Prepare for the Admissions Process
Once you narrow your list to several colleges you may want to attend and are getting ready to apply, you may have lots of questions about what to do next. Here are some pointers about how college admission works; after reading you will want to prepare for the admissions process step-by-step.
The Admissions Timeline
In general, colleges set a deadline for students to apply between December 15 and February 1 of each year for fall enrollment. This is called the “regular decision” cycle. You will be one of many students applying to the school during this period and you should apply to multiple schools in case you do not get admitted to all. Just because a school says they will admit you does not mean you have to accept their invitation to enroll.
There are two other timelines for admissions that colleges use; “rolling admission” and “early decision.” Rolling admission means that the school accepts applications on an ongoing basis and will generally notify you whether you are accepted within about two to three weeks of your application. Early decision is typically used by schools that are difficult to get in to and that many students rank as their first choice. In early decision cycles, you apply during November to December 15th. Generally the school notifies selected students by mid-December and you must commit to attend that school to hold your spot.
How the Process Works
Most colleges review thousands of applications every year. For four-year colleges, applications usually have multiple components including an essay or personal statement, transcripts, recommendation letters and the application form itself. Admissions officers are busy people, which is why it is so important that you submit an interesting, complete and accurate application. In addition, four-year colleges are looking at many factors to make admission decisions including grade point average, test scores, community service, extra-curricular activities and so forth. In some cases, particularly at very competitive schools, your application may be sorted and reviewed multiple times by screening readers, reviewers and a selection committee.
At two-year schools and community colleges, while you must still submit an application, the selection criteria and therefore review are much simpler. Most of these schools offer “open enrollment,” which means they accept any student who wishes to attend.
Once decisions are made on applicants, decision letters are generated. Be sure to read additional information about selecting a college and financial aid to pay for it.