Hello, I'm a high school junior trying to plan ahead — when do colleges usually start accepting applications for the next academic year? Are there different dates for early action/decision and regular decision, or do they all start on the same day?
Hello! It's great that you're planning ahead for your college applications. College applications usually open around August or September for the next academic year. The specific date may vary slightly between colleges, but most applications will become available in that timeframe.
For the majority of schools, the application portal will open on the same day for both early action/decision and regular decision, but the deadlines for submission vary. Early action and early decision deadlines are generally around November (often November 1st or 15th), while regular decision deadlines typically fall between January 1st and February 1st of the following year. However, keep in mind that deadlines may vary between institutions, so it's important to check the specific dates for the colleges you're interested in applying to.
Additionally, colleges may have separate priority deadlines for financial aid or scholarships, so be sure to research those deadlines as well and add them to your application timeline.
Best of luck as you prepare for the college application process!
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