What is Rolling Admissions | How and when to Apply 2023

What is Rolling Admissions: When it is time to apply to a school of higher learning, most students often worry about the admission deadlines of their preferred colleges.

Of course, if you are to get into the school of your choice, you need to send in your application for consideration before the deadline set by the school before you are either accepted or denied admission.

While worrying about deadlines is the order of the day, students applying to colleges and universities with rolling admission policies have a different outlook and never have to worry about that. Usually they have up to 6 months to finalize their admission application and get a response within 4 to 6 weeks. 

While many do not know about this opportunity, others who know about it do not know how to utilize it and the advantages it brings to their doorstep. 

Rolling admissions is an admission process that allows prospective students to send in their application for consideration and affords them a wide time frame ro edit, improve and add to their application.

This structure allows schools to receive and respond to college applications during a larger window of time. 

Understanding this concept of admission will help you spread your admission across boards to schools that you are considering.

Here is this guide we expound more on all you need to know about the rolling admissions policy, how it works and colleges that utilize this process.

Also we have answered the questions on what you stand to gain through this process and why you should not consider. All these will equip you to make an informed decision on your academic journey.

Welcome Aboard Scholar!!!

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What Is Rolling Admissions?

If you’ve ever done research on a school and you see they have a long time frame to consider any admission application that means the school offers rolling admissions. 

Rolling admissions simply means that a certain college, school or university reviews admission applications on an ongoing basis. Any school that engages in rolling admissions allows all applicants to submit their application within a wider time frame and the admission officers review students’ applications as they receive them. 

This means that rather than one deadline to review all applications sent in by prospective students, admissions officers will review applications throughout a certain admission application timeframe, typically from Summer to Spring or a 6 months interval. 

This is usually in contrast to schools who engage in the traditional college admissions process where all applicants have to submit all application requirements before the deadline before their application is reviewed by the school’s admission committee. 

Within 4-6 weeks after reviewing admission applications, schools that engage in rolling admissions send out admission decisions to students who have been accepted into the college. 

However, keep in mind that any school that engages in rolling admissions policies maintains priority deadlines, so you should stick to it. 

How Exactly Does Rolling Admissions Works?

The main difference between rolling admission and the traditional application system is that applicants can continue to work on their application and submit even after they have sent it in for consideration. Secondly, it takes just 4 to 6 weeks to get a response for schools that engage in rolling admission.  

Besides these, you can apply that there is not much difference between schools that engage in the rolling admission policy and those that don’t. Both can follow the same method for application through the Common App, Coalition App, or the school’s personal application portal.

Who Should Consider Applying For A Rolling Admission?

Although rolling admission sounds like a cool option, not all people should focus on a school rolling admission. Rolling admission benefits people who do not have all their application requirements ready. Therefore they need a wide timeframe to improve on their grades and test scores before the final application.

Also, rolling admission is okay for those who want a safety or back up option especially if you’re waiting to hear from your top choice schools that might be more selective. 

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What Are The Advantages Of Applying To A School With Rolling Admissions?

Most students prefer to apply to schools that engage in the rolling admission policy because of its wide time frame of accepting specified admission requirements. This gives them enough time to put together the requirements they couldn’t get ready on time. 

Beyond that here are some of the reasons why you should consider a school that engage in rolling admissions policies when applying for further studies;

#1. Students Have A High Chance Of Getting Into The School.

Schools with rolling admission policies offer students a higher chance of getting admission compared to schools that use the traditional admission process.  

Also, if you apply early during a rolling admissions cycle when the majority of the admission slots are open gives you a high chance of getting into the school as long as your application measures up to the school’s standard.

#2. Students Have A Chance To Spread Their Application Tentacles.

Because gaining admission into any of the schools of higher learning can be quite a difficult task because most of the schools are very selective. 

Exploring the option of rolling admissions will help students to stretch their admission application to their selected schools of choice. 

They can leverage the sizable application window to first apply to the school at the top of their list through early action application and then spread their tentacles to colleges with rolling admission. This gives them more time to finish up any applications.

#3. Application Is Less Stressful With Colleges That Engage In Rolling Admissions

Because you have 6 months ahead of you to complete your admission application, the application is less stressful and less time consuming. And thankfully, colleges with rolling admission policies look at applications as they come in.

If you’re in senior year when you send in your application to schools with the rolling admission policy, you’ll likely get an admission decision sooner which will help you find out whether you’ve been accepted or not.

#4. Students Have More Time To Work On Their Applications.

The time frame for application review for colleges with rolling admissions policy is 6 months or from summer to spring. Therefore, students have enough time to work on various aspects of their application either to improve their grades, review their personal statement, and bring up their standardized test scores. 

In other words there is enough time to edit, revise, and make sure your rolling admission applications are perfect. 

