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College application season is upon us! Many high school seniors still have questions about where and how to apply as deadlines loom. Despite months—or even years—of research and preparation, uncertainty remains as you contemplate application options.
Given the high-stakes nature of the college admission process, it might be helpful to review the application deadlines for colleges so you can build a game plan.
In this blog post, we’ll cover:
Think of your college application as a key to access. The greater the demand, the higher the expectations attached to the applicant.
The timing and content of your application can mean very different things to different institutions. More on that later!
Typically, students apply to college during the fall or spring of their senior year. However, the college discovery process can begin years earlier. Freshman year is a good time to start thinking about potential majors, careers, and colleges.
The summer before senior year can be a great time to get ahead of the application rush in the fall and spring.
Always check with your counselor to confirm what timeline you should follow for your college applications.
The essential elements of a college application include:
Now that you know the parts of an application, let’s review deadlines.
Every college has slightly different timelines, so confirm deadlines on each school’s website.
Rolling admission schools review applications as they arrive. Many promote priority applications, sometimes with fee waivers. To gain admission, you simply need to demonstrate you can complete the program successfully.
What it means for you: Applications open in summer before senior year and remain open until enrollment goals are met. If admitted, you’ll likely owe a deposit within a few weeks, so confirm financial aid first.
Highly selective schools are deadline-driven, and manage large applicant pools. Options include early decision (ED) and early action (EA). Regular deadlines typically fall January–February.
What it means for you: Stay organized and submit your application(s) 7–10 days before the posted deadlines. Applying ED can increase your chances of admission, but requires a commitment if accepted.
ED applicants are either accepted, deferred, or denied. A deferral means your file is reconsidered during regular decision; a denial means it’s time to pursue other schools.
Some schools offer ED Round 2. If you’re deferred or denied at one school, you can apply ED elsewhere. The same commitment rules apply—you must withdraw all other applications if admitted.
Focus on schools that truly fit you. A list of around eight schools is often ideal:
Please note that these admit rate percentages can vary based on the your application and should be considered relative to your individual information.
Still have questions? We have answers.
Most students apply in the fall or spring of senior year. Starting the summer before senior year helps you get ahead and ease stress. Be sure to check in with your counselor on the timeline they'd recommend.
Applications usually include personal info, essays, transcripts, recommendation letters, and sometimes test scores or interviews. Always confirm requirements on each college’s website.
Rolling admission schools review applications as they arrive. Deadline-driven schools have firm deadlines, usually in January or February, and review all applications at once.
Deadlines vary. Early action and early decision are often in November, while regular decision deadlines usually fall in January or February. Check each school’s admissions page for more info.
Early decision can boost your admission chances, but it’s binding. Only apply ED if you’re sure the school is your top choice.
A deferral means your application moves to the regular decision pool. Keep applying elsewhere to maintain strong options.
A balanced list often includes about eight schools: a few reach, a few target, and at least two likely schools.
National College Decision Day is May 1. By then, seniors must commit to a school, usually by submitting an enrollment deposit.
For more on building your college list, see our post on Likely/Level/Reach.
If your high school uses Scoir, explore this guide to college applications next.
This article was originally published on November 15, 2021. It was updated on September 19, 2025 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
A 25-year veteran of the college admission process, Peter Van Buskirk is dedicated to helping families find student-centered solutions in college planning. His ability to interpret and personalize a complex, and often mysterious, college-going process makes him a popular speaker among students, parents and educators. His creative programming has informed, inspired and entertained more than 2,000 audiences around the world. Peter’s books, Winning the College Admission Game; Strategies for Students and Parents and Prepare, Compete, Win! The Ultimate College Planning Workbook for Students, coach families through the complexities of finding and getting into the college that is the best fit for the student. His weekly blogs are featured on his website, www.BestCollegeFit.com, and he has appeared on numerous television and radio interviews including “Oprah and Friends” with Jean Chatzky. A graduate of Bucknell University, Peter moved through the ranks at Franklin & Marshall College to become Dean of Admission, Interim Director of Athletics, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, and Executive Officer in the Office of the Provost. He subsequently created and now operates Best College Fit® as a platform for delivering student-centered college planning content to students, parents and educators.
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