I hope you’re enjoying your summer so far, finding time to relax, spend time with friends and family, and enjoy a well-earned break. At the same time, summer is one of the best opportunities rising seniors have to reduce fall stress by getting a jump on college applications.

A great place to start is the Common App. The current application cycle will close at 5pm on July 28 before reopening on August 1 for the Class of 2027. Most of the information you enter now—including the Profile, Education, Testing, and Activities sections—will carry over when the new application launches. (But remember that the Family section, which normally rolls over, will not be saved due to some updates it’s getting.) Also remember to save any essay drafts outside the Common App so you can keep working while the platform is closed.

Speaking of essays, getting started now can make a tremendous difference later. Summer provides the time and space to reflect, brainstorm, draft, and revise without the pressure of school and extracurricular commitments. Whether you’re working on your personal statement or researching supplemental essays, an early start makes for both a better process and a better product. Remember also that supplemental essays can change from year to year, so you’ll want to confirm that any questions you’re seeing will actually be the questions you’ll have to answer when the platform reopens.

This is also a good time to firm up your college list, plan any visits you’d like to do, and finalize your remaining standardized testing. Wherever possible, I aim for students to complete SAT or ACT testing before senior year starts, and registration is open now for the August SAT and September dates for both exams.  If you’d like one more opportunity to improve your scores, get a schedule and prep plan in place now.

The work you do this summer can pay dividends all year long, and I’m available for individual guidance and support. A few hours each week devoted to applications, essays, and college planning can help you enter senior year feeling confident, organized, and ready for the exciting months ahead.