What is the regular decision open date for private colleges?

I'm trying to plan my applications to private colleges, but I'm uncertain about when regular decision applications open. Do all private colleges have similar opening dates, or does it vary a lot?

Regular decision application dates can vary widely among private institutions, but the majority of them open in the late summer or early fall. A good benchmark is August 1, which is the open date for the Common Application and Coalition Application, with many schools publishing their supplemental essays at that time as well. However, some schools might not provide their supplemental prompts until later in the month.

To make sure you're on track, it's a great idea to list out all the colleges you're interested in and check each college's admissions website for their specific regular decision dates.

Even though applications may open in August, regular decision deadlines are usually around January 1 to January 15, although there are exceptions. This gives you several months to complete and refine your applications, so it's best to start as early as possible to avoid feeling rushed.

Remember, "open date" means the first day you can start your application, not the day you should submit your application. Use the time between the how open date and the submission deadline to draft, revise, and refine your college essays and other parts of the application! Best of luck with your application process!