What Is a College Application Checklist?

A college application checklist is a comprehensive tool you can use to organize and manage the college application process. Creating an application checklist can help guide your planning and decision-making over time, ensuring you stay on track so that when the time comes, your options for the future remain strong.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) found that 76 percent of prospective students agree that completing college applications feels like a decisive moment in their lives [1]. Given the weight that it carries, familiarizing yourself with admission requirements, deadlines, and timelines with the help of a thoughtfully created checklist can ease any worries you may have and help you feel prepared for the application process. 

Learn more about the types of checklists you may want to consider and discover details about what to look for in a college application checklist and ways you might use one.

Types of college application checklists

College application checklists typically fall into one of two categories: timeline-based checklists or component-based checklists. You may also decide to create a specialized checklist that contains more details about one or more of the items on your main checklist.

Although you’ll likely end up using a combination of all three types of checklists, consider the following details regarding each one to help you choose the right option for your needs, depending on where you are in the college application process.

Timeline-based checklists

A timeline-based college application checklist can help you break down the application process according to when you want to complete certain aspects of the college application process. While some prospective learners choose to begin getting ready for their college journey during their freshman year of high school, others wait until the summer before or fall of their senior year.

No matter when you begin the process, the following tips can give you an idea of what a timeline-based college application checklist might include.

Freshman year (9th grade) 

At this point, college is still several years away. Items you might want to consider checking off your list at this time include: 

• Build relationships with your school counselor and other mentors.

• Explore your interests and values.

• Plan for high school classes that are appropriate for your future plans.

• Research college payment options.

• Maintain good grades.

• Identify ways to relieve stress.

Sophomore year (10th grade) 

While maintaining a focus on the same items you did during your freshman year, your sophomore year can be a time to develop any interests or strengths you’ve identified.

• Continue to explore new things.

• Consider challenging yourself—speak up more in class, take a challenging course, or learn a new skill. 

• Begin test prep planning and research into prospective college majors. 

Junior year (11th grade)

In addition to the items you added to your checklist during your freshman and sophomore years, your junior-year college application checklist might include: 

• Take an aptitude or career assessment test.

• Attend college fairs.

• Build a list of potential colleges.

• Ask for letters of recommendation.

• Schedule college tours.

• Register for and take college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT.

• Prepare to write your college essay.

Summer before senior year

As your days in high school come to a close, your checklist may evolve a bit. During this time, remind yourself (via your checklist) to: 

• Narrow your college list.

• Brainstorm personal statement and essay ideas.

• Plan your finances.

• Begin applying.

• Gather your documentation.

• Gain experience (through volunteering, job shadowing, etc.) in areas that interest you.

• Review application and deadline requirements.

Senior year (12th grade)

Items from the summer section of your checklist will likely transfer to your senior year checklist. At this time, your list may start to resemble a component-based list containing specifics on application materials and deadlines. 

• Finish any necessary testing.

• Apply to college.

• Follow up to ensure colleges have received all of your materials.

• Continue researching scholarships.

• Confirm the financial aid rules at each school you’re considering.

• Finally, make your decision! 

Component-based checklists

Typically, components are the essential ingredients that make up the whole of something. A component-based college application checklist contains precisely that—all of the necessary ingredients for a complete college application. As your senior year approaches, you may want to create a component-based checklist. 

At this point, it may be helpful to organize your checklist's components according to a monthly rather than yearly increments timeline. However you choose to proceed, your component-based checklist will usually include many of the following items:

• Register for necessary college entrance exams.

• Request recommendation letters if you haven’t already, and send thank you notes to those who wrote them for you.

• Complete and proofread your essay, and think about having two or more others read through it for you.

• File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

• Complete the appropriate applications for your colleges. This may include:

• Sending high school transcripts

• Requesting midyear grade reports

• Submitting letters of recommendation

• Sending required standardized test scores

• Submitting your personal essay

• Answering school-specific questions

• Paying application fees

• Make your decision and apply for housing and meal plans, accept your financial aid offer, and notify the colleges you’re not planning to attend. 

Specialized checklists

You can further break many of the items on your main college application checklist into a specialized checklist. It’s also helpful to start early in your high school career by creating targeted lists of items that may be relevant to your college application. 

Specialized checklists might include:

• Standardized testing dates and deadlines

• College application and financial aid deadlines

• Colleges you consider “reach,” “match,” and “safety” schools

• Hobbies, jobs, extracurricular activities, and accomplishments

• Where you’re applying for early action, early decision, or regular decision

What is a college application checklist used for

Like many checklists, a college application checklist is a tool you can use to help you manage the complex process of applying to colleges. Using a checklist breaks the otherwise complicated list of things you need to do into manageable chunks, potentially reducing application-related stress. In addition to helping you stay organized and manage your time as you move through the college application process, a checklist can serve as a form of quality control, prompting you to review your application and reduce the chance of errors or omissions.

Who benefits from using a college application checklist

First-time applicants, from high school students to applicants who’ve been in the workforce for years, can benefit from using a college application checklist to navigate the unfamiliar process of applying to college. The tool is also helpful for parents or school counselors looking to offer support throughout the process. 

Learners with special circumstances may find using a checklist particularly beneficial. For example, international learners might use a checklist to help them navigate any additional application requirements, and transfer students can use the tool to keep track of the process of moving between institutions. 

How to create an effective college application checklist

If you’ve determined that a checklist may be beneficial, here are some ways to create an effective one. One method is to start by writing down everything that might be part of the college application process. Even if you aren’t sure if you need to complete the task, it can be helpful to write it down.

Once you have your list, organize it in a way that works best for you. This might call for a timeline-based approach, a component-based one, or a combination of the two. You can now begin prioritizing the tasks by ranking each item as high-priority, important but less urgent, and to-do for the future. Finally, take your organized and prioritized tasks and lay them out in your official college application checklist document so they’re ready for checking off when you complete them. 

Build skills to help you work through your college application checklist on Coursera

A college application checklist can help you manage the college application process by providing you with an organizational structure for the many tasks involved in applying. 

Learn creative ways to use syntax and tips for adding nuance to the sentences in your personal essay with the University of Michigan’s Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization on Coursera. Explore ways to use generative AI to help you through the college application process with Generative AI for Everyone from DeepLearning.AI.