Understanding the 4 Types of College Admissions Deadlines
College application deadlines may sound like a dry topic to some, but understanding them is crucial, and it can make a huge (and by huge, I mean HUGE) difference in your college application journey. Ready to get the lowdown on RD, EA, ED, and Rolling? Let's go!
Before I dive in, you’ll notice deadlines come with a lot of acronyms. DO NOT mix these up or it can have dire consequences, as you’ll find out.
Regular Decision (RD): The Classic Route
Let's start with the good ol' Regular Decision or RD route. This is the deadline most students opt for, and there's a reason for that. RD is kind of like the 'default setting' in the world of college admissions. It’s the later deadline, giving you more time to get your ducks in a row.
Generally, Regular Decision deadlines fall around December, January, and occasionally early February. Yes, there might be a few outliers that accept applications until May, but those are rare. Most RD deadlines cluster in December and January. Why? Because National Decision Day is May 1st. That means admissions offices need time to process tens of thousands of applications, get students decisions, and give those students time to finish tours and do more research so they are ready to give colleges notice of their decision by May 1st. If a deadline is in January, that gives the admissions office a month or two to review applications and send out acceptance letters by February or March at the latest.
Why do so many students default to the regular decision deadline? Because students are busy! (And, they don’t know any better.) School starts, you've got homecoming, games, and all the teenage shenanigans, and before you know it, October rolls around, and everyone's talking about college apps.
Real Talk: Why is RD Popular?
Most students end up applying RD because they've been putting it off. It’s like, "Oh, my buddy applied in January, so I’ve got time." It‘s the natural procrastination we all know too well. But here's why RD matters – you’re dealing with a shorter timeline to prepare all your application materials. So, while it's the go-to for many, it often means rushing to meet deadlines under pressure. In addition, most students don’t understand the downfalls of applying RD. In fact, most school counselors don’t know how big of a mistake applying RD can be. We’ll get into those details in a minute, but know most students apply RD and it’s not a great choice.
Early Decision (ED): Commitment Like No Other
Now, let's talk about Early Decision (ED). Do not – I repeat – do not confuse this with Early Action (EA). Early Decision is serious business. When you apply ED, you’re saying to a college, "I choose you, and only you." It’s (kind of) like proposing marriage – if they say yes, it’s pretty hard to back out. Also, kind of like a marriage proposal, you are only allowed to apply ED to ONE college. They don’t want you to be “committed” to two or more people at the same time.
Big Warning: Applying ED means you’re committed to attending that school, no matter what your financial aid package looks like. You won’t even have your financial aid offers until spring, so you’re jumping into this commitment somewhat blindfolded. Plus, students change their minds, and what seemed like a dream school in September might not be the same by May.
When to Consider ED?
I’ve rarely recommended ED in my entire career. Why? Because it’s risky and binding. Remember, you won’t have your financial aid offer before you get an acceptance, and you don’t want to put yourself in a financial bind if it turns out you can’t afford the college you applied ED to. If your family can pay cash upfront for a year’s worth of tuition and living expenses AND have the money available to pay for the rest of college, then maybe consider it. But honestly, how many families can do that? Not many. Plus, students almost always change their minds about their dream school.
The harsh reality is, though ED statistically might give you a slight edge at highly competitive schools (we’re talking Ivy Leagues), it doesn’t guarantee you anything. I’ve seen students apply ED to schools with a 90% acceptance rate – like, why?! If you’re in love with a school that’s not hyper-competitive, you’re likely to get in without this risky commitment.
Technically, people will tell you can get out of an ED commitment if you can’t afford it, but in practice, it’s not that easy and can be very scary. This is why I never recommend students apply ED unless:
The family can easily pay the sticker price of the college for all four years.
There is ZERO possibility the student will change their mind on their “dream school.”
Early Action (EA): The Smart Bet
Let's move to Early Action (EA) – my personal favorite. EA is all about getting your stuff in early without the weighty commitment of ED. Deadlines for EA are usually around November 1st for most schools, although you might find some on November 15th or even December 1st. But, November 1 is the golden day. These past couple of years, more and more colleges are making October 15th their EA deadline.
Here’s the scoop on Early Action. Statistically, it boosts your chances of admission by about 30%. Now, my experience varies – sometimes it’s higher, sometimes lower, but generally, EA is a smart move. You can’t increase your GPA at this point to make yourself more competitive, but you can make a earlier deadline!
And oh, the perks! More money! Colleges work in academic years, not calendar years. In November, colleges have a full pot of funds, compared to the dwindling resources by April or May. The earlier you apply, the better your chances of snagging those scholarships and financial aid. In addition, many colleges have separate scholarship deadlines that come BEFORE regular decision deadlines, so you can miss the opportunity for private scholarships the university offers outside of financial aid. For example:
College of Awesome Students Deadlines:
November 1st- Early Action Deadline
December 1st- Scholarship Application Deadline
February 1st- Regular Decision Deadline
See how you would miss the scholarship deadline if you applied RD?
