College Applications Fact Sheet
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
TYPES OF APPLICATIONS:
At first glance, college applications may seem quite simple — but look again! You need to read the fine print and understand the various types of college admissions options. Here are the primary admission options you will encounter:
Early Decision (ED)
This admission option is designed for students who have researched colleges, have a clear first-choice school, and are willing to forsake all others for their #1 choice. Early Decision requires that students agree to attend this school if accepted, and must withdraw any other applications to other schools. This is a binding decision. You can only apply to one college Early Decision. Choose this option carefully.
Early Action (EA)
Similar to Early Decision, students apply by an early deadline; however, students are not bound to attend the school if accepted. Students can apply Early Action to more than one university unless it is Restrictive Early Action, in which case they can apply to only one Early Action school and no Early Decision schools. Students learn of the college’s decision in December with no requirement to decide until later.
Regular Decision (RD)
Regular Decision is the most common type of application. Colleges provide a deadline to submit applications and the admissions board reviews applications to make decisions prior to sending out acceptance or rejection letters. Students have until May 1 to make a decision.
Rolling Admission
Many large universities offer Rolling Admission. This type of application allows students to apply any time between September and July. Applications are evaluated as they are received, and admission decisions are sent as soon as they are available. Often, schools operate on a first-come-first-served basis, so it makes sense to apply early.
Deferred Admission
Deferred Admission is when a school reviews an application but chooses to wait to make a final decision. Colleges might want to see a student’s mid-year grades, additional SAT or ACT scores, or other additional information. If a student is deferred from Early Decision or Early Action, his application may be converted to a Regular Decision type. Students should promptly reply with the additional requested information to speed up the college’s decision.
Action Steps:
- Download and review the College Applications fact sheet.
- Download and share with your parent or guardian the Before You Apply parent article.
- Upload the fact sheet and parent article to your Unit 10 folder.
