Understanding College
Admissions Decision Types:
What Parents Should Know
When it comes to applying to college, the type of admissions plan your student chooses can shape their entire application strategy. From binding agreements to rolling deadlines, each option has its own timeline, level of commitment, and advantages.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the six major decision types you’ll see on college applications:
| Admission Type | Binding? | Application Deadline | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision | Yes | Early fall of senior year | This is a binding application—if a student is accepted, they’re committed to going to that school. |
| Early Action | No | Early fall of senior year | This is similar to early decision, with the major difference being that acceptance is not binding: a student can still decide whether or not to attend. |
| Restrictive (Single Choice) Early Action | No | Early fall of senior year | Like early action, REA is non-binding, but students may only apply to one private* school with REA. They also can't apply Early Decision to other schools. Each school has its own fine print here, so read it carefully. |
| Regular Decision | No | January of senior year | This follows the standard application deadlines, which typically occurs in January during a student's senior year. |
| Rolling Admission | No | Varies | This option allows students to apply to a school at any time up to a certain date—the application will remain open and students are admitted until the institution fills its class. |
| Priority Deadline | Not Applicable | Varies | Some colleges have priority deadlines, which are not hard deadlines, but applications submitted before these dates receive priority review and merit aid. |
Understanding these options can help your family build a stronger application strategy and avoid last-minute stress. If you’d like help figuring out which approach is best for your student, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we’ll be happy to guide you.