College application season can feel overwhelming at times. Especially when you’re just getting started. In addition to researching colleges and preparing your applications, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with a lot of new vocabulary, including Regular Decision, Early Decision, Early Action, and Rolling Admissions. 

As a high school junior or senior, you likely have a lot of questions, including What does Regular Decision mean? What is the difference between Early Action and Regular Decision? And what is Rolling Admission?

In this article, we will focus on the differences between Regular Decision, Early Decision, Early Action, and Rolling Admissions. We will also review common Regular Decision application deadlines, as well as popular Regular Decision release dates. 

The different types of college application deadlines

There are 5 major types of college application deadlines: Early Decision, Early Decision II, Early Action, Regular Decision, and Rolling Admission. It can feel difficult to understand and keep track of important college admissions dates, especially when you are trying to understand the differences between Early Action and Early Decision. 

Here’s a table to help you get a better sense of typical deadlines and notification dates for each type of application:

Application type Typical deadlines Typical notification dates
Early Decision November December
Early Decision II December/January March
Early Action November December
Regular Decision January/February March/April
Rolling Admission Varies Generally within 4-6 weeks

Now that we have a better idea of deadlines and notification dates, let’s take a closer look at what each type of application means. This will be key to staying organized during the college application process. 

Early Decision

Early Decision application programs are offered by highly-selective colleges and are meant for serious applicants only. These programs are binding, which means that students cannot apply early to other colleges, have to rescind any regular decision applicants upon their acceptance, and are contractually obligated to attend the school if they are admitted. By submitting Early Decision applications, students demonstrate their interest and commitment to a school. Because of this, their applications are given a competitive edge. Early Decision applications are often due in November and applicants receive their admissions decisions sometime in December.

Early Decision II

Early Decision II application programs are almost identical to Early Decision application programs. Students are contractually obligated to attend if accepted and cannot submit any other early applications. They must also rescind any Regular Decision applications upon their acceptance. The only differences are that the applications are due a bit later than Early Decision I applications and students are notified of their admissions decisions a bit later as well. 

Early Action

As the name suggests, Early Action applications are submitted early. As such, applicants also receive their admissions decisions early. Students who submit Early Action applications demonstrate a clear interest in the college they are applying to. Unlike Early Decision applications, however, Early Action applications are not binding. This means that students who choose to apply Early Action can submit other Early Action (but not Early Decision) applications, as well as any number of Regular Decision applications. If admitted through Early Action, a student is free to decide whether to attend or not attend the college.  

Regular Decision

Students can submit as many Regular Decision applications as they would like. These applications do not receive the same competitive edge that an early application may grant them, but generally speaking, this does not impact their chances of admission significantly. Regular Decision applications are the most popular type of college application. This is because students can apply to as many schools as they want, have more time to assemble their applications, can retake the SAT or ACT if needed, can visit more prospective college campuses, and are free to compare financial aid packages upon receiving their admissions decisions. Regular Decision application deadlines generally fall in January. Regular Decision notification dates are typically in March or April. 

Rolling Admissions

Schools that offer Rolling Admissions do not have an application deadline. This means that you can apply much later in the year. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the later you apply, the fewer application slots the school may have left. Students who choose to apply through Rolling Admissions typically are not satisfied with the list of colleges they have been accepted to and are looking to expand their options. Rolling Admissions are also helpful for students who’ve decided they want to attend college after the majority of application deadlines have passed. 

More about Regular Decision

Now that we’ve established what each type of application type is, let’s take another look at Regular Decision. Again, what is Regular Admission or Regular Decision? It’s the most common type of college application. Even students who apply early prepare many Regular Decision applications to make sure they have plenty of choices come spring. 

Is Early Decision better than Regular Decision? Not necessarily. Early Decision and Early Action have their place but aren’t for every student. Applying to highly-selective schools is challenging, but applying early only grants you a slight advantage. It is also very limiting. There is also a lot of debate regarding whether Early Decision programs are ethical because they tend to favor wealthier students. This is because most students cannot afford to enter a binding agreement without comparing financial aid packages.

Now let’s discuss Regular Decision vs Rolling Admission. In general, you should plan to apply to schools by the Regular Decision application deadline and reserve Rolling Admission applications for backup schools. You may decide to attend a college you were admitted to through Rolling Admissions, but overall, deadlines are an important way to stay organized during the college application process. However, as previously discussed, applying to schools through Rolling Admission is a great opportunity for students running behind on their college applications or for students looking for more options. 

