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For the student who waits until the last moment or who is unsure of where they would like to attend college, then a rolling admission program may be ideal. A lot of schools offer this as a way to entice more students to apply to their school, without the stress of a deadline. Rolling admission also alleviates the senior year pressure, as you are not under major admission deadlines.
What is Rolling Admission?
Rolling admission is offered by some schools as a way to open up the admission period for incoming students. Instead of a standard deadline for applications, they will accept applications over a longer time frame, usually 4-6 months, until the incoming class is filled. You will receive notice of a decision shortly after your application, no matter when you submit it. There are advantages and disadvantages to rolling admission that should be considered ahead of time.
PROS
- Since there is no standard deadline, you have a longer period of time to complete your application and submit it to your intended school. This is perfect for the student who is looking for backup schools in case they are not admitted to their first choice. It leaves them plenty of time to apply to another school before the end of their senior year of high school.
- Less pressure. Since there is no standard deadline, students do not feel like they are pressured to hurry up and write that winning essay and they have time to boost up their GPA before submitting their high school transcripts to their intended college.
CONS
- Since Rolling Admission has such a wide open admission period, students who wait until the very end may be denied as the school may have filled their limit of incoming freshman.
- Most colleges have an allotted amount of money for grants and scholarships for incoming students, however these funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis to eligible students, so the student who waits until the last minute may miss out on money that would otherwise help pay for their tuition.
- On campus housing assignments are awarded early, so if you wait until the last minute to apply to a school, you may not be eligible for housing or you may be put on a dorm waiting list. This could pose a problem for the student who applies to a school out-of-state and who would otherwise need on-campus living arrangements.
- Although a school offers rolling admission that does not mean that they prefer students to wait until the last minute. If you apply during the normal deadline, you will stand out as a more dedicated, and conscientious student.
Applying as a rolling admission candidate can be beneficial to certain students. For example, if you are going to be a commuting student and you will most likely be funding your tuition with loans, then this type of admission program would be perfect. Otherwise, it is recommended that you apply to your intended school(s), early enough to be considered for grants, scholarships, and on campus housing.
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