Types of Admission

Types of Admission

Early Action* 

This is a chance for students to apply early and find out early whether or not they are accepted. Early Action applications are not binding. Sometimes schools will defer applications to the regular admissions deadline because they want to see updated semester grades and/or SAT/ACT scores before providing final decisions. 

Early Decision*

This is also a chance for students to apply early and find out early whether or not they are accepted. Early Decision is a binding agreement, which means that students must agree to attend if they are accepted. Usually early decision deadlines occur around Nov. 1st and students are notified of the admissions decision by Dec. 1st. 

CAUTION: Early decision applicants do not yet know their financial aid package. If students are counting on grants, loans, and scholarships, early decision may not be the right choice. Be sure to contact the school about financial aid before signing an early decision agreement.

*NOTE: For some schools it is an advantage to apply early decision or early action whereas other schools only take their top candidates. Contact the admissions office to determine the best time to apply based on your academic record.

Rolling Admission

Rolling admission allows students to apply within a large window of time - usually over a six month period. Applicants can submit an application at anytime during this window, and typically receive an admissions decision within two to four weeks.  Many private schools have a rolling admissions policy.  The sooner you apply, the sooner you receive an admissions decision. 

*NOTE:  Some schools will accept applications in the summer before a student's senior year (rolling admissions policy); however, the guidance department is not able to send transcripts until school resumes in the fall.

On‐Site

On‐Site is a special courtesy that has been offered to area high schools by Radford University and Virginia Tech. Radford University and Virginia Tech admissions counselors come to RHS in the early fall to give admissions decisions to students that wish to apply on-site. This application process is NOT binding if the student does regular decision and does not affect applying to other colleges/universities. We will notify students of the onsite process when we know if and how it will be handled this year.