• College applications are usually due very early in the year that the student will be attending college. Some schools even have a priority deadline, in which all applications received before a certain date will be considered above all other applications.
• Aspiring students should ideally research potential schools during the summer before their senior year. Then, when their senior year begins, they should mail the applications generally before December 1 the year before they graduate high school.
• During the researching of the university in the summer, students should make a detailed list of deadline dates, and special application requirements (including letters of intent and essays that the school asks for). Finally, the student should rank the schools in order of preference as to which ones they want to attend the most.
• Occasionally, schools will warn students that applications not be sent in too early, or else the forms might be returned unprocessed. The month of November is usually the best time to mail out applications to colleges.
• Colleges and universities generally accept the students in January or February of the year that they are going to attend university.
• Occasionally, high school seniors develop a condition popularly referred to as "senioritis," which literally means "senior syndrome" or similar. When a student has been accepted into a university, and the pressure of academics is off, he or she may stop trying as hard in their remaining time in high school. However, if a student drops too far scholastically, the university may revoke the student's acceptance.

Universities usually require all students to take the following (or equivalent) while in high school

• Four years of English (language arts), consisting of comprehensive analysis and composition.
• Three years of mathematics (usually including and beyond algebra) and three years of social studies.
• Three years of science
• Two years of a foreign language (for those who already speak more than two languages fluently, this qualification may not apply).
• One-half of a year in fine arts and one-half a year in academic electives.

Besides having a solid GPA with a load of diverse, challenging classes, students should also make sure that they gain experience in one or more extra-curricular activities:

• Academic organizations, such as honor society or honors-club class groups greatly increase student appeal to potential colleges and universities.
• Student politics (student body president, treasurer, etc.) demonstrate a student's leadership abilities, motivation, and willingness to effect social change. Colleges look very favorably upon these characteristics.
• Journalistic activities, including the school newspaper and yearbook, greatly improve student writing skills and also demonstrate leadership and responsibility to a university. In addition, high-school positions on a newspaper may help the student acquire a similar position on a university newspaper.

Many universities ask for a number of supplemental (not required) factors when submitting an application. According to the University of Washington, these supplements may include:

• A personal statement of interest.
• Academic awards, and enrollment in advanced, college-preparatory classes.
• Economic and cultural diversity.
• Community and extra-curricular activities.
• Documented evidence of exceptional artistic talent (can include musical or performance talent, such as playing an instrument or dancing ballet).