Regular Decision deadlines

Regular Decision deadlines typically occur sometime in January. This is ideal for the majority of students, because it gives them plenty of time to write a successful college essay, detail their extracurricular activities, ask for letters of recommendation, and complete any college supplemental essays. It also gives them plenty to come up with an SAT study plan and schedule if they need to retake the exam. 

Motivated students may be able to assemble one or two early applications, but overall, college applications should not be rushed. This is one of the advantages of applying through Regular Decision. Now, how long does Regular Decision take? Typically admissions decisions are sent out in March or April, although the Regular Decision release date is different for each college. 

Key takeaways and moving forward

It’s important to learn about Early Action and Early Decision application programs as soon as you can so that you can prepare for your college applications accordingly. This is why it’s important to reach out to your high school guidance counselors and teachers with any questions you may have about the college admissions process. They will be able to answer questions, such as: What’s the difference between Early Decision and Regular Decision? And can I change Early Decision to Regular Decision? 

Hopefully, though, most of your questions have already been answered! If you feel like you could benefit from professional guidance during college application season, reach out to learn more about our services. Here at Prepory, we have the resources and expertise to help you assemble competitive applications while prioritizing what college admissions officers look for in an applicant.

Test-optional admissions standards have increased in popularity since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Some colleges are beginning to reverse this standard, while others plan to make the change permanent. Still, other colleges have plans to extend test-optional standards for another year or two. 

That said, which colleges are test-optional for 2023? 

In this article, we will provide two lists to help you stay organized. The first list is composed of permanently test-optional colleges. The second list is composed of colleges that are extending their test-optional admissions standards for at least one more year. So if you’re wondering what schools are test-optional for 2023, read on for further facts and insights.

Understanding test-optional admissions standards

During this time of shifting admissions standards, many students find themselves pondering the following questions: What colleges are test-optional? How many colleges are test-optional? And what percent of colleges are test-optional? If you’ve been asking yourself any of these questions, we’re here to clear things up for you.

While test-optional admissions standards help encourage greater accessibility, it’s important to realize that if you don’t submit standardized test scores, the rest of your college application will have to be that much more compelling. Thankfully, many colleges embrace holistic college admissions standards so there are plenty of ways to put together a competitive college application without submitting test scores. 

If you don’t submit test scores, make sure you give extra care and attention to your:

The differences between test-optional, test-flexible, and test blind

“Test-optional” means that students can choose whether or not to submit standardized test scores as a part of their college application. Students who choose not to submit test scores will not be penalized, but students who submit test scores (especially if these scores are impressive) may receive an advantage.

“Test-flexible” means that students don’t have to submit test scores, as long as they meet a qualifying GPA. Likewise, some schools require test scores for students applying to particular academic programs, as well as those who are interested in being considered for merit-based scholarships. Homeschooled students are often required to submit standardized test scores as well.

“Test-blind” means that a college will not look at standardized test scores, even if they are submitted. Test scores are simply not an admissions factor. 

Are Ivy League colleges test-optional?

At the beginning of the pandemic, all of the Ivy League colleges adopted test-optional admissions policies, but is this still the case? Let’s take a look at each of the Ivy Leagues and what their current testing admissions policies are: 

  • Brown University: Test-Optional for 2023
  • Columbia University: Test-Optional for 2023 and 2024
  • Cornell University: Test-Optional for 2023 and 2024
  • Dartmouth College: Test-Optional for 2023
  • Harvard University: Test-Optional for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026
  • University of Pennsylvania (UPenn): Test-Optional for 2023
  • Princeton University: Test-Optional for 2023
  • Yale University: Test-Optional for 2023

To get into an Ivy League college, you need a comprehensive college application strategy. This is why it’s important to be aware of the latest policies and trends. That said, it is worth noting that MIT now requires standardized test scores; many believe that this could cause other highly-selective colleges to follow suit in the near future. 

List of permanently test-optional colleges

If you’re interested in applying to 2023 test-optional colleges, peruse the following list. Remember, these colleges are permanently test-optional. (The colleges included in the next list are extending their test-optional admissions standards for a minimum of one year). 

