Options for late registration for college
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EmailThere are options for you to check into if you’re applying to college late.
Each year as students are planning for high school graduation, some have plans to attend college. Those applying to college are trying to make the application deadline with hopes of receiving a college acceptance letter. There are some students who may be undecided and not sure if they want to attend college or a trade school or enter the workforce. Are you a student unsure of plans for college attendance, or are you a student who missed a college application deadline? Michigan State University Extension suggests the following options you can check for applying to college.
One option that you can check into is a college with late registration. There are some colleges that have late registration deadlines for students. Jon Fortenbury in USA Today gives some ways to navigate the application process for colleges with late deadlines. They are:
- Research colleges with rolling admissions or late college deadlines.
- Have a sense of urgency and assertiveness when filling out college applications (because everything may take a while).
- Let go of catastrophic thinking (don’t freak out). Things may turn out alright for you.
Late registration also helps for students who did not get accepted into the college of their choice. Rolling admissions is another option to check for in late registration. What is rolling admission? Big Future by the College Board defines rolling admission as “an admission policy of considering each application as soon as all required information (such as high school records and test scores) has been received, rather than setting an application deadline and reviewing applications in a batch. Colleges that use a rolling admission policy usually notify applicants of admission decisions quickly.”
In rolling admissions, schools accept students until the available spots for admission have been filled and some schools have a year-round rolling admission process. Brendan Conway of Peterson’s gives some advantages and disadvantages of a rolling admissions process. The advantages are it lets you hear back early, it can be a last recourse, it can increase your chances for acceptance and it can open up your options. The disadvantages are it works best early, the rolling admissions schools can still have deadlines, it isn’t devoid of competition and it can make you choose early.
If you find yourself as a senior in these situations, know there are options for you to find a college to attend. One step you want to take is to schedule an appointment with your high school counselor or college advisor to help you with this process. If you live close to a community college, you may also want to schedule an appointment to discuss your options for this type of situation. If you have made a decision to try to attend college, take the steps to start the application process to fulfill your goal.
