Can you clarify this? I was under the impression that a Penn State rolling admission application would be reviewed now while an EA application would not be reviewed until November. I was hoping for an acceptance or rejection prior to Nov. 1 so I can apply ED elsewhere if rejected for University Park.
You might call and ask so you get a direct answer although someone here might respond. .
If I read it correctly it’s rolling after the EA…unlike Pitt which is just rolling.
Call Monday and ask. It will be a simple answer for admissions.
There’s lots of schools you can apply to if turned down but if you have a definite #2 or 3 in mind you should learn their dates and apply. If on common it won’t be hard.
When you call to ask them, you shouldn’t tell them that you want to get this out of the way before applying to other places.
Penn state is clear on their website what each round is and the decision notification date. It is best to apply EA if you want to be sure to be notified of a decision before winter break and have the best odds of acceptance.
Have you done an admissions session?…they typically address this in those). EA applications will be read first, and schools will start to fill up. EA would still give you a chance to apply ED2 somewhere
Rolling priority only guarantees a decision by end of January (if you apply by Dec 1). Regular rolling is for apps submitted after Dec 1
Do not contact your AO and ask about
this if you haven’t yet done an admission session, whether virtual or in person.
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I think it’s fine to call - if the OP wants to. It would be a question the “operator” would answer - no personal info given. It wouldn’t get to an AO…I can’t imagine.
I’m sure it’s asked all the time.
But yes, taking an 30 minutes for an info session is good anyway.
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So this came up last year because applying via the common app was new. The consensus from PSU admissions was that if you have a completed application prior to Nov 1st, you were considered in EA, regardless of what you checked on the common app. This was because it was confusing to people to see both EA and Rolling options. It might be worth a call to admissions to double check that for this year (and then report back here because the question came up last year also and you certainly won’t be the last to wonder this!).
As far as admissions go, when you call, the person you talk to is not an admissions officer. You have to request to speak to an actual officer to get to one. That said, students don’t have their own admissions officer like at some schools. You might call to speak to admissions and one day talk to one admissions officer; the next you will talk to a different one. Admissions also do not track interest, so they’d have no idea whether you attended a session or not.
At the end of the day, it’s fine to call or email to ask a question. But this is a question that the person who answers the phone can likely answer. I always suggest people not bother the actual admissions counselors with random questions as all that does is back them up and make decisions take longer.
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I could be wrong, but I think OP is hoping for a decision before 11/1 from PSU which might affect OP’s plan to ED another school. I started the original post from last year on rolling vs. EA, my D submitted Rolling application on 10/25, emailed PSU on 10/29 for a change to EA status, received approval via email and later saw the correction in the portal on 11/1, finally received acceptance on 11/5. I’d encourage OP to contact the admission office, simply asking whether a decision on EA would be sent out before 11/1 if you submit very early. Our case is different in that we want to secure a spot on main campus along with the acceptance, rolling would not give us this assurance.
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Beyond EA/rolling, which you need to understand better (EA is generally the preferred and earlier notification at Penn State), you also need to understand ED better.
At many (most?) ED schools, there is nothing in the ED agreement that precludes you from also applying to a state school EA. You need to understand the rules of your particular school, but it would be unusual to not be able to apply to Penn State, Michigan, etc., at the same time.
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The chances of hearing prior to 11/1 are small. The vast majority of kids hear in November and December. Penn State is also not a first in first out application process. It’s completely random. They will not tell anyone they will hear by a certain date other than the date listed in the deadline. i.e. You will hear by Dec 24 if you apply EA. That’s all they will tell anyone. Some people will apply August 1 and not hear until Dec 24 and others will apply Oct 30 and hear mid November. It is in no rhyme, reason or order.
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The timelines for Penn State are
EA - Decision by Dec 24
Priority - Decision by Jan 31
Rolling- After that
There is no scenario at PSU where you are guaranteed a decision by 11/1 and in fact, it’s very very unlikely to get a decision by then since that is the EA deadline for applications.
I think it is going to be less likely to hear early this year than before.
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new enrollment management VP. Needs to understand entire pool before making decisions.
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over-enrollment last year. Freshman class is huge. They will not want to repeat that. Will probably be more conservative.
… this is my reading of the tea leaves. I have e no inside info….
you can apply ED AND anywhere else you want: ED only means you must accept their offer if they make it, not another one; the only exception is typically stated (REA, etc) and even that wouldn’t preclude you from applying to state schools and non American schools.
So, apply to PSU EA right now, as well as any other schools that have EA and Rolling Admission, run the NPC and make sure the college you’re considering for ED is affordable then apply to your ED college, and wait for the answers.
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The issue is that it sounds like OPs first choice is PSU but if they don’t get in they don’t want to lose their possible ED play.
OP can’t count on hearing from PSU EA before they hear from an ED1 school, so that’s the risk…being accepted to the ED1 school that seems less preferable than PSU.
OP could apply EA to PSU, not apply ED1 anywhere, and then apply ED2 if not accepted to PSU.
Ah…got it.
ED schools generally do not restrict other non-binding (i.e. non-ED) applications.
Some EA schools have restrictions, such as not applying ED elsewhere, or not applying EA to some types of other schools.
hopefully OP will clarify