College applications deadlines will vary by school, but most are due in the fall of your senior year of high school (September through December). However, just because an application is due by a specific date doesn’t mean that students who apply should wait until the last minute. In fact, when you apply to schools, apply early if you can!
Application windows will vary, but most will open by August 1st and remain open typically through December into early January. Regular admissions decisions will come out around March or April for the next academic school year.
Types of College Admissions Deadlines
Generally, there are three ways to apply to college. You can apply regular (submit your application and wait for your decision). You can request an early decision (if accepted by early decision you must attend that school) or an early action (requested a decision earlier than normal but you are not required to accept the offer).
Some schools have a rolling admissions method. For rolling admissions a school will have a deadline to submit the application but will evaluate the applications upon receipt and make decisions throughout the admissions period until all the available spots have been filled. Over a quarter of schools are now using this type of selection process.
Rolling admissions is different than traditional admissions where a school will wait and accept all applications submitted by the deadline, then review them all at the same time. In this scenario, applying early is not an advantage if applying for a regular decision. Early applications are still recommended for early decision or early action admissions.
So what should you think about with each type of application:
Regular Decision Admissions
- Submit your application by the deadline (or as early as possible if you are applying to a school with rolling admissions).
Early Decision Admissions
- Submit your application ASAP since early decision spots could go fast and as the name implies decisions are made early (generally around November).
- Keep in mind that if you are accepted, you are required to attend this school. So only apply to only one school with early decision.
- If you are accepted, it’s best to notify the other schools you applied to, to let them know you have accepted an offer.
Early Action Admissions
- Submit your application early to ensure you are within the early action consideration set before early action decision are made (typically December or January).
- You are not required to attend if you are accepted. However, if you choose to accept an early action acceptance, you should notify the other schools to let them know you have accepted another school.
It’s important to tell schools you have applied to, that you have accepted another school’s offer to attend. This is because some student’s may not be accepted or rejected, but instead put on a waitlist. The waitlist is a kind of limbo where students remain until a space opens up for them. If you end up on a waitlist, you have to wait for other students to deny their acceptance. Depending where you on the list, a spot may or may not open for you.
Compare Featured Lenders
- Competitive fixed and variable APRs starting at 3.99%1
- Multiple repayment options including: full principal and interest, interest-only, deferred, and flat payment
- Flexible payment terms ranging from 5, 8, 10, and 15 years2
- Coverage up to 100% of your school-certified cost of attendance ($1,000 minimum)3
- No origination, application and processing fees, no fees for early repayment
- Apply online in 3 minutes and get an instant credit decision
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC.. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
1Rates shown are for the College Ave Undergraduate Loan product and include autopay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
2This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Deferred Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 8.35% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $179.18 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $21,501.54. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
3As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000.
Information advertised valid as of 12/01/2022. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on the creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.
- AFFORDABLE variable rates starting at 4.72% APR with Automatic Debit Discount*
- 1% CASH BACK Graduation Reward*
- NON-COSIGNED option may be available for undergraduate juniors and seniors.
- PAY AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL – Customize your loan with flexible repayment options – start payments after graduation.
- FORGET FEES – No application, origination or disbursement fees. No prepayment penalty if you choose to pay your loan off early.
- COVER UP TO 100% of your tuition and eligible living expenses.
* Ascent loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills, Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs
Rates are effective as of 12/01/2022 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Rates
1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Cosigned Credit-Based Loan student must meet certain minimum credit criteria. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on the credit score of your cosigner. Lowest APRs require interest-only payments, the shortest loan term, and a cosigner, and are only available to our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores.
