Regular Decision Deadline for 2025: When Should I Submit?

I'm working on organizing my college applications and I want to be sure I meet the regular decision deadlines for the 2025 admissions cycle. Is there a typical deadline to aim for, or does it vary significantly between schools?

Deadlines for regular decision applications can slightly vary between different colleges and universities, but a majority of them set deadlines in the period between January 1st and January 15th. You'll want your application to be completed and submitted on or before these deadlines in order to be considered for the regular decision pool.

That being said, some schools may have slightly later deadlines in February or even early March. To ensure you don't miss any deadlines, I suggest creating a spreadsheet or a checklist where you can record each school's specific deadline alongside any other pertinent dates and application requirements.

For instance, you'll want to note if schools need finalized transcripts by a certain date, or if they have deadlines for financial aid applications. You might also want to factor in time for requesting recommendation letters, as these often need to be sent in by your recommenders before your application deadline.

An important note to consider is that some schools also have priority deadlines, which means you may receive a decision sooner or increase your chances of being awarded institutional financial aid if you submit your application by that date.

Remember, it's not just about submitting on time–you want to present the best version of your application. So give yourself enough time to proofread your essays, double-check all your materials, and calmly hit the submit button!