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What is Rolling Admission?
When it comes to applying for college, the first thing you may think about is deadlines!
There are specific dates for almost everything:
- standardized tests
- financial aid applications
- scholarship deadlines
And, of course, the almighty application deadline. Timelines might seem to rule your senior year of high school, and we wouldn’t blame you for thinking so.
All these hard and fast deadlines are certainly stressful, but there’s good news. When applying to colleges and universities, you have probably seen this term: rolling admission.
What does rolling admission mean?
The rolling admission process offers a more flexible application period without set deadlines. Even better, hundreds of colleges and universities across the country offer rolling admissions for college applications.
If you are applying to colleges soon, make sure you understand rolling admissions. You might benefit from applying to the colleges that use this application process. Keep reading to see how it works.
What Is Rolling Admission?
All colleges have application timelines, but each college admissions process varies widely.
Many colleges have separate timelines for applications, such as:
- Early decision
- Early action
- Regular decision
In these models, each type of college application has a specific deadline. For example, early decision or early action applications are usually due sometime in November.
Regular decision applications are usually due in January. However, these dates vary from one college to another, so knowing the application deadlines for each school you apply to is important.
In the more traditional admissions process, colleges collect applications up until the application deadline. Applications received after the application deadline won’t be considered in the admissions process. After the deadline, admissions officers review all materials and offer acceptances to the most qualified candidates from the applicant pool.
However, rolling admission works differently.
In rolling admission, each college has an application window where applications are accepted and reviewed “as they roll in.” Just like in regular decision admissions, this window will vary from one rolling admission school to another. In general, rolling admissions colleges will accept applications from fall until late spring or until the class is filled.
When you submit a rolling admission application, it is reviewed when it is received (“as they roll in.”) You usually find out if you’ve been accepted soon after your application is reviewed. Rolling admissions are like a first-come, first-serve application process.
Like everything else in life, the rolling admission process has its benefits and drawbacks. We will take a look at both, and then you can decide if applying to rolling admission colleges is right for you.
What Are the Advantages of Rolling Admissions?
Rolling admissions programs offer some key benefits to college applicants.
ROLLING ADMISSIONS CAN BE LESS STRESSFUL.
Deadlines can put additional pressure on you during an already stressful time. Rolling admissions help to relieve some of that pressure by allowing you to apply any time during the application window. You can apply before or after other deadlines for other schools.
In addition, you will have more time to work on various parts of your application:
- Improving your GPA
- Revising your personal statement
- Increasing your standardized test scores
Using this time to your advantage will ensure that your application is top-notch.
ROLLING ADMISSIONS ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE COLLEGE DECISIONS EARLY.
Most regular decision applications due in January don’t return an admissions decision until mid-March. That time frame is approximately two months of waiting time.
With rolling admissions, you can find out if you have been accepted within 4-6 weeks of applying. Some colleges with rolling admission boast even a faster turnaround: 2-3 weeks!
This timeliness allows you to make a decision on college earlier than you otherwise would. You will also be able to apply for financial aid and scholarships early on, which lessens your stress load.
Some high school seniors can begin their senior year with a college acceptance letter!
ROLLING ADMISSIONS OFFER THE CHANCE FOR A SECOND ROUND OF APPLICATIONS.
Another perk of the rolling admission process is a second chance. Let us explain.
If a student does not get accepted to any college under the regular decision process, they would still have time to apply to many schools through rolling admissions. For example, let’s say that you apply to several colleges that offer traditional admission deadlines, but you are not accepted. Colleges with rolling admission deadlines to the rescue.
Additionally, rolling admissions can be a great opportunity for:
- Students who don’t perform well under deadlines
- Students who want to hear back from colleges more quickly
- Students who need a backup plan after regular admissions
What Are the Disadvantages of Rolling Admissions?
While there are many upsides to rolling admissions, you should also know about some of the drawbacks.
ROLLING ADMISSION CLASSES OR PROGRAMS CAN FILL UP BEFORE THE APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSES.
Sometimes, you need to apply for a specific program at a school. More popular programs fill up quickly.
You can never be certain when a school or program will reach capacity. No matter how qualified you are, if you wait until later in the application window, you risk all the seats being filled. This is a big drawback to rolling admissions: a perfectly qualified applicant may get denied admission if the program is already full.
THE MOST SELECTIVE, PRESTIGIOUS COLLEGES DON’T USE ROLLING ADMISSION.
This means if you want to attend an Ivy League or similarly competitive college, rolling admissions are off the table.
You may wonder why this is.
Traditional admissions deadlines ensure admissions officers can review every application. This process of reviewing every application takes time. Then, the college or university accepts only the most highly qualified candidates.
In rolling admissions, admissions officers review applications and make admission decisions as they arrive. They seek only to admit candidates who are qualified to attend, but they cannot compare the entire applicant pool at once. If the class fills, they may need to reject some highly qualified applicants.
What Is Early Action?
Early action is a type of admissions process offered by some educational institutions for admission decisions well in advance of the regular response rate.
Early action requires students to submit their undergraduate applications by mid-October/ early November in their senior year of high school instead of the typical application deadline of December 1 or January 15.
Early action applicants are notified of the school’s decision by early January or February instead of mid-March or May 1.
There Are Two Types of Early Action:
- Restrictive Early Action, also known as Single-Choice Early Action – This type of early action only allows students to apply to one EA institution and restricts early decision applications.
- Non-restrictive Early Action – This type of early action does not have any limits or restrictions on the application process.
Unlike early decision applications, early action is not a binding commitment to enroll, and candidates can decline a school’s offer if accepted.
What Are the Benefits of Early Action Applications?
Benefits to early action applications include:
- Early action applications let schools know that you’re serious about attending their institution.
- Early action applicants cut time and reduce stress from the application process by receiving college decisions early.
- Early action applications save college applicants money on multiple application fees.
- Early action applicants gain more time to compare financial aid offers, prepare for college, or reassess their overall higher education options.
We’re Ready When You Are.
- Enrollment is hassle-free, and it’s easy to get started.
- Financial aid is available, and we’re still accepting applications.
- You will find comprehensive support services that will get you through college and into a great career.
- We are veteran-friendly, and we understand and respect the needs of veteran students.
- If you want to transfer in credits, we can typically review your transcripts of prior learning in less than one business day.
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