- Check your eligibility in just 2 minutes
- Flexible repayment options you can choose from
- No fees for origination, disbursement, prepayment, or late payment3
- Skip a payment once per year (once repayment period restarted)4
- Will cover up to 100% of the school's certified cost of attendance
- 9-month grace period (3 months more than most lenders)2
This information is for graduate and undergraduate students attending participating degree-granting schools. Borrowers must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents if the school is located outside of the United States. Non-U.S. citizen borrowers who reside in the U.S. are eligible with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident) and are required to provide an unexpired government-issued photo ID to verify identity. Applications are subject to a requested minimum loan amount of $1,000. Current credit and other eligibility criteria apply.
Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.24% APR to 13.03% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 4.24% APR to 12.44% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. Although the rate will vary after you are approved, it will never exceed 36% (the maximum allowable for this loan). Please note, Earnest Private Student Loans are not available in Nevada. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred.
1You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay.
2Nine-month grace period is not available for borrowers who choose our Principal and Interest Repayment plan while in school.
3Earnest does not charge fees for origination, late payments, or prepayments. Florida Stamp Tax: For Florida
residents, Florida documentary stamp tax is required by law, calculated as $0.35 for each $100 (or portion thereof) of the principal loan amount, the amount of which is provided in the Final Disclosure. Lender will add the stamp tax to the principal loan amount. The full amount will be paid directly to the Florida Department of Revenue. Certificate of Registration No. 78-8016373916-1.
4Earnest clients may skip one payment every 12 months. Your first request to skip a payment can be made once you’ve made at least 6 months of consecutive on-time payments, and your loan is in good standing. The interest accrued during the skipped month will result in an increase in your remaining minimum payment. The final payoff date on your loan will be extended by the length of the skipped payment periods. Please be aware that a skipped payment does count toward the forbearance limits. Please note that skipping a payment is not guaranteed and is at Earnest’s discretion. Your monthly payment and total loan cost may increase as a result of postponing your payment and extending your term.
The information provided on this page is updated as of 12/01/2022. Earnest reserves the right to change, pause, or terminate product offerings at any time without notice.
Earnest loans are originated by Earnest Operations LLC. California Finance Lender License 6054788. NMLS # 1204917. Earnest Operations LLC is located at 303 2nd Street, Suite 401N, San Francisco, CA 94107. Terms and Conditions apply. Visit https://www.earnest.com/terms-of-service, e-mail us at [email protected], or call 888-601-2801 for more information.
Up to four repayment types (including no payments while in school) and multiple repayment terms help you find the loan that fits your budget
- Variable Rates: Starting variable rates range from 4.49% APR - 13.88% APR (with autopay)*, and will never exceed 13.95% (sometimes lower in certain states as required by law)
- Fixed Rates: Fixed rates range from 4.99% APR to 14.83% APR (with autopay)*
- Easy online application!
- No origination fees, late fees, and no insufficient fund fees. Period
- Up to four repayment types (including no payments while in school) and multiple repayment terms help you find the loan that fits your budget
- 0.25% discount when you set up autopay*
*UNDERGRADUATE LOANS: Fixed rates from 4.99% to 14.75% annual percentage rate ("APR") (with autopay), variable rates from 4.49% to 13.82% APR (with autopay). GRADUATE LOANS: Fixed rates from 5.25% to 14.48% APR (with autopay), variable rates from 4.99% to 13.82% APR (with autopay). PARENT LOANS: Fixed rates from 6.50% to 14.83% APR (with autopay), variable rates from 5.74% to 13.88% APR (with autopay). For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. Interest rates for variable rate loans are capped at 13.95%, unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law. Lowest rates are reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved for a loan, the interest rate offered will depend on your creditworthiness, the repayment option you select, the term and amount of the loan and other factors, and will be within the ranges of rates listed above. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. Information current as of 11/14/2022.
Terms and Conditions Apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status and meet SoFi's underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. To qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, years of professional experience, income, and a variety of other factors. Rates and Terms are subject to change at anytime without notice and are subject to state restrictions. SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers, or may become available, such as Income Based Repayment or Income Contingent Repayment or PAYE. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Financing Law License No. 6054612. SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Lending Corp., NMLS # 1121636. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org)
- Variable rates as low as 3.89% APR1; Fixed rates as low as 3.49% APR1
- Rates include 0.50% automated payment discount1, 2
- Displayed rates are for well-qualified applicants who choose the immediate repayment option at a 5-year term1
- 5, 10 or 15-year repayment terms available (rates may vary)1
- No application fees or origination fees.
