Tis’ the season of college applications! Class of 2024 seniors are nearing the application deadlines for rolling and regular admission, and some students who applied early are starting to receive their decisions back from their colleges. This season is extra stressful for some students, especially as the first semester comes to an end.
Here are some of the differences of applying at different times:
Early decision is a binding contract between you and the school you are applying to. It is a legal contract that you, a parent or guardian, and school counselor have to sign. That states, if you get into this school you will attend that school the next year. Most of the students who apply early decision are applying to their dream school or somewhere they are 100% sure they want to go to. Applying early decision can also increase your chances of getting offered admission to the school. Some schools’ acceptance rate will double for early decision applicants.
Early action is non binding, and most deadlines are in mid-october to mid-november. Early action is simply applying earlier to the school, which means you might receive your acceptance or results earlier in the application process. Students that apply early action sometimes have a better chance of getting into a specific school, compared to regular decision applicants. However, applying early does not mean you will be accepted, some may get deferred, meaning their application will be pushed back and reviewed again during the regular admission. By being pushed back, you can make changes to your application and spend more time making sure your application is the best it can be.
Regular decision deadlines are typically in early-January or February. Those who apply regular get their decisions back by early April. This deadline is also non-binding, and allows the applicant to research their schools more.
Rolling admission is when the school decides to review applications upon arrival, on a rolling basis. Once you apply for rolling admission, depending on the size of the school, you might receive your decision within 4-6 weeks. Schools that have rolling admission decisions typically accept students until their class size is full for that following year.
It is important to research the schools you want to apply to. “Application deadlines are hard deadlines, if you miss the deadline, you miss the opportunity,” Mrs. Karen Young, West Po College and Career specialist said. Attending college visits at the College and Career Center or researching the school website in your free time to lookout for scholarships and other deadlines is a great way to make sure you are not missing any important details. It is never too early to start planning and deciding where you might want to apply next year.
“Organization is key” when it comes to applying, Young noted. She also said that it is important to focus on your academics, especially juniors. If you are planning to attend college after highschool, your junior year is the last full year they will look at for grades. Another important thing to keep in mind is to build relationships. Be active in your community and create connections so you have people you can ask to write recommendation letters and ask questions. Lastly, stop in at the College and Career Center. There are so many resources, even if you are not interested in college. It is good to see the options and other opportunities you might have. Mrs. Young can help you decide what path you want to take, whether it be military, trade school, 2 year university, etc. It’s important to have a plan upon graduation.
If you have any more questions on any college related information, click on the “Student Services: West Potomac High School” in Schoology. There are folders created there for each grade, and other resourceful information.