Why do colleges have rolling admissions?

I've noticed that some colleges have rolling admissions, and I'm curious as to why they do this. What are the benefits for a college to have this type of admissions policy? Thanks for any info you can share!

Rolling admissions is an admissions policy used by some colleges, where applications are evaluated as they are received, rather than waiting for a specific deadline. Here are some benefits for colleges to have a rolling admissions policy:

1. Flexibility: Rolling admissions provide a more flexible admissions timeline, which allows colleges to admit applicants throughout the application cycle. This approach can help them better manage and fine-tune their incoming class size. This flexibility can also benefit students, who can apply early or later in the cycle, depending on their individual circumstances.

2. Early decisions: With rolling admissions, colleges can begin admitting students long before their peers with fixed deadlines. This can give them an edge in recruiting top talent, as early acceptances may increase the likelihood of students committing to enroll.

3. Take advantage of not-yet-committed students: If students aren't accepted to their top-choice schools under the Regular Decision timeline, they may be looking for alternatives. Since rolling admissions institutions sometimes allow students to apply all the way up until the summer, they have the chance to capture these missed students who are not yet committed to other institutions.

4. Better yield management: Rolling admissions provide colleges with continuous data on the number of admitted students who have enrolled, which can help them better manage their yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll). Getting regular insights on how the incoming class is shaping up allows them to make adjustments as necessary.

5. Easier assessment of applications: By evaluating applications as they come in, admissions officers can spend more time on each application, which potentially leads to a more holistic assessment. This continuous and staggered process can help reduce the workload pressure that arises from evaluating all applications at once in a fixed deadline system.

6. Faster response times: Rolling admissions policies can give applicants faster feedback on their admissions status, which provides them with peace of mind and the ability to make more informed decisions about their college choices.

In short, rolling admissions can be a beneficial policy for both colleges and prospective students. They enable colleges to manage their incoming class size more effectively, attract top talent, and better assess applications. Meanwhile, students can enjoy a more flexible application timeline and potentially faster response times.

For more information on the pros of rolling admissions, as well as a list of some popular schools that operate under this policy, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/what-is-rolling-admissions/. Best of luck with your college process - I hope you find this information helpful!