How does rolling admission work at colleges, especially those with early options?

I've been reading about colleges that use rolling admission and I'm curious how it works. Also, I'm interested in early rolling admission - does that mean you can apply even earlier than usual? Any specific advantages or strategies for this kind of admission?

Rolling admission is indeed a unique process. Quite distinct from Regular Decision or Early Action/Decision, rolling admission schools review applications as they come in and typically render admission decisions relatively quickly, often within a few weeks of receiving all required application materials. This is in contrast with most colleges and universities that set specific deadlines and don't start reviewing applications until after the deadline has passed.

Now, early rolling admissions is a bit of a misnomer. As we've discussed, the hallmark of a rolling admission system is that there are no fixed deadlines. Meaning, you can 'apply early' by submitting your application as soon as the window opens. In this sense, with rolling admissions, the earlier you submit your application, the better. The reason being, colleges that employ rolling admission usually begin accepting students until their incoming class is full. So if you're interested in a school with rolling admissions, it's often to your benefit to apply earlier rather than later when the school may have fewer spots available.

However, remember to set a healthy balance. While submitting your application early in a rolling admissions context might potentially increase your odds of acceptance (since more seats are available), it's also important that you present your best application which may require more time and preparation. For example, if rushing to submit could mean a less polished personal essay, or fewer extracurricular achievements, it might be worth taking the extra time.

A side note: taking advantage of a rolling admissions policy does not replace the need for a strategic school list, which should ideally include a mix of "safety," "target," and "reach" schools, regardless of their specific admissions policies.

I hope this addresses your queries about rolling admissions. Do feel free to ask if you have more questions!