If you’ve completed your Common App and main essay, and are looking for schools to add to your list that you want to hear back from quickly, you should consider schools that have rolling admissions.Rather than having one or two specific deadline dates, colleges who offer rolling admissions have a window of about six months during which students can submit their application materials. Once an application is complete, those schools “roll” decisions out to students on an ongoing basis rather than waiting for a specific decision release date.
The rolling admissions window generally runs from early in the fall to late in the spring. Many colleges keep submissions open until all of their spots in the incoming class have been filled. Admissions officers evaluate applications as soon as they are submitted and require documents have been received. Candidates are notified within two to eight weeks, depending on the school.
Since these colleges let students know their admissions decision on a first-come, first-served basis, you should still aim to send in your materials as early as possible to ensure you don’t miss out on a spot.
Which colleges have rolling admissions?
Numerous schools have rolling admissions. You can look up a college’s admissions policy to find out whether or not they do. Here is a list of just a few notable schools that offer this admissions path:
- Arizona State University
- Michigan State University (has early action, regular, and rolling policies)
- Penn State University (has early action and rolling policies)
- University of Alabama
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of South Florida
- University of St. Andrews (Scotland)
- University of Tulsa
Are Colleges With Rolling Admissions Right For You?
The biggest advantage of applying to a college that notifies you of your admissions decision quicker is that you don’t have to wait. For most ED and RD applications, you won’t receive a decision for around 2-3 months, which can be highly nerve-wracking.
Another pro is potential flexibility; if your circumstances change, you can still apply to these schools relatively late in the process. Many students start panicking that they won’t be admitted to any college during the application cycle. If it’s February or March, and you’re stressing out at the last minute, it can help to apply to a college that you know you’re well qualified for and are excited about that still has an open application window. You’ll get a decision a few weeks after submission, and if admitted, can relax a bit and await the rest of your admissions decisions.
That said, rolling admissions may encourage students to feel too relaxed about the flexibility in deadlines and procrastinate. Resist this—remember, spots might get filled up! Since every student doesn’t apply at the same time, it can be hard to predict exactly when the most competitive points are for different schools. You may send in your files at the last minute, but it could turn out the admissions office has filled every opening that was available for the incoming class. It’s not always possible to guess the flow of files into the admissions office, so while a rolling admissions school can offer some late-game flexibility, it’s always better to apply sooner rather than later.
Also note that colleges with rolling admissions may have priority deadlines for housing, financial aid, and other nice-to-haves. These priority deadlines may require you to submit your application even sooner than the usual Regular Decision deadlines. For example, to be among the students considered for priority consideration for merit awards at Central Michigan University, which offers rolling admissions, you must submit your application by December 1.
As you gear up to make your school list, consider researching colleges with rolling admissions to see if any are right for you—and you can hear back earlier. If one of your top colleges offers rolling admissions, research in detail so that you do everything you need to do to make the most of priority deadlines and scholarship opportunities. Depending on how you utilize the policy, rolling admissions can definitely have its place in your application strategy.
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