If you are a junior in high school, chances are you have already grappled with the decision to go to college. As you progress to your senior year, you need to have made the choice of a particular learning institution sooner rather than later. Typically, undergoing such processes requires you to observe the deadlines stated by the various educational centers you want to join. However, there are options such as the Rolling Admission that allow you to forget about the time constraints that come with making your selection.
This article delves into what the Rolling Admissions are all about. Learn the useful tips that will help you ensure that you to be seriously considered for the spot you want to fill. Also, we shall elaborate on preparing yourself, the advantages you will enjoy, along with the demerits of the program. Read on to find out more.
Understanding The Application Procedure
So, what is Rolling Admission? Here, any requests for candidature are taken into consideration as they continue to come in from hopeful students. Unlike the Early Action and Early Decision selection criteria, the Rolling Admissions apply to the schools as opposed to students. This means scholars need to confer with their chosen learning institution to find out if they use this procedure to review applications.
Consequently, it is not a choice that a student necessarily makes. They merely conform to the way their selection wants the whole process to work. So, it is best to start with your school of choice before embarking on sending your documents to them.
Ideally, deadlines do not seem to apply to this method of trying to get into your college of choice. Still, when you decide to send your papers in as soon as you can as this will have a bearing on when you will receive a reply about your application. This differs from the other approaches available where the school closes the admitting window and then reviews the applications.
How long does the reviewing process take? Typically, universities and college admission boards would review your candidature in 4 to 8 weeks after sending in your documents. However, some institutions are prompt with their replies. For them, aspiring students would get to hear from them in the first two weeks of submitting their application.
Education centers that employ this admission method announce that they are receiving applications from Sept. 1. There are occasions where all the possible positions have not been filled by the spring season. For these cases, the admission process may still continue, and the board would try to get the best candidates for those posts at this time. Nevertheless, the standard time that you will get your documents checked out ranges from September to early March. Ostensibly, you have more than 6 months to complete your request and receive a reply. With this generous time frame, you have time on your side.
In some cases of using Rolling Admissions, there are specific timelines that you need to pay attention to. Priority deadlines are typically set on when it is most opportune to send in your application. If the school you want to enroll in is competitive, submitting your request before the stated time can significantly increase your chances of being chosen. This is because the open positions would typically get filled quickly.
So, your best chance for enrollment hinges on you observing the priority deadline stated. However, if there are still spots to occupy, you would always be in the running for being accepted when you send in your papers after the date set by the admitting committee.
Colleges and Universities Accepting Applicants on a Rolling Basis
Dealing with deadlines can be a source of significant stress for students. However, schools that allow scholars to send in their documents on a rolling basis tend to take the burden of constricting timelines off their shoulders. Of course, using this procedure is beneficial to the institutions. Instead of sitting down after a deadline to check all the applications, the admitting committee can work on filling positions as soon as they come in. On the other hand, staffing issues may prompt schools to opt for this procedure.
Furthermore, receiving applications early on comes with an exciting take on the admission process. For starters, acceptance is not typically done based on how one candidate compares to another. Checking applications of all the aspirants means that the admitting board is looking for the best possible fit. Secondly, the merits of a student are considered objectively in terms of their performance while in school. This specificity in checking the candidate could be beneficial for students.
Nevertheless, you can still make your interest known to the following rolling admission colleges.
- Arizona State University
- Indiana University-Bloomington
- Loyola Marymount
- Michigan State University
- University of Alabama
- University of Maine
- University of Tulsa
The list above is not exhaustive, as many others offer similar opportunities. You can find a more comprehensive list here. In any case, the onus is still on the student to investigate the procedures that their school of choice employs. Research can save you plenty of time and stress.
The Best Time to Send in Your Application
As mentioned above, colleges that rely on the rolling process for governing their admission of new students do not evaluate a student in the holistic sense. This entails comparing and contrasting two scholars in terms of their qualifications and character. Instead, they tend to examine the academic prowess of the individual applicant and if they can fill the available slot adequately.
As the adage goes, ‘the early bird catches the worm.’ So, make sure you send in your documents as soon as possible. Besides, there are priority deadlines where those who made their submissions before the date get utmost consideration for the empty spots. It will help if you set your own deadline instead of waiting until the end of the process since it is continuous. Jan. 1 is an excellent personal time frame to arrange for sending in such applications.
