Question:
And I do have another important question, when is it a good time to start applying for colleges, and what are colleges looking for, exactly?
Answer:
Your question is a great one that's often overlooked until deadlines start hitting you left and right. I missed the deadline to apply to a couple schools in California because I assumed they weren't until others. Then one night when I was hanging out with friends someone responded to something I said with 'Dude, their deadline was last week...' and it didn't make me happy! haha
So anyway, there's no general good time except ASAP. It depends on what the deadlines are and how many schools you need to apply to and how many different apps there are. A good app can take up to a month to put together (assume 2 weeks for a good teacher rec, a week from the draft/final version of your essay although I recommend much more time, a week putting it all together and filling out the bio information/short answers...). And really, there's no penalty for being early. Being late, though? Definitely. And senior year only gets busier with time until the end of the year, so better now than later.
Most regular admissions deadlines are Jan 1st but some are earlier and early decision apps are usually due Nov 1st.
So I would say now honestly. Start downloading applications (most should be up online now, otherwise you can request one to be sent to you either through an online form or by calling the admissions office) and making folders with a check list of items to include on a sticky note that you put on the folder. You can also do this on your computer with word docs and spreadsheets and folders for each school. If you're good with excel I would make a spreadsheet with columns for school names, deadlines and your status with each part of the app. And ALWAYS save back ups of your documents/essays. Save essays. Email them to yourself. Save and email the PDF version of your apps and save the content of your apps in word doc's if you can't edit the PDF. Back EVERYTHING up. Also, scan your teacher recommendations in case anything gets lost. Sometimes you have to keep the rec sealed or the teacher sends it directly, so your teacher should and probably will keep a copy on their own computer.
Is that helpful?
Regarding what colleges are looking for, it also depends (sorry for all the 'it depends' answers, but it's true!). Ultimately it depends on the type of school it is and a million of other factors. For example, I got into Harvard but didn't get into UPenn or Stanford...or UChicago. I thought, 'Hey if Harvard likes me, how in the world can these schools reject me?!' But it's probably because I wasn't a good fit at these schools based on my app. My application, among other things like maybe too much competition/luck, probably didn't fit well with what the school wanted. So maybe UChicago wanted somebody more intellectual than me, who painted myself as a pragmatic person interested in running a small business. Just a thought. Ultimately though, what you need to do is imagine yourself in the shoes of the admissions committee. They want people that add to school diversity (the jock, the tuba player, the world traveler...who will you be and what's different about you than the other 100 world travelers?) and will CONTRIBUTE to the campus. I believe colleges saw a community-focused 'go-getter' in my applications based on how I started INeedAPencil.com and Bridge Education, among other leadership and community-focused positions. They loved the initiative from what I can tell. And that type of initiative and proven track record set me apart. How many other applicants had started a small business? And so, they saw that I'd contribute a 'start it up now' attitude to campus, and I conveyed this in my essay. And as far as diversity, they probably don't have too many young entrepreneurs on campus. On campus, I see the jocks, the tuba players, and the world travelers. Everyone has a brand, and so you have to sell yourself in the same way.
I just posted my actual application to Harvard online in the articles section of INeedAPencil.com if you want to check it out.
