When you’re trying to get into a certain college, you already know that you have to complete an application and send it in on time. Because of this, that deadline becomes very important in your life, so it can be a bit confusing when you read that the college you’re interested in has a “rolling admissions” process. A rolling admissions process is essentially an ongoing admissions process because they review applications year-around until they fill all of the spots they need. We’ll delve further into the rolling admissions meaning and how you may use it to your advantage in the college application process.
What Is Rolling Admissions?
When admissions decisions are made, there is usually a deadline. Even more importantly, this is usually a hard deadline, which means that it is set in stone and none of the applications received after that date will be considered. Most application deadlines are established this way, but there are some colleges that adopt a different method of accepting and reviewing college applications. Rolling admissions applications are considered throughout the year because all applicants are considered until the school reaches the maximum number of students for that particular semester.
The main difference between applications submitted on a rolling basis and those submitted when the college has a set deadline is that the former usually offers a larger amount of time for applicants to send in their applications. Some colleges take six months or even longer to go through the applications, whereas with set deadlines that timeframe is usually shorter. A regular decision deadline is often several months long, whereas rolling deadlines often take much longer than that.
The Pros and Cons of Each Method
One of the biggest advantages to a rolling admission policy is that the response time is often much shorter. If you send in your application months before a deadline, it may not be looked at until all of the applications come in, so you’ll have to wait quite a while to get your response (acceptance, rejection, or waitlist). A rolling admission decision can be made as soon as they receive your application, which means it’s possible for you to hear back from the school in four to six weeks.
In reality, it doesn’t usually take that long for admissions officers to review an application and make a decision. Rolling admission colleges are continuously reviewing applications and therefore they are constantly informing prospective students with their answers. Conversely, decision-makers at regular admission schools (with a specific application deadline) must wait until after the deadline to send that information to an applicant, so this process could take a while and cause anxiety and frustration for students waiting a large window of time to hear back from their dream school.
Let’s take a more specific look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of admissions process. First of all, there are three main advantages of submitting college applications to a school with a rolling admissions process.
First of all, it usually results in a lot less stress. Think about it. When you have a specific deadline to adhere to, that deadline will make you nervous. You have to have a strong application complete and ready when you have a specific date you have to observe, which could be a great way to keep you on an efficient schedule to meet that application window. Additionally, the regular admissions committee must make and relay to you a decision by the given notification deadline, which gives you a clear-cut answer on which to base your next steps in terms of enrollment. Alternatively, when the college allows for a rolling admissions process, if you don’t get accepted one semester, it’s very possible that you’ll get accepted for the next one. This is good and bad; the good part is that you may still have a chance in the future, thus keeping your hopes up; the bad part is that it may keep you up in limbo, unsure if you should continue to pursue that school.
The second big advantage to a college that practices rolling admissions is that it allows you a little flexibility. In practical terms, this means that you can apply to these colleges at any time. If you are applying to more than one college, you can apply to these colleges at any time, which can make them a great option for an early application to lock in an acceptance to a safety school, as well as a fallback option for last minute applications if you aren’t satisfied with the admissions decisions you’re receiving from the other schools to which you applied.
Finally, a rolling admission college means that the sooner you submit your application, the sooner you’ll get a final decision. Because of this, if you don’t get into the first school you apply to, you can apply to another and still have a shot at starting when you were planning to start. Just remember that your application materials still have to be in tip-top shape, so you still have to meet their qualifications, including a personal essay, a good GPA, strong letters of recommendation, and whatever other materials they require from you, which may differ school to school.
Are There Disadvantages to Applying to a School That Uses Rolling Admissions?
The biggest disadvantage to applying to a rolling admission college is that it makes some people procrastinate a little when preparing their materials, which could cause the spots to fill up before they’ve had the chance to review your particular application. You might miss your opportunity to become a student at that university because you weren’t paying attention or applying with any haste. It’s easy to think there is less competition at these schools, but that isn’t always the case, and you definitely shouldn’t treat the application as less important than your others, as that subpar effort may shine through to the admissions officers.
Your best bet, if you’re interested in one of these colleges, is to set up reminders for yourself to send in your application as soon as it’s completed. Many of these schools have a priority deadline, while others do not. The point is, you should submit your application as soon as possible to give yourself extra time to decide what you’d like to do if you don’t get accepted into the first school. You can think of these schools as reviewing applications on a first-come, first-served basis, so you’re always better off submitting your materials earlier rather than later.
There is also the assumption by many people that the rolling college application process at these schools means that everyone who applies will be accepted, but this isn’t the case. In fact, the first thing you should do after you decide which schools to apply to is to research their admissions policy so you’ll know for sure what their admissions deadlines and acceptance rates are. Even though regular decision applications (with a hard deadline) are looked at differently than rolling admissions applications are, the results are often the same – only a certain number of students will get into the college.
Other Tips You Should Remember
Some of the colleges that accept applications on a “rolling” basis include Rutgers University, Indiana University, Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, and many more you can find on this list. It’s always a good idea to check out your schools in great detail to learn about things such as their early decision process (if they have one), exactly when they start to review applications, and what they expect you to turn in along with your letter and/or application, which could include:
- Any financial aid needs you have
- Your ACT and/or SAT test scores
- A personal statement saying why you’d like to attend that school
- A college essay, which is essentially a tool to let them see your writing skills
- A list of your achievements and accomplishments
In fact, regardless of how the school you love conducts its admissions process, you have to send them materials that show off your academic and extracurricular skills and talents. Colleges have only become increasingly competitive in recent years, so the better you look on paper, the more likely you’ll be accepted.
Conclusion
A rolling admissions college sounds complicated but it really isn’t. Just keep in mind that even though it may seem like you have a lot of time to submit your college application, there is always some type of deadline. Submitting your materials as soon as you can is always the smartest thing to do, so long as you don’t compromise the quality and attention you give to producing a stellar application.