  • Agnes Scott College
  • Albertus Magnus College
  • Allegheny College
  • American University
  • Andrews University
  • Arcadia University
  • Arizona State University-Tempe
  • Assumption College
  • Augustana College
  • Austin College
  • Azusa Pacific University
  • Ball State University
  • Bard College
  • Bates College
  • Becker College*
  • Bellarmine University
  • Belmont University
  • Beloit College
  • Bennington College
  • Berklee College of Music
  • Berry College
  • Bethel University*
  • Birmingham-Southern College
  • Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
  • Bowdoin College
  • Bradley University
  • Brandeis University*
  • Bridgewater State University
  • Bryant University
  • Bryn Mawr College
  • Butler University
  • California College of the Arts
  • California Institute of the Arts
  • California Lutheran University
  • California State University system
  • Cazenovia College
  • Champlain College
  • Chapman University
  • Chatham University
  • Clark University
  • Coastal Carolina University*
  • Coe College*
  • Colby College
  • Colby-Sawyer College
  • College of Saint Rose
  • College of St. Benedict
  • College of the Atlantic
  • College of the Holy Cross
  • College of Wooster
  • Colorado College
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Colorado State University
  • Columbia College Chicago
  • Concordia College-Moorhead
  • Concordia College-New York
  • Connecticut College
  • Cornell College
  • Creighton University
  • Curry College
  • Davidson College
  • Dean College
  • Delaware Valley University
  • Denison University
  • DePaul University
  • DePauw University
  • Dickinson College
  • Drake University
  • Drew University
  • Drexel University
  • Drury University
  • Duquesne University
  • Earlham College
  • Eastern Connecticut State University
  • Eastern University
  • Elmira College*
  • Elms College
  • Elon University
  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Emerson College
  • Emmanuel College
  • Endicott College
  • Evergreen State College*
  • Fairfield University
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University
  • Farmingdale State College-SUNY
  • Fashion Institute of Technology
  • Fisher College
  • Flagler College
  • Fort Lewis College
  • Framingham State University
  • Franklin and Marshall College
  • Furman University
  • George Mason University
  • George Washington University
  • Gettysburg College
  • Gonzaga University
  • Gordon College
  • Goucher College
  • Grinnell College
  • Grove City College
  • Guilford College
  • Gustavus Adolphus College
  • Hampshire College
  • Hanover College
  • Hartwick College
  • Hendrix College
  • High Point University
  • Hilbert College
  • Hillsdale College
  • Hobart and William Smith Colleges
  • Hofstra University
  • Hollins University
  • Hood College
  • Houghton College
  • Immaculata University
  • Indiana State University
  • Indiana Tech
  • Indiana University of Pennsylvania
  • Indiana University-Bloomington
  • Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
  • Iona College
  • Iowa State University of Science and Technology
  • Ithaca College
  • James Madison University
  • Johnson & Wales University
  • Juniata College
  • Kalamazoo College
  • Kansas State University*
  • Keene State College
  • Kent State University
  • Keystone College
  • King’s College
  • Knox College
  • La Roche University
  • La Salle University
  • Lake Forest College
  • Lamar University
  • Lander University
  • Lasell College
  • Lawrence University
  • Le Moyne College
  • Lesley University
  • Lewis and Clark College
  • Linfield College
  • Loras College
  • Loyola University Chicago
  • Loyola University Maryland
  • Loyola University New Orleans
  • Lycoming College*
  • Lynn University
  • Macalester College
  • Manhattanville College
  • Marist College
  • Marlboro College
  • Marquette University
  • Maryland Institute College of Art
  • Maryville University of St. Louis
  • Massachusetts College of Art and Design
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
  • McDaniel College
  • MCPHS University
  • Mercyhurst University
  • Meredith College
  • Merrimack College
  • Messiah College
  • Michigan State University
  • Mills College
  • Millsaps College
  • Minnesota State University-Moorhead
  • Mitchell College
  • Monroe College
  • Montana State University
  • Montclair State University
  • Moravian College
  • Mount Aloysius College
  • Mount Holyoke College
  • Mount St. Mary’s University
  • Muhlenberg College
  • Nazareth College
  • New England College
  • New England Institute of Technology
  • New York Institute of Technology
  • Niagara University
  • Nichols College*
  • North Dakota State University
