Early Decision and Early Action: A guide for aspiring college students

Early Action is a non-binding application process that allows you to apply early to colleges without making a commitment to attend if admitted.

Deadline

The most common EA deadlines are November 1st and November 15th. EA decisions are often released a couple weeks after ED results, between mid-December and late-January, but can vary by school and year.

Flexibility

EA offers more flexibility compared to ED, as you are not required to commit to the college if accepted. 

Multiple applications

You can apply to multiple colleges through Early Action. 

Admissions rates

The EA round usually has higher acceptance rates than Regular Decision, although a little lower than ED. Knowing your results early can also help you strategically plan your college applications for the Regular round. 

 A few universities offer both Early Decision and Early Action options, like UChicago and University of Southern California.

A variation of Early Action is Single-Choice Early Action (also known as Restrictive Early Action or REA). 

Under SCEA, you are not bound to attend if accepted, but you may not apply early to any other private university or college (although you may apply to public institutions and schools overseas). 

Deadline

The deadline for SCEA is November 1st, with results coming out around mid-December.

Flexible commitment

You are not allowed to apply to any other EA or ED schools, however, you can reject the offer of admission.

Only a few highly selective universities offer Single-Choice Early Action, including Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Georgetown, Caltech, Stanford and University of Notre Dame.

Here are some factors to consider when deciding between Early Decision and Early Action:

Certainty

If you are absolutely certain about your first-choice school and are committed to attending if accepted, ED will be a great way to showcase definitive commitment and potentially increase your chance of getting accepted. If you’re still exploring your options and would like more time to weigh your choices, EA allows you to keep your options open while still receiving an early result.

Financial considerations

Because of the binding commitment, ED limits you from exploring any other financial aid packages from other schools. If financial aid is a major factor in your decision, ED might be riskier, unless the school is known for offering generous, predictable aid packages.

Application readiness

Both ED and EA deadlines are typically earlier than Regular Decision deadlines so you have to ensure that your application materials (test scores, essays, recommendation letters) are strong and ready early in the senior year. If you feel your academic record and recommendation letters could benefit from additional time until the RD cycle, EA might be a better option since it doesn’t lock you into a single school.

Admission chances

Research whether your prospective colleges have significantly higher acceptance rates for ED applicants. If so, and if the college is your top choice, applying ED might increase your chances of admission.

Understanding Early Decision and Early Action is crucial for making strategic decisions in your college application process. Assess your level of commitment, financial considerations, application readiness, and admission chances to decide which option is the best fit for your goals. 

Acceptance

ED: If you’re accepted through ED, remember that you’re generally required to commit to that school. Review any conditions attached to your acceptance (such as final grades or required documentation) and carefully read the enrollment agreement.

EA: If accepted through EA, you’ve secured a spot early but remain free to compare offers from other schools. Even if you’re excited about the acceptance, it’s wise to continue reviewing your options until you have received all responses from Regular Decision. You have until the national reply date on May 1st to make your final decision.

Deferral/ Waitlist

A deferral means your application is moved to the Regular Decision pool, and you’ll receive an update later. If deferred or waitlisted, you no longer have the binding commitment to the school’s offer even if you are accepted later in RD.

Find out what to do if you are deferred from Early Round.

If waitlisted, you might be offered a spot if spaces open up later. In both cases, confirm that you understand any instructions or deadlines provided by the institution.

Rejection