Competitiveness of the available positions could mean that you miss out on your opportunity. Hence, time is of the essence despite the lack of a defined timeline. Plus, fast requests translate to prompt responses. So, you can have enough time to pursue alternative options or putting your things in order. Moreover, the necessary documents that you need to prepare are:
- Your test results in either the SAT or ACT examinations.
- A letter of recommendation from your teacher.
- An original personal essay.

Preparing Yourself for Rolling Admissions Processes
Academics are often the core requirements for seeking out your higher education. Mostly, two vital examinations weigh in significantly on the choice the admitting committee makes. It would be best if you understood the two and how you can decide on which test is best. The Scholastic Assessment Test or the SAT has a maximum of 2400 marks you can score. The American College Testing, abbreviated as the ACT, has 36 as the highest score you can attain. The student has to contend with four sections on the later:
- English
- Math
- Reading
- Science
- An optional essay
On the other hand, you also have four different options for the SAT:
- Reading
- Writing
- Math without using a calculator
- Math with the aid of a calculator
- An optional essay.
Generally, you can take these tests on multiple occasions until you attain a score you are comfortable with. When dealing with applying through the rolling format, you need to establish if there is a priority deadline first. If one exists, you have the opportunity to take these tests twice in your last year of high school. Typically, the timing of the examinations occurs in either September or October. This is because priority deadlines are often placed at the end of November. Thus, you will have enough time to get the results back and decide if they warrant sending the application right away.
However, preparing for sending your request to join a school should start earlier than your senior year. A 10th-grade student can sit for the test. So, they will have the chance to re-sit for the paper, in the following year, if they are not satisfied with their first scores. Moreover, the best part about the rolling way of college applications is that you can still manage to fit in another attempt at the tests if you are aiming to show your interest in January. In any case, academic requirements are still a small part of the preparation process.
All About the Letters of Recommendation
Sure, you might have sent in your application showing off your academic aptitude to the admitting board. However, how well you did in school is only part of the process. Your character is another aspect that the review board will want to figure out. To get this information, they require the document—a letter of recommendation—to accompany your application.
Ideally, elaborations on the kind of person you are should not come from a friend or family member. Since these people can be biased in their opinion of your abilities and skills, a teacher is the next best option. Your instructors are aware of the responsibility they hold about assisting you in getting into the school you want. Still, it would help if you told them about your request at least an entire month before the deadline you set for yourself for applying.
Keep in mind that you will not be the only person asking a teacher to craft this letter for you. Thus, ask early enough to give them time to get to your document before the time you intend to hand it in. If you had not formed a friendly relationship with any of your teachers, you do not need to worry. You can set meetings with them and talk about your passion for pursuing higher education. These meet-ups can help gel your personal essay and a letter of recommendation. Consequently, you can weave a coherent idea of who you are by ensuring the two align.
Crafting Your Personal Essay Competently
While your instructor has their work cut out for them, you need to attend to writing your personal statement. Start preparations for this task as early as the previous year so that you do not craft this paper in a rush. Familiarize yourself with the essay prompts so that you can have a clear understanding of what is required from you by the admitting committee.
Finding a suitable topic can be problematic. The restrictive word count makes it tricky to compress a profound life experience in the write-up. So, if you are having problems with this process, EssayEdge has the best solutions for you. Their services are fulfilled by experienced professionals who focus on ensuring you get a terrific chance for consideration. They take their time with your task to make sure that it is impeccable and original.
Students may fear to trust a writing website because of plagiarism and receiving their papers late. An excellently written personal essay may tarnish your hopes of enrollment if it is not unique. So, you need to find a company that takes original submissions seriously. On the other hand, timely delivery is a vital part of any academic assignment. Although rolling methods do not have deadlines, sending your application early dramatically increases your chances of gaining acceptance.
Setting your own deadline can be beneficial. Nevertheless, if the solutions you decide to work with do not respect these timelines, you can lose out on the school of your dreams. With the company, your worries of late submissions are laid to rest! Their experts are pacey writers who can maintain the excellent quality of their write-up in the process. Contact them now and get to enjoy a hassle-free customer experience at an affordable rate. Besides, you need to get the best chances of fulfilling your dreams by being adequately prepared for putting your best foot forward.
Leave a Reply