  • Northern Illinois University
  • Northern Michigan University
  • Norwich University
  • Notre Dame of Maryland University
  • Ohio University
  • Ohio Wesleyan University
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Old Dominion University
  • Oregon State University
  • Otis College of Art and Design
  • Pace University
  • Pacific University
  • Paul Smith’s College
  • Pennsylvania College of Technology
  • Pitzer College
  • Post University
  • Presbyterian College
  • Providence College
  • Purchase College-SUNY
  • Queen’s University (Canada)
  • Queens University of Charlotte
  • Quinnipiac University*
  • Ramapo College of New Jersey
  • Reed College
  • Regis University
  • Rhode Island School of Design
  • Rider University
  • Ripon College
  • Roanoke College
  • Roberts Wesleyan College*
  • Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Roger Williams University
  • Rollins College
  • Rowan University
  • Russell Sage College
  • Rutgers University-Newark
  • Sacred Heart University
  • Saint Anselm College
  • Saint Joseph’s University
  • Saint Louis University
  • Saint Mary’s College
  • Saint Michael’s College
  • Saint Vincent College
  • Salem College
  • Salisbury University
  • Salve Regina University
  • Sarah Lawrence College
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • School of Visual Arts
  • Scripps College
  • Seattle University
  • Shenandoah University
  • Siena College
  • Skidmore College
  • Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
  • Smith College
  • South Carolina State University
  • Southern Connecticut State University
  • Southern Illinois University-Carbondale*
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • Southwestern University
  • Springfield College
  • St. Bonaventure University
  • St. Edward’s University
  • St. Francis College
  • St. John Fisher College
  • St. John’s College
  • St. John’s University (MN)
  • St. John’s University (NY)
  • St. Joseph’s College (ME)
  • St. Lawrence University
  • St. Mary’s College of California
  • St. Mary’s College of Maryland
  • St. Olaf College
  • Stetson University
  • Stockton University
  • Stonehill College
  • Suffolk University
  • SUNY Brockport
  • SUNY College of Technology-Delhi
  • SUNY College-Potsdam
  • SUNY-Geneseo
  • Susquehanna University
  • Sweet Briar College*
  • Temple University
  • The Catholic University of America
  • The New School
  • The University of the South
  • Thomas College
  • Thomas Jefferson University
  • Transylvania University
  • Trinity College
  • Union College (KY)
  • Union College (NY)
  • United States Coast Guard Academy
  • Unity College
  • University of Arizona
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Colorado-Boulder
  • University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
  • University of Colorado-Denver
  • University of Dayton
  • University of Delaware
  • University of Denver
  • University of Dubuque
  • University of Hartford
  • University of Illinois-Chicago
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Kansas
  • University of La Verne
  • University of Maine-Augusta
  • University of Maine-Farmington
  • University of Maine-Fort Kent
  • University of Maine-Presque Isle
  • University of Mary Washington
  • University of Massachusetts-Boston
  • University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell
  • University of Minnesota-Duluth
  • University of Missouri-Kansas City*
  • University of Montana
  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln*
  • University of Nevada-Las Vegas*
  • University of Nevada-Reno*
  • University of New England
  • University of New Hampshire
  • University of New Haven
  • University of New Mexico
  • University of Oregon
  • University of Puget Sound
  • University of Redlands
  • University of Rochester
  • University of San Francisco
  • University of Scranton*
  • University of St. Joseph
  • University of St. Thomas
  • University of the Pacific
  • University of Washington
  • University of Waterloo
  • Ursinus College
  • Vermont Technical College
  • Virginia Commonwealth University*
  • Wagner College
  • Wake Forest University
  • Warren Wilson College
  • Washington and Jefferson College
  • Washington College
  • Washington State University
  • Wells College
  • Wentworth Institute of Technology
  • Wesleyan University
  • Western Connecticut State University*
  • Western Michigan University
  • Western New England University
  • Westfield State University
  • Westminster College (PA)
  • Westminster College (UT)
  • Wheaton College (MA)
  • Whitman College
  • Whittier College
  • Willamette University
  • William and Mary
  • Wofford College
  • Worcester State University
  • Xavier University
  • Yeshiva University

