Key dates for the college application season, from summer before senior year through May 1. Always confirm specific dates with each school.
The groundwork you lay junior year determines how smoothly senior year goes. Don't skip these steps.
Qualifying exam for National Merit Scholarship. Taken at your school. Scores released in December. This is the only chance to qualify for National Merit, so don't skip it.
Some students take the SAT or ACT for the first time in fall of junior year to get a baseline score. Not required; most students test in spring.
March and May are the most popular SAT dates for juniors. Test in March if you want time to retake in May or June.
April and June ACT dates. Take in April if you want to retake in June or July before senior year starts.
AP exams are administered in May. Scores released in July. Strong scores (4 or 5) can earn college credit and strengthen your application.
Start brainstorming and writing your personal essay before summer. Aim to have a strong draft by August 1.
Ask junior-year teachers for recommendations before school ends. Give them time over the summer to write strong letters.
June SAT and July ACT are last chances before fall application deadlines. Scores released in time for EA/ED deadlines.
Create your account, add schools to your list, and start filling out sections. Don't wait, use the summer to get ahead.
Aim to have a strong draft of your Common App essay before school starts. Getting this done in summer removes major pressure from the fall.
Decide on your full school list before senior year starts, including which school (if any) you'll apply ED to.
CUNY opens in late summer. SUNY opens around the same time. These are separate from Common App. Start them early, priority aid deadline is usually December 1.
Last chance SAT before most EA/ED application deadlines. Register early, seats fill up fast.
Your essay should be done (or nearly done) by end of September. Don't be editing it the night before an October deadline.
Start school-specific supplements. The "Why Us?" essay takes research time, so don't rush it.
File as close to October 1 as possible. Aid is often first-come, first-served. You'll need your (and your parents') tax info from the prior year.
Applying Early Decision to Northwestern's Bienen School of Music? Your application and materials must be submitted by October 15. This is a hard deadline; plan accordingly.
November 1 is the most common early deadline. Have applications submitted by Oct 28 · don't wait until midnight on Nov 1. Confirm each school's specific deadline.
A smaller group of schools have November 15 early deadlines. Check your list carefully.
For schools requiring the CSS Profile, submit before your application deadline, often 2 weeks before. Check each school's CSS deadline.
For students sure Macaulay is their first choice, the Early Decision application is due October 26 (6 pm). Confirm the exact date each year on the Macaulay site, since it can shift.
The Regular Decision Macaulay application is due November 16 (6 pm), with recommendation letters due about two weeks later (around November 30). Confirm the exact dates each year on the Macaulay site.
CUNY priority deadline is typically December 1 for fall admission. File FAFSA and CUNY application before this date for maximum aid consideration.
December 1 is the standard deadline for conservatory and music school applications, along with pre-screen recordings and portfolios. Recordings and portfolios take weeks to prepare, so have everything finished well before this date, not the night before.
Most ED schools release decisions December 15. Outcomes: Accepted (committed), Deferred (moved to RD pool), or Denied.
Many EA decisions arrive in December or January. Check your portal regularly.
Many national scholarships. Jack Kent Cooke, Questbridge Match, Gates Scholarship, have December deadlines. Check each one and apply early.
January 1 is the most common RD deadline. Submit by December 28 to avoid technical issues. All materials (recs, transcripts) must be in.
Some schools, including many SUNY campuses, have January 15 deadlines. SUNY general deadline is often February 1.
Early Decision II deadlines fall in early January. If this is your strategy, submit on time.
Schools start sending financial aid packages. Compare them carefully, different formats, different components.
Live and recorded auditions for conservatories and music programs happen in February and March. Build in travel time, warm-up time, and backup plans for recordings and callbacks.
As admission decisions come in through February, March, and April, log each one in Scoir. Keeping your results current helps your counselor support you and keeps SMS records accurate.
Early Decision II decisions typically arrive mid-February.
If a school you prefer offers less aid than a comparable school, you can appeal. Write a polite, professional appeal letter explaining the discrepancy.
RD decisions typically release in late March or early April. All schools aim to have decisions out by April 1.
All eight Ivy League schools release their Regular Decision results in late March, usually within the same few days and often the same evening. Exact dates vary by year, so watch your portals.
Private scholarships from organizations and community groups often decide in spring. Follow up if you haven't heard from them.
Most conservatories release admission decisions on or around April 1. Some vary by a few days, so confirm each school's notification date in your applicant portal.
Visit schools you've been accepted to. These events give you a real feel for the campus and community. Enormously helpful for making your final decision.
Submit your enrollment deposit to your chosen school. Decline all other offers promptly. You're done!
Take any remaining AP exams. Strong scores can reduce your college course load and save money on tuition.
After graduation, your school sends your final official transcript to your college. Make sure your counselor knows where to send it.
Register early, popular dates fill up fast, especially in NYC. Dates are subject to change; always confirm at sat.collegeboard.org and act.org.
August 22, 2026
September 19, 2026
October 17, 2026
November 7, 2026
December 5, 2026
March 6, 2027
May 1, 2027
June 5, 2027
NYC 11th graders take the SAT during SAT School Day in March, administered at school, during the school day, at no cost. For 2026-2027, this falls in the March 2027 testing window. No registration needed, your school handles it. This is your "free first shot", use it to get a baseline score.
September 2026
October 2026
December 2026
February 2027
April 2027
June 2027
July 2027
Confirm exact dates at act.org
Register 4-6 weeks before the test date. Late registration = higher fees and reduced seat availability. NYC testing centers fill up fast, register as soon as you know your test date. Use fee waivers if eligible (ask your counselor).
SAT dates confirmed from College Board. Always double-check at satsuite.collegeboard.org ↗ for SAT and act.org ↗ for ACT. Sign up for email reminders from both organizations.
FAFSA, CSS Profile, TAP, Excelsior, our financial aid guide covers all the money deadlines in detail.