Helping your child apply for school, whether it is to a boarding school or upper-level college or university, can be an exciting, but confusing time.

There are school tours to schedule, school officials to meet with, test scores to collect, and other application materials (such as the application itself, letters of recommendation, and sometimes even a personal essay) to put together and turn in on time.

Then, there is the waiting.

For those gearing up to help their child apply for school, keep reading to learn about the different types of admissions, so that you can ensure you are the best mom possible by helping your child apply, and enroll, into the school of their choice on time.

Early Action

For those looking to apply to many colleges at once, early action admissions are your best option.  With early action admissions, an acceptance letter does not bind you.  You can apply to as many schools as you want and decide to enroll in the one of your choices.

Early Binding

On the other hand, early binding admissions are just like early action admissions, though once you accept enrollment, you are bound by that decision.  You can apply to one early binding school during application time, and if you are accepted, you must attend.  This is an excellent approach to the application process if you know which school you want to attend. (I do not know a boarding school that does early action or binding admission.

Fixed Admissions

Fixed admissions have a set deadline for applying.  This means you must apply by one specifically assigned date and if you miss the deadline, you are out of luck.

This type of admissions process is popular at the college level and not as popular for boarding schools.

You will not find out if you have been accepted for a few months since the school has to collect, process, and decide whom to accept, all at once.

The problem with fixed deadline admissions is that you have to be proactive about applying.  This means conducting school tours, meeting with school officials, and collecting test results, essay, and other application materials long before the deadline.

Rolling Admissions

Schools with rolling admissions, such as some boarding schools, have an open window of time for submitting your application.  Additionally, you typically find out quickly (as in a few weeks to a month) whether you have been accepted to the school or not, offering you the opportunity to prepare for admittance to the school.

And, in the case you are not accepted, you now have time to apply to one of your alternative school choices.

Another great thing about rolling admissions is that you have plenty of time to complete the admissions process.

However, there is a drawback to applying to a boarding school with rolling admissions. For example, if the spots fill up during the window of time, and you apply later in the application window, you may end up on a waiting list even if you are suitable for acceptance.  This may cause you to miss admittance to a great school, just for being a bit behind proactive parents and their children.

Priority Deadlines

Much like fixed deadline admissions, priority deadlines have a strict deadline you must meet in order to be considered for acceptance.

This type of admission is great for encouraging students to apply early.  Though applying early does not guarantee admissions for meeting the priority deadline, applying before the priority deadline can open you up to university level financial aid and can get you into a popular school with lots of applicants.

In the end, applying for school, no matter which level, takes some getting used to.  It is best you learn which type of admissions process the school you wish your child to attend has, so you don’t miss important deadlines, and your child doesn’t miss an opportunity to attend a great school. I feel like this could be written differently if it were from an applying to boarding school type of article.