Meeting College Admission Deadlines

With the start of senior year comes the discussion about where students will apply to college and when they should apply. Prior to knocking on the college counselor’s door, I would like to offer a little bit of background on how deadlines work at the majority of colleges and universities within the U.S. This information is clearly outlined by sources like the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

There are essentially five types of college admission decision plans.

1. Early Decision (ED): Many seniors probably jump at the mention of Early Decision. Yes, many schools with this process will have deadlines set in October with students hearing typically by mid-December. Under ED, a student makes a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, the student will enroll. Students complete one ED application only. Students can certainly apply to other schools while the ED application process is still pending but note, some schools may restrict an applicant from applying via another “early admission” program. (Schools are asked to be up-front about their policy.)

   If offered ED admission, a student will typically see what financial aid is available very soon after they are admitted. Commitments are required well in advance of the May 1 deadline and students can be released from this contract only if their financial aid does not secure attendance. In such cases, the student can ask to be released from the ED commitment. One piece of advice on ED—BE CERTAIN that this is the #1 best fit/top choice school for you and that you absolutely plan to go there if you are admitted.

2. Restrictive Early Action (REA): This plan allows a student to apply early to an institution and hear about admission much earlier. The institutions participating place restrictions on applicants, as they are not allowed to apply to other early admission programs. The key here is that students are not obligated to attend this institution or make a deposit prior to May 1.
3. Early Action (EA): This plan allows students to apply much earlier than the institution’s regular deadline, so they hear about a decision much earlier. It is non-binding and the student does not have to accept the offer of admission or make a deposit by May 1. Students can also apply to multiple other colleges if they choose to apply to an EA school.
4. Rolling Admission: This plan allows students to submit application materials and have their file reviewed on a rolling basis, which can average anywhere between 3–6 weeks for most institutions. Students may apply to any other schools and they don’t have to accept the admission offer or make a deposit prior to May 1.

   *Note that sometimes Rolling Admission schools set priority deadlines—much like if a student is applying to Loyola. Students are asked to apply by December 1 as it takes 4–6 weeks for a completed file to be reviewed. This deadline is important as students not only hear about admission but also because merit scholarships are awarded at the time of admission. Similarly, students put themselves in the best position for additional scholarship consideration.

5. Regular Decision: This plan allows a student to submit an application by a specified date with the response following within a set timeframe clearly established by the institution. There are no restrictions with students applying to other schools under Regular Decision. Students may see that they need to apply by January 1 to receive notification by April 1.

Students: as you prepare to meet college admission deadlines, set a plan of action and get organized. Set aside some time to think about and explore the individual Web sites of the colleges that you may want to apply to for any of the early plans. These are the schools you want to make sure your college counselor knows you are considering so all deadlines are met. Add to the discussion any of the other colleges that you may be considering and look at those deadlines as well.

Remember that many schools still expect that you will be applying this fall and submitting the required materials. And be sure to follow through—you never know which school might come out as your #1 choice!