#5. Colleges With Rolling Admission Consider Your Application Alongside Few Other Applications

Because your application is reviewed in batches, your application is not compared alongside all applications. Decisions are made based on the number of spots that remain which means that the earlier you apply the less students you are competing with for admission. 

#5. Admission Decision Emails Are Sent Earlier Than In The Traditional Admission Policy

Another great advantage of rolling admissions is that you’ll hear back much sooner than schools that are waiting to receive all of their applications. You can expect to hear back with a decision from the school within six weeks. 

What Are The Disadvantages Of Applying To A School With Rolling Admissions?

Although schools with rolling admission policies have a lot of advantages that make them a viable option for most students, something’s stand as a drawback. Students who want to leverage the option of rolling admissions policy should be aware of the following downsides of applying to colleges with this policy;

#1. Admission Spots In Colleges With Rolling Admissions Fill Up Quickly.

Schools with the rolling admission policy offer a lot of advantages and relief to students. This exceptional attribute draws the attention of most applicants who take up most of the spots.

So chances are that those applying later in the application cycle will face stiffer competition for the remaining spots. This in turn leads to admission denial for qualified candidates who wait until the 11th hour to apply.

#2. Rolling Admission Schools Have Set Priority Deadlines.

Although most of these schools review applications as they come, it does not mean they are always open to review applications all year long.  

Some colleges with rolling admission policies set a priority deadline and only offer admission to students who submit their applications before the deadline. Once the deadline has been stated, you won’t gain any extra time to apply.

#3. Students Have More Opportunity To Procrastinate.

Because students have a long time frame to fashion their application to the perfect taste this allows for more chances to procrastinate. If tomorrow is not the due date why bother yourself.

However, keep in mind that the earlier you complete your application, the sooner you hear back from the school, and the higher the chance you have of being accepted. 

30 Colleges With Rolling Admissions Policy

Not all schools engage in the rolling admission policy. If you do decide to apply to rolling admission schools, there are quite a lot of amazing schools that use this admission application process. 

Because rolling admission schools are a great way to maximize your chances of getting accepted and spread out your application workload, here is a list of colleges and universities that of offer rolling admissions:

• Eckerd College
• Lynn University
• Spelman College
• Duque University
• La Salle University
• University of Tulsa
• University of Maine
• St. John’s University
• University of Oregon
• University of Florida
• Marquette University
• Iowa State University
• University of Alabama
• University of Maryland
• Kansas State University
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Cincinnati
• New College of Florida
• Arizona State University
• Florida Atlantic University
• Humboldt State University
• Michigan State University
• Loyola University Chicago
• Washington State University
• The University of Mississippi
• Pennsylvania State University
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• Johnson and Wales University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• University of Colorado – Denver
• Brooklyn College, City University of New York

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Frequently Asked Questions About A School With Rolling Admission

What Is The Difference Between Rolling Admission And Regular Decision?

The major difference between rolling admission and regular decision is that rolling admission colleges have a wide timeframe to review admission applications while regular decision has a specific deadline to review application.

Is There A Difference Between Rolling Admission vs. Early Action?

Yes, early action admission differs from rolling admission in that through early action admission students can apply for admission and get an admission decision quickly usually during winter. This admission process also allows you to submit your application earlier, usually in November. 

On the other hand, there is no specific deadline for application for schools that offer rolling admission. 

Is It Easier To Make It Into College Via Rolling Admission?

One of the advantages of rolling admissions is that it gives you a higher chance of getting acceptance into college but that is not a surety that you will be accepted.

To improve your chances, you need to apply earlier in the application cycle due to the larger number of open spots available at that time. 

When Does A School With Rolling Admissions Open Application?

Colleges with rolling admissions often open their application cycles around September 1 and continue well into the spring term.

What Is The Difference Between Rolling Notifications And Rolling Deadlines?

There exists a notable difference between rolling notifications and rolling deadlines.

A rolling deadline simply means there is no set application deadline for admission. In other words, students can apply to any school whenever they want. 

On the other hand, a rolling notification means that a school will inform applicants of its admission decision after a set deadline. Colleges that utilize the rolling notification process usually contact the strongest candidates first and continue to do so until all available slots have been filled.

Interestingly, most schools utilize both the rolling deadlines and rolling notifications while some just stick to one of them in addition to maintaining a priority application deadline for admission and/or scholarships.

Conclusion

Rolling admissions presents in itself a viable option for most students. Carefully consider the colleges that accept admission through this process and send in your application. Keep in mind that although there is no deadline attached, most colleges still maintain their priority deadline.

We hope this guide was educational and enlightening. Please, follow our Facebook page and YouTube Channel for more information about academic related contents that will help you make informed decisions on your academic journey.

Good luck Scholar!!!

References

• What Is Rolling Admission and Why It Matters
• What Is Rolling Admission and How Does It Work?
• Rolling Admission: How It Works and When To Apply

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