Rolling Admissions: 10 Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Rolling Admissions?

Colleges and universities with a rolling admissions policy evaluate applications as they receive them. They release admissions decisions regularly -- sometimes daily -- as opposed to sending all out on one specific day.

If you apply earlier, you'll receive your decision earlier," says Kellie Kane, associate vice provost for enrollment and executive director of admissions at the University of Pittsburgh.

That means these schools will continue accepting applications until all spots in an incoming class are filled.

Do Rolling Admissions Colleges Have Any Deadlines?

Some colleges with rolling admissions have a priority application deadline. Prospective students who submit an application by this deadline are guaranteed to receive an admissions decision by a specific date.

At Pennsylvania State University--University Park, for example, a student who applies by Dec. 1 will hear back from the school by Jan. 31, with the exception of a few programs.

Applicants should review other types of deadlines too, since schools may dole out other resources such as financial aid or housing on a first-come, first-served basis. For example, the University of Pittsburgh has a priority deadline for merit scholarships.

"It doesn't mean they won't be considered for scholarships later," says Marc Harding, vice provost for enrollment at Pitt. "But we do have a priority deadline."

Schools may also have a priority date for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, experts say.

[Read: Everything You Need to Know About the 2020-2021 FAFSA.]

A college's website will usually have deadline information, says Krista Medionte-Phillips, director of undergraduate admissions for Binghamton University--SUNY. If prospective students can't find what they need there, they should contact the admissions office, she says.

When Is the Best Time to Apply to College Under Rolling Admissions?

Timing is important when applying to schools with rolling admissions. As classes fill up, fewer spots remain.

"It is best to apply sooner rather than later," Yvonne Gaudelius, associate vice president and senior associate dean for undergraduate education at Penn State, wrote in an email. "As universities fill their classes it may become more difficult to be admitted."

But students shouldn't sacrifice quality. "You never want to submit a rushed or slightly less complete application just for the sake of submitting it early," says Zach Wielgus, a master college admissions counselor at IvyWise, a New York-based education consulting company. In particular, he says, applicants should consider whether they want to apply a bit later in the school year to include senior-year grades.

However, the novel coronavirus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19, altered the school year for many students.

"For students who wanted a strong second half of junior year to improve the quality of their application, they are potentially now relying on an excellent first half of senior year due to COVID-19's influence and interruption," Wielgus wrote in an email. "Submit your application when you can show your strongest academic performance, even if that means sacrificing the slight advantage of applying earlier in the cycle."

What Is the Latest Date I Can Submit My College Application?

For students who get a late start on the college application process or those who realize that other schools they applied to aren't a good fit, institutions with rolling admissions offer last-minute options, Wielgus says.

Many colleges with rolling admissions don't have a hard cutoff date and they will continue accepting applications until the incoming class is filled. Medionte-Phillips says prospective students can check a school's website to see if it's still taking applications.

[Read: 3 Times When Applying Late to College Makes Sense.]

When Will I Receive an Admissions Decision?

The timing of an admissions decision depends on a number of factors, such as the program a student is applying to and the number of applications a school receives at a particular time, Gaudelius says.

"At Penn State, if a high school student completes their application by November 1 of their senior year, in most cases they will have an admission decision no later than December 24," she says. "If an applicant completes their application after November 1 of their senior year, they will typically have an admission decision within six to eight weeks."

Wielgus says the average turnaround time for rolling admissions decisions by colleges is about four to six weeks.

Are Rolling Admissions Decisions Binding?

Rolling admissions decisions are nonbinding, experts say. Freshman applicants admitted to schools with rolling admissions usually don't have to decide whether to enroll until May 1, often referred to as National College Decision Day. The timing for 2020 was pushed back at some colleges, where the deposit deadline was shifted to June 1 or later due to the uncertainty that the COVID-19 crisis caused for families.

What Is the Difference Between Early Action and Rolling Admissions?

Early action allows students to apply and receive an admissions decision earlier than those who apply regular decision. These policies vary by school.

Generally when applying for early action, students must meet a hard deadline, Wielgus says. And schools will often release early action decisions on a set date as opposed to rolling them out over time, he says.

Are There Disadvantages to Rolling Admissions?

Admissions experts say the main downside of rolling admissions is that qualified students who apply later in the application cycle may not be accepted to certain programs or universities because the incoming class is full.

[See: Top 12 National Universities With Rolling Admissions.]

How Can I Tell If a College Has Rolling Admissions?

"School websites are the best source of information about their application requirements and deadlines," Gaudelius says.

The Common Application and Coalition Application also have deadline information -- or links to such information -- for member schools.

Which Colleges Offer Rolling Admissions?

The table below includes the 127 ranked National Universities -- schools that offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master's and doctoral programs, and typically emphasize research -- that have rolling admissions, according to U.S. News data. This is not a comprehensive list of all institutions that have rolling admissions.

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