Important College Application Deadlines Explained (& Why High School Seniors Should Work With A Professional College Essay Editor)
College application deadlines are quickly approaching, and it can be overwhelming to keep track of which deadlines are up next. Whether they are applying to one college or ten, every student is going to have to write some amazing personal statements for their applications in order for them to be successful applicants.
Personal reflection essays provide admissions teams with a significant snapshot of who you are, and a great essay is a vital asset in any application. It is incredibly important that every student has a strong, authentic, and well-written personal essay (and ususally they will have to write more than just one!).
Even for the students who will go on to university to study math, finance, engineering, or chemistry (or any of the STEM subjects, really) where writing will likely not be the primary focus of their studies, they will still need to demonstrate to the admissions teams that they are capable of writing strong academic prose. Every college student, regardless of his or her course of studies, will need to be able to articulate their thoughts, ideas, and arguments through sophisticated writing. Demonstrating this through their personal reflection statements is a vital part of being admitted to any school.
With all of that in mind, are you or your student ready to tell the story of you? There are a few steps and necessary deadlines to understand before any college applicant starts writing.
There are several well-known application processes that students commonly have to figure out in the fall of their senior year:
The Coalition App, which is well-known in Seattle as the application site for University of Washington hopefuls (as well as hundreds of other universities);
The Common App, host network for hundreds of colleges and universities across the United States with unique deadlines for each;
The UC Application, the main compilation network for each of the 9 undergraduate UC schools.
Now, I want to bring your attention to the quickly approaching deadlines for many college applicants!
From my extensive experience working with college applicants, I have discovered that most students need at least a month to brainstorm, outline, draft, revise, and finalize their personal essays. Each university has its own unique process for submission deadlines, so please consult their respective websites for official university information. However, please consider the following deadlines as they are generally accurate across the board:
- Early Decision (ED) is a binding and non-exclusive early-round application. If accepted to your ED school, you must enroll. These applications are due on or around Nov.1.
- Early Action (EA) is a non-binding, non-restrictive application with an earlier deadline than Regular Decision. You are free to apply to as many other EA schools as you would like, with no commitment to enroll in any EA school that you apply to. These applications are due on or around Nov. 1.
- Priority Deadline (PD): Many schools use a priority deadline to encourage early applications. In fact, most schools that offer a priority deadline accept the majority of their students at that time. These applications are due on or around Nov. 1.
- Restrictive Early Action (REA) is similarly non-binding, except it is exclusive to a single private school. If you apply REA, you may not apply to any other private college under their early action/REA, early decision, or an early notification plan. You may still apply regular decision/early action to other public universities. Check each university’s website for more details on deadlines.
- Regular Decision (RD): You can apply to as many schools as you wish; if you are accepted, you’re not obligated to attend. These applications are due on or around Jan. 1.
- Rolling Admission: This means schools accept and review applications as they are sent in, as opposed to waiting to review all applications at one time. I recommend sending in your application as soon as possible.
Please note that the acceptance rate for Early Decision and Restrictive Early Action is usually much higher than the acceptance rate in the Regular Decision pool. If this is important to you or your student, please consider your options carefully to make sure they are applying when is appropriate for them.
As of September 24th, 2020, there are only 38 days left until November 1st, the deadline for so many college applications. That is little over a month, students!
Even regular decision deadlines are quickly approaching. For example, University of Washington’s application deadline is November 15th. Keep reading for information about a professional admissions essay editing business that will help you fine-tune your essays before you submit them.
Another example: Every UC application is due between November 1st and November 30th.
Sound daunting? It doesn’t have to be.
As the creator and primary editor of The Meaningful Me, a university application essay editing service for college hopefuls all over the country, I am here to make you or your student’s story stand out in a well-written, competitive, and authentic way. Hopefully, it’ll also make your life easier by walking you through the essay writing process.
As a trained writing tutor, I have worked one-on-one with undergraduate and graduate students on a variety of writing projects, from one-time personal reflection essays to extended periods on senior projects, master’s theses, and doctoral dissertations. English 3090 Writing for Tutoring fine-tuned my attention to extraordinary grammar through formatting and editing training. It also taught me how to engage with writers in authentic, clear discourse. Essays are especially vulnerable things to write, which is why my feedback is honest, kind, and personal.
I have helped students get into their master’s programs, win scholarships, and get to where they want to go. The reviews from the many students I have worked with make it clear — you can trust me with their story.
Before they can accept you, universities need to know you. Your writing tells the story of who you are. We will work together to review and revise your work in a way that feels meaningful, truthful, and collaborative. Deadlines can feel stressful, but they don’t have to be! You have important things to share with the world. Let’s work together to submit a piece of writing that you feel immensely proud of. At the The Meaningful Me, we will work with you to make sure the admissions team comes away with a deep sense of who you are and why you belong in their university community. We will work together to reflect, review, and edit so that you end up with an essay that truly shares what is meaningful to you.
Do you have the structure of your essay, and are you ready for some seriously helpful feedback? Submit your essay here! Do you have the desire to write, but you have no idea where to start? Schedule a one-time, hour-long phone call or Zoom session today to help you work through the prompt and begin outlining your essay. Let’s work together!
Please send me an email to olivia@themeaningfulme.com with comments and inquiries. Read answers to Frquently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) here and check out recent reviews from satisfied customers. The price point for The Meaningful Me services ranges from $20-$250, with many different options in order to give each student the appropriate choices for them.
Watch this brief video to be introduced to the creator and founder of The Meaningful Me, Olivia Gaughran!
REMINDER: Keep an eye out for special discount codes on my social media page, @olivia.gaughran on Instagram!
For University of Washington applicants, use code GODAWGS20 for 10% any editing service for your two University of Washington personal statements (long and short). Expires November 1st at 11:59PM.