College application checklist with every deadline tracked
Each college on your list has its own deadlines, supplemental essays, testing policy and aid forms, and missing one detail can cost an admission or a scholarship. This prompt has your todo.is agent check each college's official site, build one tracker for all of them, and remind you a week and two days before every deadline.
The prompt
- Make me a college application checklist for these colleges: [COLLEGE LIST]. I am applying [APPLICATION ROUND] for fall [ENTRY YEAR] using [APPLICATION PLATFORM]. For each college, check the official admissions page and list: application deadline, supplemental essay prompts with word limits, testing policy (required, optional, test-blind), number of recommendations, portfolio or interview options, application fee or fee waiver, and financial aid forms with their deadlines (FAFSA, CSS Profile, the college's own forms). Add my general tasks: [MY STATUS]. Build an Excel tracker with one row per college and a timeline tab, link each source, email it to me, and send me a WhatsApp reminder 7 days and 2 days before every deadline.
What to change
- [COLLEGE LIST]: E.g. "University of Michigan, Boston University, Northeastern, UC San Diego, Tulane".
- [APPLICATION ROUND]: E.g. "Early Action to Michigan and Tulane, Regular Decision to the rest".
- [ENTRY YEAR]: E.g. "2027".
- [APPLICATION PLATFORM]: E.g. "the Common App", "the UC application", "Coalition", "UCAS".
- [MY STATUS]: E.g. "personal essay drafted, SAT 1380, haven't asked teachers yet, need a fee waiver".
Example result
- College application checklist: fall 2027
- Common App + UC application · personal essay drafted · SAT 1380 · teachers not asked yet
- Everything you need for every college
- • Common App account with activities list (up to 10 activities, short descriptions)
- • Personal essay (Common App limit 650 words), final proofread by one adult
- • School counselor contacted: transcript and school report sent through the Common App
- • 2 teacher recommendations: ask by late September, with a brag sheet and your resume
- • Test scores: decide per college whether to send (see testing policy)
- • Fee or fee waiver for each college
- Tracker (sample rows)
- University A (Early Action)
- • Deadline: November 1 (check official page, link in tracker)
- • Supplement: 1 essay, 550 words, "why this major"
- • Testing: optional · Recs: 1 teacher + counselor
- • Aid: FAFSA + CSS Profile by its priority date
- University B (Regular Decision)
- • Deadline: January 5
- • Supplements: 2 short answers, 250 words each
- • Testing: required, SAT or ACT · Recs: 2 teachers + counselor
- • Aid: FAFSA and the college's own aid form
- University C (UC application)
- • Deadline: filing period in fall, usually ending November 30 (check the UC site)
- • 4 Personal Insight Questions, 350 words each, no letters of recommendation
- • Testing: test-blind, scores not used for admission
- Timeline
- • September: ask teachers, finalise personal essay, list activities
- • October: FAFSA and CSS Profile open around now; gather parents' tax info; submit Early Action supplements
- • November 1: Early Action deadlines
- • December: Early results; finish Regular Decision supplements
- • January: Regular Decision deadlines; send midyear report through your counselor
- • March to April: decisions, compare aid offers
- • May 1: usual national reply deadline for most colleges
- Your next 3 tasks
- • Email Ms. Rivera and Mr. Chen this week for recommendations
- • Draft University A's "why this major" supplement
- • Check fee waiver eligibility with your counselor
How to do it with todo.is
- List your colleges and rounds, and add where you are in the process.
- Send the to-do to your agent in todo.is or on WhatsApp.
- Your agent checks each college's official site and emails an Excel tracker with links.
- Mark tasks done by replying to the reminders, and add a college any time to update the tracker.
Tips for a better result
- Ask for recommendations at least 4 to 6 weeks before your first deadline, with a short note on what you would like them to mention.
- Check each college's own page for deadlines and testing policy. Policies change from year to year.
- Write supplemental essays for each college separately. A "why us" essay with a swapped name is easy to spot.
- Submit a few days before the deadline. Portals get slow on the last night.
college application checklist: FAQ
- When should I start college applications? Many students start the summer before senior year: personal essay, activities list and college list. Early deadlines are often November 1 or 15.
- What is the difference between Early Action and Early Decision? Early Action is non-binding: you apply early and hear back early. Early Decision is binding: if admitted, you agree to attend and withdraw other applications.
- Can my agent fill in or submit my applications? No. It tracks deadlines, collects requirements and helps with drafts and checklists. You write, review and submit your own applications.
- When do FAFSA and the CSS Profile open? They usually open in the fall before the year you start college, but dates can change. Your agent checks the official sites and adds each college's aid deadline to the tracker.
JavaScript is required to use the todo.is app.