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Your Summer Game Plan: A Timeline for Rising Seniors

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Prep now, relax later: A practical summer plan for rising seniors

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Senior year moves fast. Once school starts, it’s all essays, deadlines, and “Wait—when is FAFSA due?” That’s why summer is your best chance to slow down, get organized, and take a few meaningful steps forward, without the chaos.


The truth? A little progress now = way less stress later. Here’s your summer timeline, broken down by month, with just the essentials.


🍜 What Will Your Future Self Thank You For?

So many of my seniors have said it:

“I wish I had started this over the summer.”


Once senior year kicks off, your schedule fills up fast. That’s why summer is your chance to slow down and get ahead before the chaos hits.

Here’s the reality:

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  • ✍️ A strong personal statement takes about 15–20 hours (brainstorming, writing, revising)

  • 📄 One college application takes the average student 6–10 hours

  • 🎯 Applying to 8–10 colleges? That’s 60–100+ hours of work

💡 Do yourself a favor: Tackle some of that now, while the pressure is low and your schedule is still your own. Your future self will thank you.


🗓️ Key Dates to Keep in Mind

  • July 1–15 – Local/state scholarships often open or close—keep an eye out

  • August 1 – Common App opens (but you don’t have to wait to start your application!)

  • October 1 (tentative) – FAFSA opens—date may shift again this year

  • Nov 1 / Nov 15 – Early Action and Early Decision deadlines


☀️ JUNE: Set the Foundation

June is all about exploring, organizing, and setting yourself up for success.

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  • Research schools and majors to help you finalize a balanced college list (8–12 schools) that includes a mix of:

    • Reach schools (admit rate under 25%)

    • Match schools (admit rate 25–70%)

    • Likely schools (admit rate over 70%)

  • Track application requirements and deadlines for each school

  • Ask 1–2 teachers for recommendation letters (preferably in your area of interest)

  • Add to your resume: job, volunteering, online course, or summer program

  • Register for the SAT, ACT, or CLT (if needed)

  • Ask a few trusted friends or family members to help you start searching for scholarships; it’s easier with a team.

  • Check out my last blog for tips on using social media to find scholarships (and have your parents follow a few accounts too!)

➡️ And if you want someone in your corner, I’d love to be part of your scholarship and college team. Reach out anytime for a free consultation.


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✍️ JULY: Draft & Discover

This is your college essay month—aka personal statement season.

  • Start brainstorming your personal statement. You can’t set up your Common App account

    yet, but you can reflect and outline. College Essay Guy is a great resource—or reach out to me for help!

  • Check out supplemental essay prompts from top-choice schools

  • Draft your activities list—each one gets 150 characters, so keep it sharp

  • Begin a "Goals for College and Career" essay—it’s flexible and reusable for many apps

  • Use a tracker to stay organized—there are free templates online, or I can create a personalized version for you

  • While the Common App doesn’t officially open until August 1, you can start organizing your colleges and scholarships now. Use a tracker to keep everything in one place.


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📬 AUGUST: Start Submitting + Stay Steady

August 1 = Common App opens. You don’t have to submit everything that day, but if you've been chipping away at it, you may be ready sooner than you think.

  • Set up your Common App account and begin filling out the basic sections, including demographics, school information, activities, and more.

  • Review each college’s writing prompts and application requirements

  • Finalize and submit any applications that feel ready

  • Double-check: transcripts requested? Recommenders added?

  • Keep applying for scholarships, especially early local ones

  • Celebrate your progress, you’re officially in application season!


🎯 Ready for More Support?

Want someone in your corner to make this less stressful? I offer free consultations to help you create a personalized summer game plan.


✅ Click here to download the Summer Checklist for Rising Seniors


Let’s talk about how I can support your goals—from building your college list to editing essays that sound like you. Just reach out at futureboundpr@gmail.com or visit www.futureboundpr.com to get started.


You don’t have to do this alone.

– Amanda @ Future Bound

 
 
 

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