How to Find the Time to Write College Essays

The average reading speed can be around 200 words per minute.

The average writing speed can be around 200 words per hour. (Many famous authors write even more slowly than that).

College application essays are widely considered the hardest part of college applications because they’re so time-consuming. This is why it’s never too early to get started writing.

For the best results, set aside time to think deeply about the essay topic and how to stand out among other students who are writing to the same prompt.

Even if you only have 10 minutes to spare, it’s important to start brainstorming and dedicate time to writing your essay. Follow these tips to get started writing your college application essays right away.

When Should I Start Writing?

Like, yesterday.

Seriously, the Common App® topics are already available. This means that if you get started writing your application essay now, your essay will still be on point months later.

Ideally, you’ll write several drafts of each essay before you hit submit. Writing is not usually a quick process, since you ought to go through a number of stages while preparing your essays.

If you’re overwhelmed by the college admissions process and unsure of what to write, follow these steps to get started. Don’t think too hard about it. If you start early, you’ll be able to tweak and revise your essay until it’s a perfect piece.

Stages for Writing Your College Essays:

Brainstorming
Outlining
Drafting
Revision
Editing

High school seniors with application deadlines as early as November 1 need to begin assembling the components of their college application in the summer before their senior year. This means you’ll want to start writing your college essays toward the end of your junior year of high school.

How Do I Allocate My Time?

Get organized and have a plan.

People who love lists and charts are going to love the college essay writing process. People who tend to procrastinate should follow these organization techniques to stay on task.

1. Create a spreadsheet

Whether it’s on notebook paper or Google Docs, the spreadsheet must happen. A spreadsheet will help you keep track of deadlines and where you left off in the process.

Look up the colleges you’re interested in and write down the deadlines for essays or paperwork submissions. Most of these dates will likely be in early January.

Organize the list in date order, starting with the first application deadline.

We also recommend adding a column called “Personal Deadline” that is set to at least two weeks before the essay is due, at the very latest. This will give you a little leeway in case something unexpected comes up. We recommend having your essays complete by September of 12th grade.

It should look something like this:

2. Schedule Personal Deadline Reminders

After you’ve started your spreadsheet, you need to schedule your personal deadlines.

Plug all of the deadlines, official and personal, into your phone’s calendar app (or if you like to go old school, write them in your planner). Set reminders for yourself so that your deadlines don’t slip off your radar.

Then–and this is key–treat your deadlines like they are important appointments like a job interview or homework assignment. Pretend that you can’t cancel, reschedule, or ignore these deadlines.

3. Make a Writing Checklist

If four colleges have the same or nearly the same essay prompt, work on these deadlines at the same time and roll into one overarching essay (if possible).

If two colleges have super early deadlines, you’ll need to bump those essays up to the top of your list.

Basically, your writing checklist details everything you have to write and when to have it done by. It’s a master list. If you like to color-code things, use that as a tool for keeping track.

Having a writing checklist makes it easy to stay organized and know exactly where you are in the grand scheme of college essay writing.

It also makes it easy to find your essays when you’re looking for them, and it ensures that you won’t forget about a deadline and have to compose an entire essay the night before it’s due.

4. Make Folders

A messy desk is supposedly a sign of genius, but people who lose things don’t look very smart.

If you like to draft on notebook paper, grab a binder with dividers or a 5-subject notebook with tabs labeled for each university.

If you like to draft on your laptop, save each document with a clear title (“Harvard Essay Option D Final Draft”) in a folder also named for the university.

Be sure to back up your files. Save yourself the heartbreak of losing hours of work because of technical difficulties.

5. Follow Up

Follow up with the college to make sure they’ve received all necessary documents and recommendations.

In addition, follow these tips to stay organized and on track:

Follow up with your master list, updating it as needed.
Follow up with your spreadsheet, noting your essay status.
Follow up with the universities, researching what a great applicant looks like to them.

With some organization and plenty of lead time, writing college application essays will not be a rushed afterthought for you. You’ll be able to give the process plenty of time and focused attention in order to create your best essays.

