Applying to college is easier said than done, and doing so involves a significant choice as to whether to apply regular admission, early action, early decision, or rolling admission. Here, I’ll cover what these terms mean and offer advice on which plan to apply under.
College admissions plans fall under two broad categories: restrictive and non-restrictive. Restrictive plans, as their name implies, limit your options but have their advantages. Non-restrictive plans allow you to keep your options wide open and are often the wisest plans to choose.
Non-restrictive college application plans
Most students choose one of these plans. For information on what application plans specific colleges and universities offer, refer to their websites.
Regular Decision
Most applicants to college should choose this plan. It’s by far the most common. Students apply by a specific date, often in January or February, and receive admissions decisions around a specific time, often in March or April. You can apply to as many colleges under the Regular Decision plan as you’d like. Many students apply to 6 to 8 colleges under this plan.
Rolling Admission
Not all colleges and universities offer rolling admission, but many do. Under this plan, applications are reviewed as they’re submitted, and students can submit applications at any time or within a specific window of time. Again, check college and university websites for details on whether those colleges offer rolling admission.
Restrictive college application plans
Students should be aware that by applying under these college application plans, they’re making a commitment to a specific school.
Early Decision
This is the most common restrictive college application plan. Students choose one college–their top choice–and submit their application to that college in November. They enter into a binding contract to enroll at that college if accepted. Admissions decisions for the Early Decision plan are usually made in December. Students may only apply Early Decision to one college or university, and should only apply Early Decision if they know for a fact they have the desire and financial means to attend that college. Important note: Do not mistakenly believe that you must apply Early Decision to earn a spot at one of the nation’s top colleges: this is a myth.
Restrictive Early Action
Students are restricted to applying Early Action to one school only, but do not enter into a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
To sum it up: if you know exactly where you want to go and know that you can go there, apply Early Decision or Restrictive Early Action. If you want to be ahead of the game and have a good idea of where you’d like to go, apply Early Action. If you’re applying at a time other than the fall or are in a hurry, choose Rolling Admission. And if you really want to weigh your options, go with the most common application plan, Regular Decision. Students have an equal shot at admission under any plan.
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Additional Resources: “Winning College Scholarships for High Schoolers” Video Course