The college application essay is an important part of your application that allows admissions officers to get to know you beyond just grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities. With early application and early decision deadlines approaching as early as mid-October, you may be wondering when is the best time to start and finish writing your college essay. Here are some tips on when to write your college essay and how to effectively plan and manage your time.
The ideal time to start thinking about your college essay is early in your junior year of high school. This gives you over a year to carefully consider important themes, stories, or experiences from your life that you can authentically discuss in your essay. Taking time to reflect on what has uniquely shaped your character or perspectives will result in a stronger, more compelling finished product than hurriedly writing something the weekend before the deadline.
Junior year is also a great time to ask teachers, mentors, or other adults who know you well if they see any experiences or qualities in you that could be developed into a standout college essay topic. Getting early feedback on potential topics can help guide your brainstorming process before senior year hits and you’re overwhelmed with classes, extracurriculars, and the rest of your college applications.
Ideally, you should start writing a draft of your college essay over the summer before your senior year. Spending a few weeks in June or July loosely outlining your key points and experiences will make the process much more manageable once senior year classes begin in August or September. It’s impossible to anticipate your exact schedule or workload months in advance, so getting an early start on your essay draft minimizes senior slump procrastination.
Once your senior year begins, you’ll want to dedicate specific blocks of undivided time at least once a week, if not more frequently, to developing your college essay draft further. Aim to have a full first draft completed by late September or early October at the latest. This allows multiple weeks for you to walk away from your draft for a day or two, then come back with a fresh perspective to edit and polish it extensively before any deadlines arrive.
Most colleges with early action or early decision deadlines require essays to be submitted between mid-October through the beginning of November. Aim to have your final, error-free draft completed at least 2 full weeks before the deadline to reduce stress. You’ll want time to proofread carefully, get feedback from teachers and mentors, and then make any final changes based on their suggestions. Giving yourself an adequate cushion helps avoid rushing or submitting something you may later regret.
For regular or rolling decision applications due between January through early March, you’ll want to finish your essay draft even earlier—ideally completed and polished by late November or early December. This allows opportunities for feedback and changes well ahead of the deadline to avoid procrastinating. Keep in mind that some regular decision programs also have application deadlines in early January, so manage your time accordingly.
Always allow yourself extra time to proofread, get feedback, and make revisions. Your essay is a writing sample that represents you, so meticulous proofreading and perfecting your tone, flow, and polish matter significantly. It’s also ideal to take a day or two away from your draft after finishing the final version to come back with a fresh set of eyes later. This helps you notice any areas still needing improving with a new perspective.
Aim to start brainstorming and loosely outlining potential college essay topics during your junior year summer or fall for the earliest possible head start. Develop a full draft by late September/early October to revision and polish over multiple weeks. For early deadlines, have your error-free final draft ready 2+ weeks in advance, and even earlier for regular decision deadlines. Planning and writing your college essay far ahead of the deadlines minimizes stress and allows multiple rounds of improvement. Taking this process step-by-step over many months results in the strongest possible finished product.