Need help with your essays?

Our experienced college counseling team offers college essay assistance to help students write essays that capture the attention of admissions officers. Schedule a free consultation to get started.

WE’RE ALWAYS READY TO CHAT

Reach out to schedule your free consultation today.

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David P. – Class of 2022

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Gloria D. – Daughter, Class of 2021

“I attended KD for the last 3 years, and I was blessed with the opportunity to take the SAT^® test one last time last month. I got a 1430 on the test. I wanted to take the time to say I have finished college applications, and I would love to thank all the teachers and aides at KD for giving me the score that I got on the test. Without the extra practice, I wouldn't have been able to get through to the score I got. These past 3 years went by so fast, and it is so fun to look back at where I started and how much I have come out with flying colors. Thank you so much!”

“I attended KD for the last 3 years, and I was blessed with the opportunity to take the SAT^® test one last time last month. I got a 1430 on the test. I wanted to take the time to say I... Read more...

Kareena A. – Class of 2021

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Advika R. – Class of 2022

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in class. In conjunction, those two things helped me raise my score a lot because I was not a math kid before KD or high school. The repetition and being able to practice in a non-stressful environment and simulating that testing experience is something that was very beneficial for me... “The college counseling team was super patient and honest about the work I was submitting. I know for a lot of kids, it’s hard to articulate who you are through 250-300 words. It was definitely... Read more...

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in... Read more...

Blaine W. – Class of 2021

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“Both of my sons have been guided by KD College Prep counselor Steve Peifer on their journey to finding the right college for them, and we could not have had a better experience and outcome. My oldest son is now a... Read more...

Julio M. – Parent

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“My daughter loved the program—the program materials and the teachers both online and in person. She participated in a year of online and a year of in person. It was incredible enrichment and helped her keep her skills sharp over the... Read more...

Beth L. – Advanced Start™ Parent

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“I wanted to say thank you to all of the teachers and directors at KD for helping me get a great score on the SAT^® test. I started with a 1250 on the first KD test I took, and I got... Read more...

Vyom S. – Class of 2022

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Jerry – Sons, Class of 2022

“I'm writing to thank the KD team for all the help and guidance over the last couple of years! All the resources provided were very useful to me and helped me achieve the scores I was aiming for on the PSAT, SAT^®, and ACT^® tests (1520, 1580, and 34). I really appreciate everyone's willingness to be flexible and accommodate my requests!”

“I'm writing to thank the KD team for all the help and guidance over the last couple of years! All the resources provided were very useful to me and helped me achieve the scores I was aiming for on the PSAT,... Read more...

Mithra A. – Class of 2022

"The resources that KD offers have greatly prepared me for the college admissions process. Without KD, I would not have been this prepared and confident... I am a rising senior, and I ended up receiving a 1570 on my SAT^® test (third time) and a 35 on my ACT® test (first time). I remember the first ever practice test I took for the SAT test was a 1230 (about 1.5 yrs ago) and the first ever practice test I took for the ACT test was a 31 or 32 (about 6 months ago)."

"The resources that KD offers have greatly prepared me for the college admissions process. Without KD, I would not have been this prepared and confident... I am a rising senior, and I ended up receiving a 1570 on my SAT^® test... Read more...

Elise P. – Class of 2022

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping both of my kids over the last years reach successful outcomes on their SAT^® and ACT^® scores, which helped them get into great colleges. I found the college prep class for parents very informative and helpful during the process as well. My son (Jacob) graduated in 2018 and got a 32 on the ACT test. got accepted into Texas A&M but chose Baylor for Health Sciences. My daughter (Morgan) graduated in 2020 and got a 1450 on the SAT test and a 32 on the ACT test. got into an Ivy League school (Cornell) for Engineering. Both my kids say that they apply the test taking skills they learned at KD Prep to... Read more...

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping both of my kids over the last years reach successful outcomes on their SAT^® and ACT^® scores, which helped them get into great colleges. I found the college prep class for parents... Read more...