Source: https://fairtest.org/test-optional-list/ 

*These schools are permanently “test-flexible.” Generally, this means that you don’t have to submit test scores, as long as you meet a qualifying GPA. 

List of test-optional colleges for 2023

Are colleges test-optional for the class of 2023? Review the following 2023 test-optional schools for your college planning needs. 

  • Adelphi University
  • Alfred University (2023, 2024)
  • Amherst College (2023, 2024)
  • Appalachian State University (2023, 2024)
  • Babson College (2023, 2024)
  • Barnard College
  • Baylor University (2022, 2023)
  • Bentley University
  • Berea College
  • Binghamton University-SUNY
  • Boston College
  • Boston University
  • Brigham Young University-Provo
  • Brown University
  • Bucknell University (2023, 2024)
  • California Institute of Technology
  • Carleton College
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Case Western Reserve University (2023, 2024)
  • Central Michigan University
  • Centre College
  • Claremont McKenna College (2023, 2024)
  • Clemson University
  • Colgate University
  • College of Charleston
  • College of New Jersey
  • Columbia University (2023, 2024)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
  • Cornell University (2023, 2024)
  • Dallas Baptist University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Duke University
  • Eckerd College
  • Emory University
  • Fordham University
  • Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
  • Gannon University
  • Hamilton College
  • Harvard University (2023-2026)
  • Harvey Mudd College
  • Haverford College
  • Illinois State University
  • Johns Hopkins University (2023-2026)
  • Kenyon College
  • Lafayette College
  • Lawrence Technological University
  • Lehigh University
  • Loyola Marymount University
  • Marywood University
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy
  • McGill University
  • Mercer University
  • Miami University-Oxford
  • Middlebury College
  • Millersville University of Pennsylvania (2023, 2024)
  • Misericordia University (2023, 2024)
  • Monmouth University
  • North Carolina State University-Raleigh (2023, 2024)
  • Northeastern University
  • Northwestern University
  • Oberlin College
  • Occidental College
  • Ohio State University-Columbus
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • Pepperdine University
  • Pomona College (2023, 2024)
  • Princeton University
  • Purdue University-West Lafayette*
  • Randolph-Macon College (2023, 2024)
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Rhodes College
  • Rice University
  • Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
  • Rutgers University-Camden (2023, 2024)
  • Rutgers University-New Brunswick (2023, 2024)
  • Samford University
  • Santa Clara University
  • Savannah College of Art and Design
  • Seton Hall University (2023-2026)
  • Southern Methodist University
  • St. Norbert College
  • Stanford University
  • Stevens Institute of Technology
  • Stony Brook University-SUNY
  • SUNY Cobleskill
  • SUNY College-Cortland
  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
  • SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
  • SUNY College of Technology at Canton
  • SUNY College-Oneonta
  • SUNY-Fredonia
  • SUNY Maritime College
  • SUNY-Morrisville
  • SUNY-New Paltz
  • SUNY-Oswego
  • SUNY-Plattsburgh
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute-Utica-Albany
  • Swarthmore College (2023-2025)
  • Syracuse University
  • Texas A&M University-College Station
  • Texas Christian University
  • Texas Tech University (2023-2025)
  • Trinity University
  • Tufts University
  • Tulane University
  • Union University (2023, 2024)
  • University at Albany-SUNY
  • University at Buffalo-SUNY
  • University of Alabama
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham (2023, 2024)
  • University of Alaska-Fairbanks (2023, 2024)
  • University of California system (2023, 2024)
  • University of Cincinnati (2023, 2024)
  • University of Connecticut
  • University of Detroit Mercy
  • University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign
  • University of Kentucky (2023, 2024)
  • University of Maryland-College Park
  • University of Massachusetts-Amherst
  • University of Miami
  • University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (2023, 2024)
  • University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
  • University of Missouri
  • University of North Carolina system (2023, 2024)
  • University of Notre Dame
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • University of Portland
  • University of Rhode Island
  • University of Richmond
  • University of San Diego
  • University of South Carolina
  • University of Southern California
  • University of Texas System
  • University of Toronto
  • University of Tulsa
  • University of Utah
  • University of Vermont
  • University of Virginia
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (2023, 2024)
  • Valparaiso University
  • Vanderbilt University (2023, 2024)
  • Vassar College
  • Villanova University
  • Virginia Military Institute
  • Virginia Tech
  • Washington and Lee University
  • Washington University in St. Louis (2023, 2024)
  • Wellesley College (2023, 2024)
  • West Virginia University (2023, 2024)
  • Wheaton College
  • Williams College
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2023-2028)
  • Yale University 2023

Source: https://fairtest.org/test-optional-list/ 

*These schools are permanently “test-flexible.” Generally, this means that you don’t have to submit test scores, as long as you meet a qualifying GPA. 

Key takeaways and moving forward

After reviewing these two lists, you may want to review upcoming SAT and ACT test dates, especially if you’re interested in applying to a college that isn’t test-optional. There are lots of ways to prepare for the SAT and ACT, so if testing doesn’t necessarily come naturally to you, review our SAT study plan and schedule for guidance. Remember, submitting standardized test scores can help provide further depth to your overall application and can help you stand out from your peers if you test well. If you need help preparing for your standardized tests, or you feel like you could benefit from professional guidance during this college application season, reach out to learn more about our services. Here at Prepory, we have the tools to help you meet all of your college goals.