<p>Many thanks to all the CC regulars who confirmed for me what I had already believed regarding safety schools and rolling admissions. My D has a very skewed college list; very top heavy. But she also applied to 3 rolling admissions schools, two of which she visited and loved, that she would be more than happy to attend. Long story short, it is October 14 and she has already been accepted to 2/3 and the 3rd is reviewing her application. One of the 3 is her father's alma mater and she would be thrilled to attend if her more reachy schools don't work out. For those wondering whether the advice found here to apply to true safety schools...true in the sense that your child would be happy to attend, rolling and therefore quick decisions available and you can be pretty sure about admission...is good advice, worry no more. It is sound, and most importantly I think, a way to de-stress this process for some very stressed out kids and families. Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>Is there a thread for rolling admissions schools? D's list is top heavy too and none of her schools are rolling admission.</p>
<p>I don't think so, but maybe if you search the old threads. She applied to Colorado, Wisconsin and Indiana and is contemplating Michigan. Given that her Dad is a Badger, Michigan might now fall off the list.</p>
<p>Runnersmom:</p>
<p>Congrats to your D. Isn't it wonderful to know that you are loved by mid-October? If she still wants to apply to other schools, the pressure is now off and she does not have to have a long list.</p>
<p>Thanks Marite. It sure is a relief and I do believe that her list will shorten up considerably. I think she will probably drop the other more safe/match schools and concentrate on the match/reach schools that she would more like to attend.</p>
<p>Yes, having that acceptance in one's pocket early in the game is a real stress-buster. And it permits a good refocus of one's subsequent efforts.</p>
<p>I don't know how this fits into the grand scheme of things, because I'm talking about just one kid here at one school, but S also rec'd excellent merit money from the rolling-admission state flagship after his early application.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your D on Wisconsin. Nice to have two great choices early on in the game. S is still waiting on counselor materials. Took the SATs again this morning.</p>
<p>Thanks Massmom..we were lucky in that the counselor had prepared D's recommendation over the summer and just had to tweak it when school resumed in September. All materials were ready to send out as soon as D submitted her applications. She had also requested recs from teachers as soon as she returned in September as well. Now if she would just sit still long enough to finish the ED and EA applications all would be well...2 weeks and counting.</p>
<p>Mombot - it's almost a given that a top-heavy list would have no rolling admission schools on it. The rolling admission schools tend to be some of the publics (including some top-ranked) and many of the schools whose selectivity is lower than the elites. Early Admission schools (non-binding) serve the same purpose - although their decisions tend to come mid-December rather than as early as these rolling schools. Still plenty early to provide that fabulouse sense of relief. There are quite a large number in this category, including among 1st and 2nd tier schools.</p>
<p>So look for schools lower in the rankings/selectivity levels that are similar to the schools your D has currently on her list. When you find a few, have her study and or visit them to see which could excite her, or at least please her, if that school were her only choice.</p>
<p>That is a handy link, excel. Looking at it, I didn't think it was a complete list, though; as I noticed neither Purdue nor Hofstra (two I happen to know about) were on it. The list does have this disclaimer
[quote]
Note: This list is not an exhaustive list of all colleges with rolling admissions.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes. University of Michigan is missing, too. But, as I recall, U of Mich has "modified rolling admission." </p>
<p>Whatever that is.</p>
<p>From the UM admissions web site:</p>
<p>"The University of Michigan uses a modified rolling admissions process. We will communicate admissions decisions on a periodic basis beginning in late fall through early spring. We will make final decisions on all complete files by mid-April." </p>
<p>I don't know if the definition of "modified rolling admissions" varies from school to school.</p>
<p>runnersmom,</p>
<p>congrats !!!!</p>
<p>just wanted to mention that with any safeties..............relating to any honors colleges or honors programs at those particular schools...............always check to see if a separate application for acceptance into the honors college/honors program is required............and also check to see if separate applications for merit scholarships are required.</p>
<p>rolling admissions - i think at the common app. website somewhere there is a list of the participating schools which can be printed off. the various types of admissions are listed for the schools...........one of which may be rolling admissions. also see the princeton review website. they have a listing of almost 200 rolling admissions schools.</p>
<p>IMO, that is not a complete list by a longshot. It is a good start. Jmmom, I don't know whether Hofstra changed, but I believe last year that they were modified rolling admission. They offered EA.</p>
<p>Runnersmom, Congratulations!</p>
<p>I agree that being accepted to a rolling admission really relieves the stress. Last year my S was accepted instantly to UIUC - after that he eliminated some applications he had been considering - just had to ask, would I rather go there than Illinois? Really helped him narrow down to top choices, one of which he got and is now attending. (The UIUC application just had one very short essay question if the applicant was interested in Honors.)</p>
<p>And I would suggest that even if your list is top heavy (but not HYP top heavy), you might have some rolling schools on your list. My D decided early on that if she did not get into her top choice reaches (top 20 universities, not top 5 and few LACs), she would prefer to go to a large public type university that has many academic options and funds its faculty and research. Many of those schools have honors options that she may be interested in and qualified for. We are lucky in that finances are not an issue, so scholarships, unless merit based without additional applications, are probably not going to be a key factor whenever the decision is made. And they all meet her requirements for a school away from home, since none of the rolling schools are our in-state system.</p>
<p>We used rolling to Wisconsin last year (H is a Badger), which also provided a big stress reliever in our family. S then got in ED to his first choice, so was all done by Dec. 1 with only two applications. It helps that both parents and both sons prefer big state schools. Small LACs aren't going to offer the rolling option.</p>
<p>Oldest S applied to a few early admission schools. His apps weren't done anywhere near as early as younger S, however. He had his first acceptance in Nov., and another in early December. Was nice to know early.</p>
<p>I agree with the advice above...rolling and/or EA schools take the edge off of the "waiting game". DD applied to two EA and one rolling. She had all three acceptances by mid Jan (the first one came before Thanksgiving...the rolling one) while many of her friends were waiting and waiting for April 1. And in the end, her final choices were between the first two schools to which she was accepted (the rolling and the EA that notified her mid December). Her senior year was a LOT more pleasant than many of her classmates who were scurrying around after Jan 1 just to complete applications. Both of my kids had ALL of their applications in the mail by October 15 (even regular decision ones). They both wanted a senior year without constantly thinking about and working on applications...so they just got them done. I heartily recommend this, if your child is so inclined.</p>