When Should Students Consider Applying Early Action/Early Decision?

What are the types of application deadlines? 

During the college admissions process, students have a choice of when to send in their applications. There are three main types of deadlines for them to choose from: Regular, Early Action, Early Decision, and Rolling. The main difference is the timing and due date of each. Early Action and Early Decision are early in the year, whereas Regular and Rolling decisions are later in the year. There are finer details, but that is the general idea. The material within the application is the same, the date of submission just changes. 

Which type of application a student chooses depends on their needs as a student, personal preferences, and other factors. For example, if a student is waiting on financial aid or a scholarship, they may have to apply to a later deadline. It is also possible that a student does not develop a strong preference for any school and thus applies to the later deadlines for all the colleges on their list. 

Before picking a deadline, students should evaluate their list of colleges and decide which school to apply to in which of the following ways: 

 

1. Regular Decision is the most common type of application. It is the basic application that indicates no preference and does not bind the student to the institution they are applying to. Acceptance can be declined. Student may apply “Regular” to as many schools as they choose and then pick one to attend. Due dates for Regular Decision applications are typically in early January, usually the 1st or the 15th.

2. Rolling Decision means that the school has no formal application window and accepts applications as they are sent. Typically, they notify students as soon as a decision is made without waiting for a specified decision date. Students that choose to apply Rolling should not use this as an opportunity to delay submitting application materials and should still adhere to an admissions calendar, even one of their own making. 

 

Students may find that as they research colleges one or two names rises to the top. This is not always the case for all high schoolers, but those who develop a first choice college have the option of applying early to that school. In this case, they may want to consider applying Early Decision or Early Action. 

3. Early Action applications are one of the ways students can indicate preference. The deadline is earlier than that of Regular Decision and by choosing it a student is saying: I know already that I want to apply to this school. They are non-binding applications, meaning a student does not have to attend that college if they are accepted. The deadline is typically November 1st. Decisions are sent out in December or January. 

4. Early Decision is the most definitive of the admissions deadlines. Early Decision applications are binding, meaning a student intends to attend that school should they be accepted. They may not submit other applications, early or regular, upon acceptance. This is their one choice. Deadlines are often in November and notification goes out in December. 

5. Early Decision II applicants apply during a later window (typically for January 1) and not for one of the fall deadlines. Their acceptance is binding. The only difference to Early Decision is the timing. 

6. Early Action Single / Restrictive Early Action applicants submit their application around November and are given a decision close to December. Similarly to Early Decision, applicants apply to only one school; however, their admittance is non-binding. They can apply to other schools during the regular decision window, just not schools early. 

Students should carefully consider whether they want to apply early action/decision. There are advantages to submitting their materials early, namely to alleviate stress and show they’re serious about a particular school.

 

Why might a student apply early? 

College counselors, admissions officers, and others in the industry refer to “knowing” when a school is right. High schoolers may scoff at this je ne sais quoi approach to the next four years of their life, but there is an intangible something about the right school. It may be the sports teams, the bucolic setting, or the way the quad looks after the rain. One or a million factors that click and mean: this is it. The school. My school. It sounds corny, but when you know, you know and some students know. Early Action and Early Decision allow those applicants to express that certainty. 

Admissions committees want to know when you’re serious about a school. Applying early may be the leg up an application needs to stand out from the others. Of course, the application pool is still competitive, but the content is different. Regular Decision applications maybe want to attend whereas with Early applicants there is less of a maybe.

For students that have a dream school in mind, they won't have to waste half of senior year waiting to hear back. Students know sooner in the school year whether they were accepted into their Early Action schools. This doesn’t mean they should slack off for Regular Decision applications, but it is a brief reprieve in a busy two years. If a student is rejected or deferred, there is also still the possibility to apply again for the Regular deadline. 

Certain populations of applicants will benefit specifically from applying early. This applies to athletes going through recruitment, legacies, and other students. Consider your student’s application in this context in deciding whether or not to apply early. Schedule a quick call with us to determine whether this applies to your student.

 

Does applying early improve my chances? 

Getting into a selective college is hard no matter when you apply. There are thousands of other applicants to compete with for a limited number of spots. In choosing an application deadline, students should consider their chances of getting in given the applicant pool at that time.  

Depending on the school, the odds of getting accepted significantly improve if a student applies early. Here are the college acceptance rates for Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision rounds at schools in the US. Depending on the school, early round acceptance rates are double or even triple regular decision rounds. Applicants should research their list of schools, ideally using a system like Naviance, to weigh their chances against those from previous years. Keep in mind that most motivated applicants apply during these early periods and thus the applicant pool is conversely competitive.  

It's easy to forget amidst all the steep competition that colleges actually want to admit students as soon as possible. In simple terms, early admittances improve a school’s yield numbers. This can change their ranking, their reputation, retention rates, and all sorts of things. Early applicants give both the college and the student the security of knowing who’s going where in the fall. 

Early Decision II is one of the ways schools are able to secure guaranteed admittances and boost those numbers. It also gives students a second chance to lock down a spot somewhere without waiting for Regular Decision. Particularly if a student is rejected/waitlisted from an Early Action/Early Decision school, they can apply ED II. 

 

Why should a student not apply early? 

It is also possible that a student has no preference and shouldn’t feel pressured to have a Dream School in mind by November 1st. While it may be a relief to get in to a school while others are still polishing off their applications, students shouldn’t apply early just for the security and peace of mind. Early Action is meant to give students with preference a chance to express that preference. Don’t stress out trying to not stress out. Regular Decision is not the lesser decision, it is just another option. 

Early Decision was similarly created to allow students to secure admittance to a school they know they want to attend. If a student does not know for sure that they want to attend a college, they should not apply Early Decision. The application is binding. If a student changes their mind and decides on another school, there are ways out of Early Decision. They will not be forced to attend, but there will be consequences. What those are exactly depends on the school. A school may release a student from an Early Decision contract for certain factors, like financial or medical changes.

Still, students should avoid burning that bridge. Students jeopardize their admission to other schools in backing out of Early Decision applications without good reason. They may also endanger their chance to apply to that school in the future for graduate school. The decision to submit one (and only one) must be taken seriously. 

Later deadlines also allow students to improve on scores, better their application, and just generally spend a bit more time with the decision process. Whether a student chooses to apply to a binding, non-binding, early, or regular deadline, that decision should allow them to submit their strongest application, whatever that may be. 

Similarly to much of the college admissions process, there is no “right” or “correct” time to submit applications. Deadlines should function to help students during this time, not hinder them or cause additional stress. If an applicant feels assured and prepared for an Early application, submitting one can be a key strategic move. It is up to each student to decide how to best present themselves to colleges. 

 

If you are interested in speaking with one of our Advisors about whether an Early Decision or Early Action application is right for your student, you can schedule a free consultation here.

 

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For additional information and insights, check out our blog: 

2019 College Acceptance Rates: Early Decision/Action vs. Regular Decision

Crafting a cohesive college application

5 Simple Tips to Writing a Great College Application Essay

How to choose colleges to apply to

5 Ways Parents Can Better Support Their Children During the College Admissions Process