College Application Deadlines For Fall 2022 You Should Know About

Thinking of applying overseas to study in 2022? Now is the perfect time to begin preparing and piecing together your application.

The applications for fall 2022 programs including the Common Application and Coalition for College, will open on August 1, 2021 and while most colleges follow the same dates, colleges that have proprietary applications, may differ. That being said, most universities normally open their application intake in the months of August – September. Students are expected to complete the general application components before this date.

The application components for most colleges are the same. However, depending on the application components, colleges have different deadlines. The basic deadlines include early action, early decision, regular decision and rolling admission.

Keeping in mind the deadlines, let’s review the important supplements:

- College essays – Begin work on your statement of purpose/personal statements well in advance, draft several versions, get feedback, incorporate the modifications and finalize.

- Letters of Recommendation – Always ask teachers and counsellors who know you well and would be able to vouch for you as an excellent choice for the program. Since these letters take time and effort, it’s best to not leave these till the last moment. You would need these especially if you are applying in the early action/early decision slots - reach out to your faculty members now.

- School Transcripts - Arrange for copies of the official high school/college transcripts.

- Standardised Test Scores – These include the SAT/ACT scores or any other test scores that are required for admission. You can list your unofficial scores on the application; however

the official scores will have to be submitted on admission.

Now that we’ve covered the opening dates and the supplements to the application, let’s look at the deadlines for next year. The deadlines given below are on the basis of application and admission.

Application Deadline Admission Deadline

Early action before November 2021

Early decision November 2021 December 2021

Regular decision December/ Early Jan 2022 March/ April 2022

Rolling Admission depends on available slots and on date of submission

Early Action Deadlines

Early action deadlines give students the opportunity to apply and find out if they have been accepted, before the regular admissions begin. Most colleges set November as the early action dates every year. However, you must check with the school of choice for the exact dates. If you apply during this period, you can expect to hear from the college by December. Early action gives you a higher chance of acceptance; you have a decision earlier in the year and can plan accordingly. It allows you to compare the colleges you’ve been admitted to and therefore, make a well-informed decision. The national response deadline is May 1, which gives you enough time to commit to the best option.

One of the other results from applying in the early action slot is deferment. This would imply that your application would be sent to the regular decision applicant pool. Although deferment isn’t what we’re looking for, if this does happen, it gives you a chance to get in touch with the admissions committee. This will aid in improving the application which in turn may increase your chances of getting in through the regular decision slot.

Early Decision Deadlines

Early decision is quite similar to early action, where the students can apply to colleges and hear from them by December. The only difference here is that once the college sends you its acceptance, you would have to withdraw all other college applications and enroll immediately. An early decision acceptance requires you to pay a non-refundable deposit. This option is best suited for students who are fixed on a particular college and are sure they would like to pursue their further education through this particular institution. The limitation with this kind of application is that you would be enrolling without seeing the available financial aids. Though some schools may help you with options for financial aid, there is no formal agreement to do so. Since it involves a certain amount of risk, this is not recommended for students who would be majorly depending on financial aid to cover their tuition. However, you have to withdraw all your acceptances from other unis if you’re accepted to the one you applied to.

Regular Decision Deadlines

This is the most commonly used option. Regular decision deadlines allow you to apply in Dec/early January and you are most likely to hear from the colleges by March or April. This also requires you to

follow up with a response by May 1, which is the national response deadline, as mentioned earlier. Since the deadlines are dated a little later compared to the early action/early decision options, it gives you enough time to work on your essays, collate your supporting documentation like letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc amongst others. This also helps if you would like to retake the SAT/ACT or other standardized tests. This deadline gives you more time to screen and consider multiple colleges. The only negative aspect while opting for this deadline is that in case your are denied entry into the school of your choice, you would have to wait to reapply in the next semester/academic year.

Rolling Admission and Transfer Application Deadlines

Colleges that offer rolling admission do not have any fixed due dates. They offer several application windows and continue to assess applications whenever they come in. Normally this is done till all the spots are filled. This application window remains open all through spring up to the national college deadline depending on the available slots. This is also helpful for transfer students’ applicants.

Seeing as each school has its own application window and transfer policies, students must ensure that they read up on the requirements before applying. Transfer students should ideally begin the process well ahead of the deadline. Along with the high school transcripts, the admissions committee may also review

your college transcripts. It’s imperative to put together the letters of recommendation and official college transcripts along with applications as early as March/April.

The college application process is a tedious time consuming process that involves a whole deal of organizing and preparing. You can break down the requirements and begin collating each at different times during. We suggest getting the letters of recommendation at the beginning of the year since this would allow the teacher/counselor ample time to draft these. Furthermore, taking the standardized tests early would help, especially if you’re looking to apply through the early action/early decision slots.

Early action and early decision schedules grant students the opportunity to apply early, which in turn gives them the admission acceptance results by December, allowing students to enjoy the rest of their senior year without constant pressure and anxiety. These options have a higher acceptance rate giving students an added advantage over the regular applicants. To apply through these slots, you would have to begin working on your application during the summer before your senior year; this will give you sufficient time to work on every aspect of the application. Although most students prefer to apply through the regular admission deadline, the early action/ early decision is gathering momentum.

Arya and Anushka's Tip: Remember that you need time to screen and compare colleges, work on essays, retake tests and more if need be. Ensure that you collate the letters of recommendation by September of your senior year to avoid unnecessary delays, since most teachers would be busy with mid-terms and other

recommendations.

In preparation of your college application and choosing the right deadline, it is important to note that each student's approach could be different. Applying early just because your friend is doing it is not going to help you. If you have prepared your application well in advance and are confident about it, go for the early admission option. But if you are not satisfied with the application and feel you can enhance it more, work on it and apply later. Keeping in mind all the above information, choose the option that suits

you best, make a well informed decision that works well for you.

As mentors, we recommend starting prep early. If you need help making sense of these timelines and collating a solid application, get in touch with us - https://www.applicationally.net/contact-us-1