- An easy student loan application with a preliminary decision in minutes.
- Cosigner Release option available.3
- Get the money you need for tuition, room and board, books and other expenses.
- Applying with a creditworthy cosigner may increase chances of approval.
Important Disclosures
PNC Solution Loans are subject to credit approval. Certain restrictions and conditions apply. PNC reserves the right to modify or discontinue the terms of these program at any time. You are encouraged to explore all scholarship, grant and federal borrowing options before applying for a private loan.
A cosigner is typically required for undergraduate students: a creditworthy cosigner is required for 17-year old students.
1 Annual Percentage Rates (APRs): APRs include a 0.50% interest rate discount for automated payments and may vary by repayment term and other factors (refer to additional details below). Rates are for the immediate repayment option, effective as of November 1, 2022 and are subject to change at any time.
Fixed APRs: APRs range 3.49%-9.24% for a 5-year, 5.29%-11.04% for a 10-year and 5.54%-11.29% for a 15-year term. Fixed rates are based on the creditworthiness of the borrower and cosigner, if any.
Variable APRs: APRs range from 3.89%-9.64% for a 5-year, 5.09%-10.84% for a 10-year and 5.34%-11.09% for a 15-year term. Variable rates are based on the Prime Rate index plus a margin depending on the creditworthiness of the borrower and cosigner, if any. The Prime index, adjusted monthly, is equal to the Prime Rate as published in the “Money Rates” section of The Wall Street Journal ‘(Eastern Edition)’ on the first business day of the immediately preceding calendar month. The Prime index is currently 6.25%. If the index increases or decreases, your rate will increase or decrease accordingly. The rate will not exceed 18%.
The lowest APR is available to well-qualified applicants. Your actual APR will be based on your credit qualifications, loan program, interest rate option, repayment term, repayment option and whether you elect the automated payment feature.
Loan Payment Examples: The monthly payment per $10,000 borrowed at a fixed-rate range of 5.29% APR to 11.04% APR for 10 years means you would make 120 payments that may range from $107.72 to $138.60. The monthly payment per $10,000 borrowed at a variable-rate range of 5.09% APR to 10.84% APR for 10 years means you would make 120 payments that may range from $106.73 to $137.46. For the variable-rate loan, monthly payment may increase or decrease if the interest rate increases or decreases. Estimated loan payment examples assume 30 days to first payment and are for the immediate repayment option. Payments vary for other rates, loan amounts and repayment terms.
2 Automated Payment Discount: During repayment, an interest rate discount of 0.50% is available for automated payments. Borrower must be making scheduled payments that include both principal and interest. Interest-only payments do not qualify for the 0.50% interest rate discount. The rate discount will be applied at the time automated payment is established. If automated payment is discontinued at any time, the discount will be removed and the rate will increase by 0.50%.
3 Cosigner Release: Requires that the borrower has made at least forty-eight (48) consecutive timely payments of principal and interest with no periods of interruption within that 48-month timeframe. To qualify, the borrower must submit a request, meet the consecutive timely payment requirements, provide proof of income and pass a credit check.
4 Repayment Options: Three repayment options are available - Immediate repayment of principal & interest, interest-only payments while in school and full deferment of principal & interest until six months after graduating or ceasing to be enrolled at least half-time in school. Interest will continue to accrue during periods of deferment. You will receive quarterly interest statements during this deferment period. Paying the interest as it accrues each quarter will save you money over the repayment term of the loan because any accrued interest that you do not pay will be added to the principal balance at the end of the deferment period.
