College Application Planning 2025-2026 - Admission Deadline Types

Early Action: These are the earliest dates that colleges use for admissions. They allow applicants to receive decisions sooner than regular application due dates. Oftentimes college's admit more students through these application windows. Applicants may want to visit the admissions websites to determine the percentage of Freshman admitted through Early Action vs. Regular Decision. Be aware that at may colleges, students must use the Early Action application to be eligible for college based scholarship programs and honors colleges. Again, visit colleges' admissions pages to clarify which admissions process to use to be eligible for special programs at the colleges you are applying too.

Early Decision: This is a binding decision. Applicants use this process to apply to their first choice college, therefore, this type of application process can only be used at one school. Due dates are earlier than regular action dates. When applicants are accepted through a binding Early Decision process, they have committed to attending that college, and all other applications to other colleges are to be withdrawn upon acceptance.

Regular Action: These dates are later than Early Action or Early Decision dates, therefore, admissions decisions using these application processes will be released later in the spring. Students may want to use this application process if they need more time to gather application documents.

Rolling Admissions: These admissions processes look different at individual colleges. Typically it provides applicants with a longer window of opportunity to apply. Applicants who submit early through these processes usually receive an admission decision within weeks. Many colleges using rolling admissions do not post a final due date because they keep the application open until all of their available Freshman seats are filled. Applicants using a rolling admissions process should pay close attention to scholarship and honors program due dates that require the submission of a completed application. Rolling admissions may allow applicants to apply later, but applicants need to be aware that, in order to qualify for scholarship or honors college programs, they have to apply by a particular date.