College Guidance > The Application Process > College Admissions Glossary

College Admissions Glossary

CEEB Code: The Laurel School code is 361305

Common Application: A single college application accepted by over 250 colleges. Many colleges use the Common Application exclusively while others require separate, additional essays. The Common Application may be filled out and submitted online at www.commonapp.org.

Deferred Admission: Delayed enrollment in college after admission. Many colleges will allow students to defer admission for one year after acceptance.

Early Action: Similar to Early Decision, Early Action provides a decision in advance of the college's regular response date. Unlike Early Decision, students admitted Early Action are not obligated to accept the offer of admission or submit a deposit until the regular reply date. The college is bound by the decision of admission; the student is not.

Early Decision: Early Decision requires a commitment by an applicant that she will enroll in a college if admitted. If a student is admitted, both she and the college are bound by the admission. (There is an exception for a student who applies for financial aid and is not offered an award that makes attendance possible.) While pursuing Early Decision, a student may apply to other institutions, but may not apply to another school Early Decision. Early Decision applications are filed in early fall and the admissions decision is communicated by mid-December.

Legacy: An applicant related to someone who previously attended the college, such as the daughter or niece of an alumnus. Some colleges provide preferential admission for legacy applicants.

Regular Decision: Under regular decision a student applies in the fall to as many colleges as desired, following the application deadline for each. The admission decision is provided within a stated period of time, but not later than April 15. A student admitted under a Regular Decision plan is required to make a commitment by May 1.

Rolling Decision: An institution using rolling decision reviews applications as they are completed and provides admissions decisions throughout the cycle. Students applying for financial aid must make sure to follow aid application guidelines. A student admitted under a Rolling Decision plan is required to make a commitment by May 1.

Wait List: A student placed on the wait list is not initially offered or denied admission; instead, the student is extended the possibility of admission in the future, before completion of the institution?s admission cycle. For an explanation of what to do if you are placed on the wait list of a preferred school, see Applications FAQs.