Do all colleges have rolling admissions?

I'm still learning about the college application process and heard about rolling admissions. Is it true that every college offers this, or only some of them? How does it really impact the timeline?

Not all colleges offer the option for rolling admissions. In fact, it's more common at less selective institutions and smaller colleges. With this admissions process, college applications are reviewed as they arrive, rather than waiting for a specific deadline. Therefore, acceptance letters can be sent out at any time during the admissions cycle, often within 4-6 weeks of applying.

The impact on the application timeline is that applying earlier generally increases your chances of acceptance because there are more available spots. However, you need to understand that quality still matters more than speed. So, while applying early might give you an edge, submitting a rushed or sloppy application early is not beneficial.

Some schools that use rolling admissions might have a priority deadline. If you apply by this date, you get first consideration for things like housing or financial aid.

Keep in mind that plenty of colleges also use other types of admissions processes such as Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and more recently some colleges have started utilizing the Immediate Decision Plan. The specifics of each plan should be researched for each institution you're considering.