5 Reasons to Apply to Safety Schools with Rolling Admissions

Why Safety Schools With Rolling Admissions Matter

Applying to safety schools with rolling admissions was one of the best decisions I made during my college application process. By mid-October of my senior year, I knew I was going to college. Don’t underestimate what a HUGE relief finding safety schools with rolling admissions options can be!

Schools that offer rolling admissions do not rely on a single deadline the way Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision rounds do.  Instead, safety schools with rolling admissions review applications as they arrive, often starting in late summer or early fall, and continue until their class is filled. This means you can apply as soon as your materials are ready, and it pays to do so, since fewer spots remain as the class fills.

You’re probably familiar with the idea of tiering your college list. Even if your heart is set on the Ivy League or Stanford or any top school, you cannot count on getting an acceptance letter from these ultra-competitive colleges. No one can. During your college search, it’s important to consider colleges with a range of acceptance rates to ensure that you’ll end up at a school that’s right for you. [1] It’s great if a college list contains some reach schools where you’re aiming high, fit schools where you’re fairly confident of your chances of getting in, and safety schools where you’re almost certain you’ll be accepted. Exactly where these thresholds sit will change from applicant to applicant, and our guide to making a college list walks through how to balance yours.

Applying to safety schools with rolling admissions completely changed (for the better) how I approached my college applications. Here are the 5 reasons I recommend that every high school senior to look into safety schools with rolling admissions.

5 Reasons to Apply to Safety Schools With Rolling Admissions

Rolling admissions is simply a timeline: the school reads applications as they come in and sends decisions on a continuing basis, rather than releasing them all on one date. That timeline is what makes these schools so useful as safeties. Here is how applying early to one changed my senior fall.

1. Peace of Mind

If you apply to safety schools with rolling admissions, you will know you’re going somewhere before you even apply during early action or early decision rounds. You will have peace of mind knowing that, no matter what, you will be a college student.

Safety schools with rolling admissions do not have to include your favorite college. If they happen to be at the top of your list, that’s fantastic! You may be done with the application process before most of your classmates have even started it. Even if these schools aren’t your top-choice colleges, applying to safety schools with rolling admissions creates the earliest possible safety net. I had my heart set on Bowdoin and Dartmouth when I applied, but I still liked my rolling admissions safety school enough to prepare an early application. Getting an early acceptance letter will ensure that YOU’RE GOING TO COLLEGE!

2. An Early Check on Your Application

You should read your applications dozens of times. You should have your parents, older siblings, grandparents, teachers, and mentors read it to make sure it’s perfect. You should read your application until you are sick of it! But sometimes, every person that reads your application might not catch an anecdote that could rub an admissions officer the wrong way, or a few grammatical errors. Your additional readers won’t see your full application, completed by third party recommendations. What if your recommender doesn’t provide much of a recommendation? What if they undermine what you say? If you don’t get into the safety rolling schools that you apply to, this is a warning sign! Be grateful you now realize that something is wrong before submitting the rest of your applications. Be cautious, and apply to safety schools with rolling admissions.

3. Fewer Applications

Even though most U.S. schools accept the Common App, multiple school applications require a real investment of time. Most schools ask at least one supplemental essay question, ranging from “Why school X?” to multiple unique questions like those from UChicago. If you’re applying to more than 10 schools, the workload builds quickly, which is why it is worth thinking carefully about how many colleges you apply to. [2]

But once you get into a safety rolling school, you can take all other safeties off your list. You have the backup you need! You know what this means? Fewer essays to perfect, and more time to invest in your fit and reach school applications. Take the time to apply to safety schools with rolling admissions early on, and you’ll be happy later.

4. A Head Start on Every Application

Bottom line: once you’ve completed an application for one of the safety schools with rolling admissions, you’re done with half the battle! You’ll have your Common App biographical information, activities list, your personal statement, and letters of recommendation. All that’s left: supplemental essays and tailoring your application to each school on your list. You’ve got the foundation of your applications all done! Apply to safety rolling schools because the earlier timeline will force you to be ahead of the game.

5. Beat the Recommendation Rush

Applying to safety schools with rolling admissions will not only make sure that you’re on top of it, but might also help ensure that you receive more thoughtful letters of recommendation. This is the time of year when teachers write many, many recommendations. The fact is that teachers often dust off an old reference letter template, insert the proper student’s name, and customize it here and there. These generic letters are easy for admissions officers to identify and often come with overlooked typos (The teacher may not remember to switch all of the times your name is supposed to appear, for instance!). You want better than a generic letter!

If you ask your teachers to complete your letter before they are swamped with other requests, odds are you’ll get a better result. Take the time to write a cover letter, thanking your teachers for their effort and outlining specific traits and achievements that you’d like them to highlight. Be proactive and professional, and you’ll get a glowing letter of recommendation.

Not only is it great to get an acceptance letter early on, but applying to safety schools with rolling admissions will also help you put together every part of your application. Apply to safety schools with rolling admissions for the relief, efficiency, and preparation!

How to Find Safety Schools With Rolling Admissions

Start with the schools already on your list. Each college’s admissions website states its application plans and deadlines, and many list rolling admissions alongside Early Action or a priority deadline. Our guide to colleges with rolling admissions is another good starting point.

A true safety is a school where your grades, and your test scores if you submit them, sit comfortably above those of the typical admitted student, and where you would be genuinely happy to enroll. [1] Our guide on how to choose a safety school covers how to test that fit. As you compare options, look closely at:

• Priority deadlines. Some rolling schools set a priority date for scholarships, honors programs, or housing, even though they accept applications later.
• Program capacity. Popular majors can fill before the university as a whole does, so apply early if you want a specific program.
• Fit. Visit, join a virtual information session, or talk to current students so your safety feels like a real option.

Tips for Applying to Rolling Admissions Schools

Rolling admissions rewards preparation. Aim to submit your rolling applications in early fall, once your Common App essay and activities list are polished. Ask your recommenders early, too, and confirm that your school counselor can send your transcript on your timeline.

Keep your other plans in view. If you are also applying Early Decision or Early Action elsewhere, map every deadline on one calendar; our overview of early admission policies at top colleges can help. Finally, read each rolling decision carefully. Many schools let admitted students wait until spring to commit, so an early acceptance keeps your options open while you hear back from other colleges.

Keep Your Senior Grades Up

An early acceptance is not the finish line. Colleges receive your mid-year and final transcripts, and offers of admission generally assume that you will keep performing at the level you showed when you applied. Stay engaged in your senior courses, especially the rigorous ones, so your early acceptance stays secure and your other applications stay competitive.

If a Rolling Decision Surprises You

If a school you considered a safety defers or denies you, treat it as useful information rather than a verdict. Reread your essays with fresh eyes, ask a teacher or counselor to review your activities list, and consider adding another rolling or Early Action school where your record is a comfortable fit. Because rolling schools decide early, you still have time to adjust before later deadlines.

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