Also, and this is huge – the stress relief! College applications are stressful, and having acceptances in hand by mid-senior year is a gigantic weight lifted off your shoulders.
Most of my students have at least some acceptance letters in August before their senior year even starts. Yes, you read that right, August! Imagine walking into the first day of school knowing you’ve already got a spot secured. It’s a game-changer. Who doesn’t want that?
Rolling Admission: Flexibility at Its Best
Rolling deadlines are a bit more flexible. Schools review applications as they come in, which means if you apply early on, you can get your decisions way before the official deadlines. It’s like first-come, first-served in the world of college admissions.
How Rolling Admission Works:
Even though schools might have a final deadline, applying sooner can work significantly in your favor. Many schools operate with rolling admissions, which means you can get your decision earlier, leaving you with less worry and more time to plan. However, some schools prefer to review all applications at once after the final deadline to pick the creme de la creme. These schools do not work on rolling admission.
Many colleges work on EA, RD, and rolling deadlines. Remember when I said most of my students have several acceptance letters in August before school even starts? Many of those schools have an EA deadline of November 1st (meaning an application can’t be submitted after this date), but work on rolling admissions. So, when an application gets turned in on, say, August 15th (WAY before the November 1st deadline), the college reviews the application as it “rolls in,” in this case, soon after August 15th. Since admissions officers don’t have many applications at that time, they can review that student’s file quickly, and send out an acceptance within a few days. Now, that’s winning!
Avoiding the Rush and System Crashes
Alright, let's sum up why early is almost always better. Besides the much higher acceptance rates and possibility of extra money, the platforms you'll use to submit your applications (like the Common App) start glitching about two weeks before deadlines. I'm talking crashes, lost information, the works – pure chaos.
Every student in the country dragged their feet and is feeling the heat of deadlines two weeks before it’s due, so ALL those tens of thousands of students are trying to get into the applications at the same time.
I always push my students to submit their applications by the end of August or start of September. Why? Let’s face it, students are busy starting school and go MIA the first few weeks of September, so that time almost doesn’t count. Then, BOOM, it’s October and the clock is ticking. Come October, those systems start acting up, and trying to pull everything together close to the deadline is a recipe for stress and disaster.
A piece of advice- if you procrastinate and the system is glitchy, you need to miss school. Get into the system in the morning. After school and on the weekends, everyone is trying to get in and the system gets overloaded, especially if you’re on the west coast as students from other time zones will be logged in ahead of you. I personally won’t go anywhere near the Common App after October 15th after 1:00 PST. And, after about October 20th, you’re on your own. The glitching is too stressful for me and completely avoidable.
The Hidden Timeline Crunch: The Other People You Need
When you aim to submit early, you give yourself breathing room. I can't stress enough how hectic the months leading up to deadlines are for counselors, college admissions officers, and private consultants like me. If you think two weeks before the deadline is early, think again. There are thousands of students doing the same thing, and we're all juggling a million things at once. Think of it like tax season for a CPA. Getting serious about your taxes on April 1st might seem early to you, but your CPA is swamped and probably won’t be able to help you until June.
It's also not just about submitting your application. There’s always a last-minute requests for information, a needed letter of recommendation, or a question that only the admissions office can answer. If you’re scrambling in the final weeks, getting those pieces together can be a nightmare, and you’ll likely miss the deadline as teachers and school counselors have a million other things on their to-do lists.
Your Roadmap to Success
So, there you have it – the nitty-gritty on RD, ED, EA, and Rolling Admissions. If you take away anything from this, remember: early applications = less stress, better chances, and more money. Get your applications together early, avoid the tech glitches, and give yourself the best possible shot at securing those coveted college acceptance letters.
PRO TIP: If you use the summer well, it’s very easy to make these deadlines. The biggest mistake I see students and parents make is poorly planning summer break. The summer from junior year going into senior year is NOT the year to plan the 4-week trip to Europe or attend a specialty camp. It is also not the summer to try to work full-time, or do anything that consumes your schedule. I repeat DO NOT plan big trips that summer or overcommit to work or other activities. You need the time for college stuff.
Remember, friends, your future is bright, and with a little bit of planning and effort, you’ll be opening those acceptance letters in no time.
Need more guidance? Want to stay on track and ensure you don’t miss any critical steps? I’ve got something special for you. Check this link for my signature College Timeline, complete with a detailed video and PDF guide. It'll walk you through every step from 8th grade to move-in day at college. Stick it on your fridge or your family bulletin board and stay ahead of the game.
For even more helpful information, be sure to check out the detailed video I’ve created! 🎥 It dives deeper into the topic and includes additional insights that may help you. Click here to watch!
