By Sierra Daniels, Hillside NewTech High School, Durham, North Carolina

Unlike colleges with specific deadlines, colleges with rolling admissions accept eligible candidates until all freshman spots are filled.

Colleges without rolling admissions have specific deadlines and applications are not reviewed before this deadline. Selective colleges such as U.N.C and Duke University have specific deadlines.

A rolling admissions college enables candidates to receive a decision within a predetermined time slot. More often than not, an admission decision arrives two months after the completion of the application process.

Tamyrra Stone, Hillside New Tech Senior, is looking to apply to a college with a rolling admissions policy.

“It’ll give me a chance to weigh out options and it’s also great for procrastination,” states Stone.

Procrastination is a factor that limits many applicants; students may find themselves putting off college applications due to the lengthy application.

Choosing to fill out a rolling admission college application can take some of the agony out of the admission process. If admitted to a rolling admission school, there is less stress upon the individual because it is certain they are able to attend at least one college.

If handled wisely, rolling admission offers a student several perks. Applicants may receive these perks long before the March or April notification period of regular admission colleges:

• Applying early can improve an applicants chance of being accepted
• Applying early may improves chances of gaining a scholarship
• Applying early may give applicant first choice for housing
• A student who applied early and is rejected may have time to apply to colleges with winter deadlines
• Some rolling admission colleges still give students until May 1 to make a decision; this allows an applicant to weigh all options

For a list of colleges that offer rolling admissions please click here.