Every senior is all too familiar with the anxiety of college applications. After all of the initial effort associated with college applications– resumes, essays, and standardized tests– one might think they have finished all of the hard work.
However, for many, the real stress lies in the anticipation. Once students submit their applications, it’s out of their hands; they must simply sit around, waiting for colleges to release their decisions.
Colleges release their decisions in multiple ways: rolling admissions, early action, early decision, and regular decision. All these variations offer different benefits and drawbacks to the average senior applying to college.
Rolling Admissions:
What it means:
Students submit their applications as soon as they have completed the required materials. Then, within a few weeks, prospective students are able to see whether or not they got in.
Popular colleges in North Carolina with rolling admissions:
- Campbell University
- East Carolina University
- Wingate University
- University of North Carolina Asheville
Benefits:
- Colleges produce decisions on an accelerated timeline.
- As decisions are returned within a few weeks, colleges can ease a student’s anxiety surrounding the anticipation of decision results.
Drawbacks:
- If students apply extremely early in the application process, it’s possible that colleges will not be able to see an updated transcript of senior year classes
- Students have less time to take or retake the SAT or ACT before applying
Early Action:
What it means:
Colleges assign an early action deadline, typically in October or December. If students reach this deadline, they will receive their decision anywhere from the middle of December to late January. If a student discovers they got in to a college, they can still decide to attend another college if they want to and are not obligated to attend a college that they applied to early action.
Popular colleges in North Carolina with early action deadlines:
- Certain University of North Carolina schools (Chapel Hill, Wilmington)
- Elon
- Meredith College
Benefits:
- Students have an expected timeline where you can expect to receive your decision, and can (hopefully) not start to stress about your acceptance until the expected release date
- If a student suffers from senioritis, colleges won’t be able to see their fall grades before they make a decision.
Drawbacks:
- A student has to wait a longer time to find out whether or not they are accepted, while their classmates who applied to colleges with rolling admissions have all received their decisions.
- Early action students must complete required materials earlier, and the chances of getting in early action are not that different from regular decisions.
Early Decision:
What it means:
Similar to Early Action, students apply to a college early decision in October or November and receive decisions in the middle of December to late January. However, if you get into a college applying early decision, the decision is binding–you have to attend the college or pay a fine.
Popular colleges in North Carolina with early decision deadlines:
- Duke University
- Davidson University
- Wake Forest University
Benefits:
- Many believe that a student is more likely to be accepted into a university if they apply early decision because it shows that they are dedicated to that school.
- Students have an expected timeline where you can expect to receive your decision, and can (hopefully) not start to stress about your acceptance until the expected release date
- If a student is suffering from senioritis, colleges won’t be able to see their fall grades before they make a decision.
Drawbacks:
- You must attend the university if you get in.
- A student has to wait a longer time to find out whether or not they are accepted, while their classmates who applied to colleges with rolling admissions have all received their decisions.
Regular Decision:
What it means:
Regular decision applications are essentially the same as early decision, but the entire timeline is pushed back. Students must apply by January or February, and receive decisions by March or April.
Popular colleges in North Carolina with regular admissions:
- Most University of North Carolina schools
- North Carolina State University
- West Carolina University
Benefits:
- Students have time to apply for financial aid while receiving their decisions.
- If a student is a dedicated senior with strong first semester grades (and I applaud you if you are), then colleges can see fall grades when making their decision.
Drawbacks:
- If, like most, a senior suffers from senioritis, then colleges can view a senior’s not-so-strong fall semester grades.
- Students have to wait for the decisions for a long time, while anxiety and anticipation levels remain high.
No matter how a student applies to college, the stress and anxiety of applying to college is always worth it in the long run as a student moves on to the next chapter of their lives.
Leave a Reply