Loan Types: PNC offers Student Loans for Undergraduates, Graduates, Health Professions, Residency and Bar Study.
PNC Solution Loan is a registered mark of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
Fixed: 7.49% APR - 12.99% APR (not including 0.5% ACH discount)*
10 years
$20 minimum/month OR interest-only payments while in school
- Up to $15,000 per academic year with no cosigner required
- Fixed Rates (APR) from 7.99% to 12.49% (plus an additional 0.5% discount for ACH auto-payments)*
- No origination fee. No late payment fees. No prepayment penalties.
- Quick prequalification and rate check that won’t impact your credit
- Multiple repayment options
- Dedicated loan officer for every borrower
New student loans of $3,001 up to $15,000 per school year will be granted to residents of eligible states enrolled as undergraduates in bachelor’s degree or equivalent- granting programs at eligible schools.
Funding U offers fixed interest rate loans, without a cosigner, to students who are serious about their academic success and post-grad career. Eligibility is determined by several factors, including: school graduation rate, class hours completed, estimated graduation date, academic record, major; employment or internship experience; and, other academic and non-academic activities that demonstrate the borrower is working hard towards academic and professional goals and is on track to be able to repay debt accrued.
Eligibility is also limited by state of permanent residence. Terms and conditions vary by state. Not all loans are available in all states. Loan amounts available may vary by state.
DISBURSEMENT All Loan proceeds will be sent to the student borrower’s school around the time classes begin, on the date your school prefers. Funding U will require documentation to verify your registration and certify your loan need prior to disbursement. Your school must also certify your loan need. Your loan may be adjusted based upon the amount of need certified by your school.
REPAYMENT TERMS New Undergraduate loans for the 2021-2022 school year will have an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 7.49% to 12.99%. All loans have a fixed interest rate range of 7.49%* to 12.99% (before consideration of ACH discount). There is no origination fee. Interest accrues while students are in school.
In-school partial payments: Students may choose either $20 monthly as a “Fixed Payment” while enrolled in school or “Interest Only” payments. These payments will be reported to credit agencies like other student loans. All loans have a 10-year repayment term (paid monthly over 120 months starting 6 months after graduation). Both In-School payment options may not be available in all states. Student’s electing to make Interest-Only payments will receive a 0.5% interest rate discount.
PREPAYMENT PENALTIES There is no prepayment penalty on your loan.
Additional details, terms & conditions will be included in each loan offer.
*The lowest rate shown is available only to juniors & seniors with outstanding academic performance and is not typical of the rates offered to most borrowers. Your actual rate will depend on creditworthiness and other factors, such as your school year and GPA.
Payments based on a fixed percentage of future income.
Lower (or no) payments when you're unemployed or underemployed.
Payments based on a fixed percentage of future income for up to 60 months after graduation
Only pay when earning more than the $30,000 minimum income threshold.
Payments stop early if you ever hit the payment cap (2.0x your initial funding amount)
- No cosigner required.
- Income based repayment, once you're graduated and employed.
- No payments when you're unemployed or earning below $30,000/year.
- Shorter repayment. Only 5 years of payments.*
- Get a quote in less than a minute. Quick and easy application process. Transparent calculator and comparison tool.
- Must be BA, MA, or PhD student WITHIN 2 YEARS OF GRADUATION, enrolled in a program that meets our outcome-driven eligibility criteria.
* Your Maximum Payment Period is inclusive of any months where Monthly Payments are made as well as any months that are Deferred Months; this will only be extended if you receive Forbearance, which will extend your Maximum Payment Period on a one-for-one basis.
To be eligible for a Stride Income Share Agreement, students must fall into the following criteria:
- Attending a four-year Title IV college or university.
- Within two years of graduation.
- Enrolled in a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate program.
- Enrolled in an academic program that meets our outcome-driven eligibility criteria.
- Reside or attend school in a state we serve: Currently, we provide Income Share Agreements for all states in the U.S., except Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, South Carolina, and Washington.
