It's mid-November, and there are still many students who are only on their first draft of the main essay. This is especially true for those who just finished their early applications. After taking a breather, the regular deadline is right around the corner.

When I go hiking, I first set the time I want to reach the summit and then work backwards to determine my departure time. If I don't know when the sun sets, I always end up rushing on the way down. I believe the same principle applies to essay scheduling.

First, you need to confirm the deadlines accurately. Harvard and Columbia have their regular deadlines on January 1. This means the deadline falls right in the middle of the holiday season.

The deadlines for Virginia schools vary slightly. Virginia Tech lists its regular deadline as January 15 on its official page. George Mason has a regular deadline of February 1.

UVA and William & Mary are listed as January 5. However, since schools adjust their dates each year, it's safest to check each school's admissions page for the current year's dates.

If you have even one school with a January 1 deadline on your list, your entire schedule needs to align with that date. For schools with later deadlines, you can refine the same essay.

However, I don't set my target date for January 1. I move it up to around December 28. This is because right before the deadline, there can be a surge in traffic, and unexpected issues may arise with payments or uploads.

Walking backwards from that date makes the schedule quite clear. If today is November 11, there are 51 days until January 1. It seems ample, but Thanksgiving and winter break are in between.

I keep the third week of December open for final checks. This is not the time for writing new content but for reading aloud and catching typos and mistakes in school names. It's surprisingly common to find that the name of another school is still in the supplement.

The first and second weeks of December are dedicated to school-specific supplements. Each school has different numbers of questions and word limits, so it often takes more time than the main essay.

So, this week, I have a separate task. I gather all the supplement questions from the schools I'm applying to into one document. By noting the word limits and deadlines next to them, I can see which questions are similar.

Questions like "Why this school?" and "How will you contribute to the community?" can have a framework created that can be adjusted for each school. If you try to write ten separate essays from the start, it will never end.

The goal is to have the main essay nearly finished by the Thanksgiving holiday. This year, Thanksgiving is on November 26, and the four-day holiday is essentially the last big chunk of time.

The Common App main essay limit is still 650 words this year. The seven prompts are the same as last year. Since the prompts haven't changed, it's better to spend time diving deep into one story rather than worrying about the prompts.

650 words is shorter than you might think. The first draft often exceeds 900 words, but the process of cutting it down usually improves the writing. So, there's no need to be intimidated by the length of the first draft.

One more thing to keep in mind is the schedules of school counselors and teachers. It's natural for email responses to be delayed once winter break starts.

It's best to confirm the status of recommendation letters, transcript submissions, and school profiles before the break. Asking for last-minute favors during the holidays can be burdensome for everyone involved.

From a parent's perspective, the hardest thing is to refrain from intervening. I understand the desire to help by polishing sentences for smoother English. However, what admissions officers want to read is the student's voice.

If I were in your shoes, I would limit the parent's role to that of a schedule manager. Post the deadline chart on the refrigerator and ask each weekend how far along things are. Feedback on content should be given once, focusing on factual accuracy.

It's also a good idea to decide in advance who will read the essays. One or two people, whether a teacher or an older friend, is sufficient. If you get feedback from ten people, the essay becomes nobody's.

If the schedule starts to slip, decide in advance where to cut back. I believe it's better to reduce the number of schools applied to than to compromise the quality of the supplements.

In the last week, also determine the order of submissions. Start with the schools that have the earliest deadlines, and for the school you want to attend the most, leave an extra day before submitting. After submission, check for confirmation emails and the status of the application portal.

To summarize:

This week: gather questions. Main essay by Thanksgiving. Supplements by the second week of December.

Third week: final checks. Submit by the 28th.

Looking at it this way, 51 days doesn't feel that long. However, having a clear path makes it less daunting. Just like a marked trail is easier than a foggy mountain path.

Since application plans and school-specific requirements vary by household, I recommend coordinating with your school counselor. Especially for majors that require an arts portfolio or interviews, there may be separate schedules.

Isn't it much better to ring in the New Year with family over a bowl of rice cake soup than to be sitting in front of the submit button? I would vote for that option.

I hope all the students applying this year maintain their pace and reach the summit by the end.