What are the most common application deadlines?
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- Regular Decision: Students submit their applications by a specified date. The most common regular decision deadlines are January 1 and January 15.
- Rolling Admission: There is no set application deadline, but I encourage students to submit by November 1 (or mid-February at the latest).
- Early Action (EA): Students applying by this deadline will receive a decision before those applying regular decision. EA deadlines are most commonly November 1 or November 15.
- Early Decision (ED): Students applying ED commit to attend their first-choice school if admitted – the student must withdraw all other applications. This is a “binding commitment.” However, RIT has a “friendly” ED policy. Students admitted ED to RIT receive an estimated financial package and have a specified time to decide while considering affordability. The most common ED decision is November 1.
Which deadlines should you select for each college? I typically encourage my students to submit applications by the EA deadline before the holidays. It can help to reduce the stress associated with college applications. EA submissions may not increase your admission odds, especially at highly selective schools.
Note: If you are submitting ACT/SAT scores, and they do not meet or exceed the admissions profile for a college by the EA or ED deadlines, it may make sense to wait to apply early to study for and retake the exams. In this case, consider submitting the applications by the regular decision deadline.
When should I actually submit my applications? Consider submitting your applications 7-10 days before the application deadline. This way, you can be sure all required materials also “arrive” on time, such as test scores, school reports, and letters of recommendation.
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