- U.S. Citizen or permanent resident attending school in the U.S.
- Current G.P.A. is greater than 2.9.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call (214)775-9960.
Variable: 0.00% APR - 23.00% APR1
5-10 years
- MUST BE a US citizen or permanent resident
- MUST BE a college junior, college senior, or grad student
- No co-signer required
- Get approved in minutes. Pre-qualify without affecting your credit score
- Income-based repayment with built-in protections, like deferred payments if you lose your job
Edly Student IBR Loans are unsecured personal student loans issued by FinWise Bank, a Utah chartered commercial bank, member FDIC. All loans are subject to eligibility criteria and review of creditworthiness and history. Terms and conditions apply.
Loans from $5,000 - $25,000 Example: $10,000 IBR Loan with a 7% gross income payment percentage for a Senior student making $65,000 annually throughout the life of the loan. Payments deferred for the first 12 months during final year of education. After which, $270 Monthly payment for 12 months. Then $379 Monthly payment for 44 months. Followed by one final payment of $137 for a total of $20,610 paid over the life of the loan.
About this example: The initial payment schedule is set upon receiving final terms and upon confirmation by your school of the loan amount. You may repay this loan at any time by paying an effective APR of 23%. The maximum amount you will pay is $22,500 (not including Late Fees and Returned Check Fees, if any). The maximum number of regularly scheduled payments you will make is 60. You will not pay more than 23% APR. No payment is required if your gross earned income is below $30,000 annually or if you lose your job and cannot find employment.
Preparing your College Application
Of course, to be able to send all your college applications on time, the best strategy is to be prepared. High school seniors have a lot to do and think about senior year so anything that can be done beforehand will surely help ease the burden and stress.
During your junior year of high school make sure you take the SAT or ACT tests and are satisfied with the scores. Your test scores will play in a role in the decisions process for those schools that do look at test scores. Additionally, collect all the documents you need such as high school transcripts, recommendation letters, and any other documents that communicate your achievements.
Using the Common App to Apply to College
For students that intend to apply to many schools (say more than 10), using the Common App to apply can be extremely useful and time saving. This is a free service that collects all your information in one central location and allows you to use it for applying to multiple schools. While the service is easy to use and allows for applications to potentially be sent to lots of schools, application fees still apply and can add up, so be intentional where you send your applications to.
Certain income-eligible students may qualify for a college application fee waiver at some school. For example, if you were able to take the SAT for free because you qualified for a fee waiver, then there may be certain schools that will waive their application fees as well. Before you apply to a school, make sure to do some research on fee waivers if you think you could qualify. Those applications fees can add up quickly, and why not save the money if you can!
Writing your Essays
Essays are not only a necessary part of the college application process, but they might also just be the piece of your submission package that gets you the acceptance letter. Having your essays ready and optimized is a very important. Know that you will likely have to write a primary essay or personal statement, basically an essay about you. There may also be supplemental essays. You can sometimes look up the essay topics on the school’s website to help you know what you will have to write about.
Filling out the FAFSA® (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
The FAFSA is not required as part of the college application process but it’s best to fill out this free form at the same time you are applying for schools. The information you provide on the FAFSA will be used to determine not only your federal student aid eligibility, but can also be used by your state and school to determine your financial aid award. Schools can use this form to help determine if they will want to offer any need-based aid, or may require you to complete the FAFSA to award you merit-based aid—you want to read your school’s financial aid policies! While completing your research, you may find out that your school requires additional financial aid applications, like the CSS Profile™.
When are Admissions Decisions are Made?
Depending on the type of application you submitted (regular decision deadline, early decision deadline or early action deadline) will determine when decisions are made. Expect regular admissions application decisions in spring – March, April or early May. Early decision applications should come around November and early action December into January. With applications typically beginning in August, we recommend you apply and complete your college applications as early as possible to ensure you have the greatest chances for acceptance.
