Rolling Admission

There are several types of college application deadlines, and one that you may be less familiar with is Rolling Admissions. If you find that you’re interested in a school that uses Rolling Admissions, it’s important to know what that really means so you can apply properly.

What is Rolling Admissions? Schools with Rolling Admissions generally accept and review applications on an ongoing basis until their class fills up. Instead of releasing all admissions decisions at once, they make and release admissions decisions throughout the application season. It’s important to note that your application must be complete (meaning the college needs to receive all required application materials) before it can be reviewed.

What types of schools use Rolling Admissions? Most commonly, Rolling Admissions is used by public universities, but there are plenty of private colleges that use it, as well.

Can I apply Early Action or Early Decision at a Rolling Admissions School? There are some colleges that use Early Action or Early Decision, and then review the rest of their applications using Rolling Admissions; others will not have any specific Early program at all. Always contact individual colleges to check their application deadlines and policies.

Okay, so when should I apply – really? If you’re applying under a Rolling Admissions deadline, it’s best to submit your application as early as possible. This is because Rolling Admissions schools continue to admit students as long as they have space. If you wait too long to apply, there may no longer be space available – so even if you’re highly qualified, they won’t be able to admit you. If a college uses multiple deadlines (e.g., Early Action and Rolling Admissions) you should speak to your counselor for advice on when to apply.

Application deadlines vary from school to school – but no matter the deadline, a little bit of knowledge beforehand will help you organize your to do list, and know which applications to work on first.