Application process

The admissions process usually begins in the autumn in the beginning of the student's last year of high school. In applying, students must apply separately to each school they wish to attend. Colleges and universities usually have their own application forms, with the significant exception of institutions that use the Common Application. There is no limit to the number of colleges or universities to which a student may apply, unless the student is applying under early decision programs or some early action programs. The majority of undergraduate colleges and universities admit students to an entire college, and not to a particular department or major, unlike the practice in many European countries and graduate admissions. (However, there are some programs, such as architecture or engineering, which are often admitted off of a separate list due to curriculum demands.) Decision letters (except in early action and early decision) are usually mailed to applicants in the spring. Students may be accepted to the institution, rejected outright, or wait-listed. Wait-listed students may be later admitted if another student who was admitted decides not to attend the college or university.

Admitted students may also be awarded financial aid. There are two kinds of financial aid: need-based aid, awarded entirely on the financial specifics of the student's family, and merit-based aid, given to students judged to show exceptional academic promise.

Depending on the size and values of the school, admissions criteria can vary from being almost entirely formulaic to involving significant subjective judgment regarding the student's "fit" for the institution. Criteria include standardized test scores (generally ACT and/or SAT), class rank, grades (as shown in the high school transcript), degree of extracurricular involvement, and leadership potential. Many colleges also rely on personal essay(s) written by the applicant and letters of recommendation written by the applicant's teachers and guidance counselor. Institutions place different weight on these criteria: for example, some schools do not require or even accept the SATs for admission.

The Common Data Set Initiative, a collaboration between colleges/universities and commercial publishers, does a voluntary annual survey of all colleges and universities, requesting information in a common format. This data is then complied and used in a variety of publications from magazine/books to websites on various subjects from basic college information to admission requirements. While the complied list of data is not available for download, many schools publish their responses on their own website. Sections on the survey include information, provided by the school itself, on the admission process, admission requirements (including the importance of GPA, class rank, SAT/ACT scores, extra curricular activities, etc. on their particular admission process), fees, financial aid, class size, and information on faculty.

Early Decision, early action, and rolling admission
Many schools have implemented a system through which students can apply at a time other than the most common deadline (January 1 of the senior year) to lighten the load on students and admissions officers.

    * The Early Decision program permits students to apply a few months early (usually November 1 or November 15). These students are promising to attend the school if offered admission in mid-December. This benefits schools because they can increase their yield (the number of accepted students that choose to attend) and helps students as they need only submit one application if they get into their top choice. The one situation under which a student may back out of the binding agreement of Early Decision if accepted is if the financial aid offered is not enough.

    * The Early Action program is similar to Early Decision in that students apply early and find out the results early, but it differs in that they are not bound to the school if accepted.
          o There are two subprograms within Early Action: single- and multi-choice early action. Single-choice early action schools only permit students to apply early to one school while multi-choice early action schools let students to apply to many schools. Currently, the only four users of the Single-choice early action process are Stanford University, Yale University, Boston College, and Tulane University.

    * Rolling Admission is a program used by many schools with a large number of applicants. It allows prospective students to apply at any time between the fall and spring and to receive their result a few weeks later. This releases stress on the students because they do not have to apply at the same time to all of their schools, but is often criticized for favoring the earlier applicants. It is generally recommended that students apply as soon as possible to their rolling admissions schools.

Need-blind, need-Aware admission and guaranteeing to meet full need

In need-blind admission, applicants are evaluated without regard to their ability to pay. However, need-blind admission does not necessarily mean that the financial need of an admitted student will be met. Only a handful of schools in the U.S. guarantee to meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need of all admitted students. All students applying for financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many colleges and universities, particularly those who provide financial assistance beyond federal and state aid from their budgets or endowments, require additional forms from applicants. International students have additional forms to complete before they can enroll, including a statement of finances required by the U.S. government.