I know it is important to start preparing early for US college applications but Common Application is not open yet. What is the earliest date that I can start my application?
The Common Application is updated every year on August 1. You have to wait until August 1 so that your contents will be saved for prospective admission for the fall of the following year.
A proactive way to kickstart your eventual application to US colleges would be to fill out the Common Application form today as if it were due tomorrow. Many students begin postulating what their GPAs and school rankings might be and how their extracurricular resume may turn out like, but simulating the actual application process by filling in the Common Application even two years out can allow you to identify strengths and weaknesses in your candidacy, strategically roadmap your remaining months/years of high school. This is not dissimilar to looking at past papers before eventually taking the actual exam. Having an expert assess your candidacy at regular intervals would be additionally beneficial if you’d like some feedback from an Admissions perspective.