities tab on Maia Learning!
Consider these worksheets to help you understand what you need and stay organized:
Oregon Goes to College
ECMC: The College Place
There are multiple ways to apply to a college or university. Make sure to research each college you are applying to so you know how to apply. Create an account on the application platforms your colleges use. Most applications renew for the graduating senior class on August 1st of every year.
Frequently used application platforms:
Directly on the college/university website - Find the "Apply now" button for first-year students on the university's admissions website.
Common Application - An undergrad college admission application platform that students may use to apply to any of more than 900 member colleges and universities in the US and around the world. Fill out one application for multiple colleges at once. Not all colleges/universities use Common App, but many do.
Coalition Application - The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success is a relatively new application option for college candidates. Launched in 2016, the Coalition App is a free platform, similar to the Common App, that schools can join to offer their applications on.
Common Black College Application - Interested in Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs)? The Common Black College Application is like the Common App for HBCUs, and makes it easy and more affordable to apply. Apply to any number of 65 HBCUs for only $20 total.
UC Application - University of California system's application for admissions and scholarships.
CSU Application - Cal State Apply/California State Universities' application platform for admission and scholarships
Unsure? Go to the admissions page of the university's website to find out how to apply
Important information you will need to fill out the Common App:
A copy of your high school transcript - In the Education section you will enter your high school grades and current courses. Some colleges also need you to self report your high school transcript. You can check out your Courses & Grades section to learn more.
A list of your activities, work, and family responsibilities - You can share your interests and who you are outside of the classroom in the activities section. You can share information about things like work, hobbies, clubs, and community engagement. And don't forget, family responsibilities can be important to share as well. This is the place to show colleges what makes you unique!
Test scores and dates from your college entrance exams (SATs, ACTs, etc.) - You may self-report scores for any standardized tests in the Testing section. Every college has different testing requirements. Some colleges will always need your test scores. Other colleges may be flexible or have a test optional policy. Be sure to check the Testing policy of the colleges on your list.
Parent/Legal guardian information - Many colleges collect this information in the Family section for demographic purposes. We will ask for your parents occupation, employment status, and education level. If applicable, we will also ask which college(s) they attended and how many degrees they have earned.
Academic honors and achievements - The Activities section isn't the only place to show your passion and where you excel! You will also have the chance to share any academic honors or achievements from high school.
Create your account and choose your student type at commonapp.org
If you haven’t yet attended college, select “first-year student”
If you have college credits from dual enrollment high school courses, you should still select “first-year student”
If you have already attended 1 or more colleges after graduating high school, select “transfer student”. We also have a separate transfer student guide to help you out.
Consider using a personal email for this account. Sometimes your high school address may filter out these emails, so consider using a personal email address. Colleges may need to get in touch with you during the application process, so choose an email you will check regularly. When choosing an email address, be sure to use one that:
You check regularly
Does not use inappropriate language
You will have access to after you graduate from high school
Complete your registration information
We will need some basic information about you like your name, home address, phone number, and date of birth.
Be sure to use your legal name as it appears on official school documents and standardized tests. This will make sure colleges can match documents to the correct person.
At the end, you will adjust your communication preferences and accept the Common App privacy policy.
Select "create account" and you’re done!
Check out this Common App Application Guide that walks you through the rest of the steps, including adding colleges to your list, understanding requirements, the personal statement, supplemental essays, and more