Can you Submit College Applications After the Deadline?

Each year, millions of college applications are sent out to their respective universities by prospective students. With students from all over the world applying to various colleges in different time zones as well as those with varying application deadlines and methods of submission, inevitably some students fail to submit their applications by the respective deadline. Perhaps the deadline was sooner than they anticipated, or their form of submission wasn’t working and they failed to get it resolved in time. No matter the reason, there is still hope for your application! Read on to find out about general policies and deadlines, how to handle missed deadlines, and the potential consequences.

It’s important to note that there are no universal application deadlines that apply to all colleges. What’s more, every university has their own forms of admission, with the most common ones including: regular decision, early decision, early action, and rolling admissions. With each form of admission having its own deadline set by the school, it’s important to do your own research and note each deadline on a calendar or agenda. With that being said, there are general timeframes for the most common deadlines. For early action and early decision, the most common deadlines lie between early and mid November. For regular decision, the most common deadlines lie in January and February.

If you’ve missed a deadline, fear not! There are still a number of potential options and ways to handle it, depending on your situation.1. Reach out to an admissions officer as soon as possible. Be honest about the reason you are/have submitted your application late and ask if they will accept it. Even better if it’s someone you’ve established a relationship with.2. Submit what you can and what the system allows you to. That way, at least you have something turned in, even if it’s late. More often than not, colleges are more understanding if you have to turn in something like a teacher recommendation past the deadline, as long as the rest of your application is fully finished.3. If it’s the early decision or action deadline you missed, consider switching to regular decision. While that comes with its own tradeoffs, you’ll have more time to get everything thoroughly prepared to put your best foot forward.

Unfortunately, while colleges can offer a grace period, they are also equally within their right to refuse your application past the deadline. Additionally, it’s possible that while your application could be accepted past the deadline, some colleges may note that on your profile, negatively impacting your chances of admission.

If you’ve had to submit an application past the deadline, don’t panic! While there are potential ramifications, you have a number of options, and most colleges will be understanding and accept your application up to a certain point past the deadline. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit though, have everything ready to go at least the day before the deadline so you ensure your application is turned in on time and stress free!