Jon D. – Parent

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“The most beneficial guidance I received during my College Counseling experience was being taught that it's completely ok to not know what I want to do with the rest of my life at 17/18 years old. Steve told me that a... Read more...

Jake W. – Class of 2020

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Zarni, Daughter – Class of 2021

"I took KD classes the summer before my junior year, and I was finished with my SAT^® test by December...The test prep classes also helped me earn the award of National Merit^® Finalist."

Claire I. – Class of 2020

"It's been super helpful, and I've noticed my scores go up both on my SAT^®/ACT^® scores as well as test scores in school... Overall, I believe this to be the best college prep that money can buy."

Gopi C. – Class of 2021

"KD helped me come up with a game plan for the colleges I wanted to attend, as well as any backups, and how to manage my time during this stressful period. They helped to ease the stress and made sure that I would be successful in whichever college I picked, and I am eternally grateful for all their help and hard work!"

"KD helped me come up with a game plan for the colleges I wanted to attend, as well as any backups, and how to manage my time during this stressful period. They helped to ease the stress and made... Read more...

Omar S. – Class of 2020

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by far the most concerned about. I didn’t know how exactly I should go about choosing which places to apply to and if I were to be accepted, if they would fit me. The team did a wonderful job considering my likes and dislikes and helped me compile a list of colleges that suited my tastes and would further my academic career. "After this integral first step, my focus turned towards time management and writing quality essays that would stand out to colleges. I got... Read more...

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by... Read more...

Nina H. – Class of 2020

"I was thankful for all the help I received from KD in preparing for my SAT^® and ACT^® exams. The workshops they offered, as well as the practice exams, gave me the tools I needed to do my very best."

Morgan D. – Class of 2020

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Tiffany – Son, Class of 2021

"KD helped to increase the efficiencies of how I took the national exams. I was also able to implement these efficiencies in my daily school studies within the IB program at PESH. I would (and have) recommend KD to those students wanting an edge on their national test scores!"

"KD helped to increase the efficiencies of how I took the national exams. I was also able to implement these efficiencies in my daily school studies within the IB program at PESH. I would (and have) recommend KD to those students... Read more...

Daniel J. – Class of 2020

"Not only have I been able to significantly improve my test scores, I have learned a tremendous amount of information about the college application process due to complimentary events that KD offers."

Sam H. – Class of 2020

"I came to KD the summer before my senior year with only my determination and big goals! KD provided me with the resources necessary to improve my test score to increase my chances at my dream school, Notre Dame, with the help from amazing teachers and staff. I am so grateful for KD!"

"I came to KD the summer before my senior year with only my determination and big goals! KD provided me with the resources necessary to improve my test score to increase my chances at my dream school, Notre Dame, with the... Read more...

Matt K. – Class of 2020

"I started classes at KD the summer before 9th grade. I...made a perfect score on the PSAT (earning the National Merit^® scholarship) and, after taking the SAT^® test only once (a relief!), scored a 1590/1600."

Thomas D. – Class of 2019

"In just one year, I was able to raise my score by 300 points and get into my dream school."

Piper F. – Class of 2020

"Having our recent GHS graduate attend KD was life changing. It provided our son with choices and opportunities that he might not have had otherwise."

Kathy – Son attends Mizzou

“I came to KD College Prep after already using another tutoring service which we were not seeing results with. Due to time constraints, the traditional classes were not going to be feasible for my daughter. They took the time to figure out a personal plan that would work for her and were always available for our questions and helping her reach her goals. Every employee from the managers to the students working at their locations are top notch.”

“I came to KD College Prep after already using another tutoring service which we were not seeing results with. Due to time constraints, the traditional classes were not going to be feasible for my daughter. They took the time to figure... Read more...

Tracy – Daughter, Class of 2020

"The KD College Prep course not only provided test practice but also motivated her to work hard for her college applications. It gave her the confidence to dream big!"

Prema – Daughter attends Rice

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