Timing is everything with your applications

four times, I left with what I think will probably be about 80% of my summer wardrobe. And I am so happy. I have peace of mind, and now I can move on to doing more interesting things with my life. Whether you’re shopping for summer clothes or applying to graduate school, there will always be the people who think ahead and take action—and those who wait and have to settle for the leftovers. Think about it. There are a lot of ways you can seriously miss out the longer you wait to start applying.

Here are just some of the things you’ll have to wait in line to get the longer you wait to start your application process:

• Your recommenders will already have committed to writing letters for other people and are likely to be less excited about writing yours
• If you need to sign up for a test prep course, you’ll have to squeeze yourself in whichever courses are still available (likely the courses at the worst times with the mediocre instructors)
• If you need to take supplemental coursework to make up for a low GPA (under 3.6), you’ll have fewer choices of time slots for classes to choose from—and less time to actually get the course completed to include with your application
• If you need to hire an admissions consultant, the best people’s rosters will be full and you’ll have to just work with whoever’s available—like a newbie

Even if it still feels a little “early” to be starting your applications, you should know that many other people have already started taking powerful action on their applications. Make sure that you use the advantage of time to get clear on what actions you need to be taking right now—and then actually take them. In my two-hour workshop Tell Me Your Story, we’ll be doing just that: getting clear on the myriad of things you could be doing right now to boost your profile—and I’ll be doling out hyper-specific advice about the best way to do it. From choosing recommenders to the best way to prep for the test to figuring out how to overcome a low GPA, I’m covering it. I’ll be giving tips for those of you trying to switch from the private sector to the public sector and helping my older (30+) applicants navigate the complexities of ageism in the admissions process. And of course, I’ll be getting real with people about how much of a chance they really have of getting into their dream schools. I’m really looking forward to hearing folks’ stories and helping them figure out exactly what they need to do to change those trouble areas to treasured areas of difference (the good kind of difference). I hope you will join us! Now is the time to take action.