What Is Rolling Admissions and How Does It Work?

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Many colleges and universities use a rolling admissions policy, but what does rolling admissions mean?

In the traditional college admissions process, you must submit all application materials by a set deadline before your application will be reviewed by the school. In contrast, colleges with rolling admissions review applications as they come in, allowing you to submit your application within a wider time frame.

Many universities with rolling admissions are also open admissions or open enrollment. This means they admit 100% of the students who apply.

Applying early through with rolling admissions could potentially increase your chances of acceptance and access to resources such as financial aid and housing. We’ll dive into the details of rolling admissions and its advantages, as well as provide tips for submitting your application early.

Rolling admissions is a unique application process utilized by some colleges. Instead of waiting to review all applications after a specific deadline, colleges with a rolling admissions policy evaluate applications as they arrive.

These schools typically send out admission decisions within 4-6 weeks, selecting students until all open slots for the incoming class have been filled. Schools with rolling admissions often open their application cycles around early September and keep them open well into the spring term. This means you could still apply to colleges starting soon.

Importantly, this process isn’t binding, so you have the freedom to make your final decision up until the deadline set by the college. This is usually May 1 for the fall semester but can vary depending on which term you’re applying for.

Prioritizing schools with rolling admissions policies can offer several benefits, including a higher chance of getting accepted and the ability to apply to college at a less stressful time in your high school career. Here are some of the biggest pros of rolling admissions.

While you still need a strong application that meets the school’s expectations, applying early during a rolling admissions cycle — when the most open slots are still available — can raise your chances of getting accepted.

Additionally, early applications could boost your chances of getting into certain programs and receiving financial aid, scholarships, and housing options.

Prospective students can use the sizable application window that comes with rolling admission to avoid applying to a large number of schools all at once. You can organize the application process by first completing any early action applications to schools at the top of your list and then applying to colleges with rolling admissions.

By spreading out the college application process across multiple months, you’ll have more time in the winter and spring to finish up any applications. This also means you have more time to apply to schools you were undecided about or were less knowledgeable about early on in the application process.

Schools with rolling admissions look at applications as they come in, meaning you’ll likely get an admission decision sooner than if you’d applied to a school without rolling admissions. Applying in the fall to colleges with rolling admissions allows you to find out whether you’ve been accepted far earlier in your senior year, saving you from needless anxiety and anticipation in the spring.

Despite its many advantages, there are a few potential downsides to rolling admissions. For example, applying late could significantly decrease your chances of acceptance as spots may become limited, specifically in certain majors or academic programs.

Since applications are reviewed as they’re received, students who wait until late in the application cycle may face stiffer competition for the remaining spots. A qualified candidate who waits until the 11th hour to apply may be more likely to get denied, so it’s recommended not to wait too long to submit your application.

Some colleges with rolling admissions, like Penn State, maintain priority deadlines and give greater consideration to students who submit their applications before a certain date. These priority deadlines are often close to traditional college application deadlines, meaning you won’t gain any extra time to apply.

Other schools have housing and/or financial aid systems that operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals accepted later in the rolling admissions cycle may have fewer options.

Rolling admissions systems can differ significantly depending on the school. The most notable difference lies between rolling notifications and rolling deadlines.

A rolling deadline means there is no set application deadline; in other words, you can apply to that school whenever you want. A rolling notification, however, means that a school will inform applicants of its admission decision after a set deadline. These colleges usually contact the strongest candidates first and continue to do so until all available slots have been filled.

Several well-known universities offer rolling admissions. These include Michigan State University, Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), University of Alabama, University of Maine, University of Florida, and Kansas State University.

It’s important to note that each of these schools has distinct rolling admissions policies, so it’s recommended to visit their websites for a more comprehensive understanding.

Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed March 23, 2024.