College Application Deadlines...

It is hard to imagine that we are already nearing the first half of September. School is in high gear and seniors are busy with homework, tests, sports, other extra curricular activities, and of course spending quality time with friends. As the fall passes by please be aware of application deadlines for admission to colleges all across the country. Take a moment today and do an inventory check on where you are in the process. Maybe you have applied already and that is great. If you have not, pay attention to the deadlines as they draw near. Will you apply regular decision, early decision, or early action? Not sure about the differences? Here is a quick glimpse of each category...

Early Decision:
Early decision is a "binding" agreement between you and the college that you are applying to. You are saying that if the college accepts you through early decision you are going to attend there. Typically early decision deadlines are on November 1st. Students may apply early decision to just ONE college. If you are admitted you will have to withdraw other applications and commit to that one school. This is a great strategy for those students that know in their hearts and have made up their minds that X College is their number one school of choice and no other school out there but X College is the school that they want to attend. Students applying Early Decision in the fall will typically receive a decision before the fall semester is over.

Early Action Decision: 
Early action is a "non-binding" agreement between you and the college that you are applying to. You are telling that college by applying early action that you are "serious" about attending in the fall if admitted. If you are are admitted under early action you are not required to attend that school. Students are allowed to apply Early Action to as many schools as they wish. Students applying early action will receive a notification before those students applying regular decision. Typical Early Action deadlines occur on November 1st.

Applying early action and early decision has many benefits:

1. You are demonstrating to that college that you really want to attend their school
2. You can receive your admission decision early
3. Data will show that acceptance rates are generally higher for students applying early decision/early action versus regular decision. 

Regular Decision:

If you are weighing all of your college options and not set on one particular college(s) just yet then the regular decision option may be best suited for you. Colleges offering regular decision have specific deadlines that you must apply by.

Rolling Admissions:
Several colleges such as the University of Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and University of Arkansas operate on a rolling admissions system. As soon as you apply and your file is complete decisions are made on a rolling basis. Some colleges that have rolling admissions still have deadlines. Other colleges operating on a rolling admissions basis will enroll students until they are at capacity.

Early Decision and Early Action II:
Some colleges will offer Early Decision and Early Action II options. Students that want to showcase their fall grades from their senior year can apply ED II or EA II. Typical ED II and EA II deadlines are on January 1st or January 15th. ED II is still binding EA II is still non binding.

Restrictive Early Action:
Some colleges such as Stanford offer what is called a Restrictive Early Action option. This is a non binding agreement between you and the college BUT you must make this particular college your only early action school that you are applying to.

Below is a table of different deadlines for colleges that our students apply to. Notice that most of the early decision and early action deadlines are in November or December. Regular decision deadlines are typically in January or early February. Some schools offer just early action or early decision. Some offer both, others offer just regular decision.

Students applying to colleges that offer rolling admission decisions are encouraged to apply EARLY so that you do not miss out on scholarship opportunities and/or housing (especially if the rolling admission school is a large university).

My best advice is to check to see where you are in the process now and be aware of the deadlines approaching. Need help? Just email me at twetendorf@trinitymidland.org