Early Action vs. Early Decision: College Application Deadlines
When applying for colleges, there are specific college application deadlines that must be met! There are different types of application decisions based on the time of year in which you submit your application.
The key to knowing when to click “Submit” is knowing the type of application you will be submitting based on the deadlines that the school you’re applying to provides. So, what are the different types of college application deadlines? How do you manage Early Action vs. Early Decision deadlines? What other options are there?
To clear things up, we’re sharing some tips that’ll help make your last year of high school a bit easier!
The Four Types of College Application Deadlines
You may think that you have done your research and found two deadlines to apply. Simple, right? It depends.
Overall, there are four main decisions that a college can make based on your application time:
Early Decision (binding)
Early Action (non-binding)
Regular Decision
Rolling Admission
So, what’s the difference? Let’s review them together!
Early Decision
An early decision deadline means that you will receive an answer from admissions way earlier than compared to a regular decision. However, applying for an early decision means that you commit to attend that college if admitted. An early decision is binding a student to the college.
This ‘commitment’ signifies that you, if chosen, will withdraw you from other colleges! Quite a few times, this only means that you may not have viewed the financial aid packages that will be available until your admission.
Note that most schools require the applicant, a parent/guardian, and a High School counselor to sign an early decision agreement with the plan’s conditions.
Keep in mind that early decision applications are due in late October / early November and decision notifications occur in mid-December!
Tip: The chances of acceptance are higher before the priority deadline.
Pros
Shorter waiting period between submission and decision
The college decision angst ends sooner
Potential to save the time and money associated with submitting multiple applications
Often higher admission rates for ED applicants
Some colleges take more than 50% of the incoming class from the ED pool (including UChicago)
Cons
It binds the student to the college
The student doesn’t have the chance to compare financial aid between colleges
The student has to attend the college before knowing the financial aid they will be given
Application needs to be submitted earlier
Early Action
An early action, similar to an early decision, means that you will receive an answer from the college you are applying to earlier than the usual time frame of other colleges.
As students, we urge you to keep in mind the differences between the two. With early decision, you commit to the college. During early action you don’t have to commit to a sole college until the final decision day!
This means that an early action, unlike an early decision, is not binding you! This provides the liberty of more time to determine which college is the best fit for you and what your next steps will be.
However, remember that some colleges apply a restrictive early action (ex: Harvard, Stanford, Georgetown, Princeton, Yale). Students can only apply to one school through early action, and all other colleges must be applied to through Regular Decision or EDII!
Tip: The chances of acceptance are higher before the priority deadline.
Pros
Applicants who apply earlier will be notified earlier of admission
The college decision angst ends sooner
Students receive the acceptance letter earlier and have time to decide if they want to attend (decision deadline May 1)
Shorter waiting period between submission and decision
Non-binding
Cons
Application needs to be submitted earlier
Some universities restrict the early action, allowing a student to use it only once throughout the process
Students will not have benefit of senior year fall semester grades and extracurriculars to boost their applications
Regular Decision
A regular decision happens when you have applied to a university during the general application dates for most colleges. Although the general application dates vary for each place you’re applying, the submission deadlines usually fall between January 1 to January 15.
But make sure you make a note of your preferred colleges’ deadlines! In the regular decision, you are not bound to a college but you will not receive the extra time to think about your next steps that you would receive in an early decision or action.
Furthermore, although a regular decision is not binding and you can apply to as many colleges time and resources allow, remember that the Common App caps at 20 schools!
Tip: Deadline for applications are January and admission offers arrive between March-April.
Pros
More time to prepare and submit applications
Additional time to take/re-take SATs / ACTs if needed
Additional semester of grades and extracurriculars to boost applications
Additional time to write/perfect essays
Ability to apply to as many schools as desired with no binding agreements
Ability to compare financial aid packages between schools
Cons
Applicants must wait longer for an application decision (usually some time in March)
More competition / often lower acceptance rates than early decision
Rolling Admission
If a student chooses rolling admission, that means that students may submit their applications any time within a large window (about 6 months). With rolling admission, applicants are reviewed as applications are received. Students may be notified of acceptance as the university reviews applications, versus on a single decision date like in regular decision.
Rolling admissions is non-binding and students may apply to as many schools as their time and resources allow. However, the policy may vary from school to school. Some schools may have a published “end date”, while others may simply close the admissions window when all spots are filled. In other cases, some schools have priority and non-priority cycles.
Tip: The chances of acceptance are higher before the priority deadline.
Pros:
Applicants who apply earlier will be notified earlier of admissions decision
Non-binding
Cons:
Applicants should apply early in the admissions cycle given available seats will be filled as time goes on
Applicants who may have been been accepted early in the admissions cycle may not have an available seat if they wait too long to apply
Some rolling admissions may have priority deadlines for students to be considered for scholarships, housing, or financial aid
Schools may also use first-come, first-serve methods for housing and financial aid, favoring early applicants
Final thoughts on College Application Deadlines
Now that you’ve learned the difference between Early Action vs. Early Decision—as well as the two other types of college application deadlines—you’re ready to decide which type will work best for you!
All in all, make sure that whatever decision you choose to follow through with is the right one for you! Need more help with college applications or the college process as a whole? Meet with one of our college counselors to ask all of the questions you have!
Good luck! 🎉