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Overview
Comparing EA, ED, and RD
Tips & Strategies
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Two crucial steps in your college journey are figuring out which schools to apply to and carefully tracking the application timelines for those schools. While most students are guided by Regular Decision application timelines, students (and their guardians) may overlook that many schools offer two or three alternative application timelines: Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision.
If you’re a student applying to highly selective schools, you’ll definitely want to research your options and plan ahead, in order to be able to take advantage of your best options. Keep reading and we’ll explain the difference between Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision to help you take advantage of the most strategic opportunities for your circumstances.
The college application process is an exciting, albeit potentially overwhelming, journey. Application timelines and deadlines make the process particularly stressful for some students.
According to Tim Renick, Senior Vice President for Student Success at George State University, and Lindsay Page, Associate Professor for the University of Pittsburgh School of Education, “admissions lingo” in itself gets so complicated it can hinder many students’ efforts during crucial stages of their college journey.
So we’re glad you’re here to learn more about one area of admissions that may be a bit more complicated than you realized — early vs. regular application timelines and policies…
If you’re not familiar with application options, there are three different types of application timelines and policies used by hundreds of colleges and universities: Early Action (EA), Early Decision (ED), and Regular Decision (RD).
In some circumstances, Early Action and/or Early Decision options may significantly boost your chances for success in a very competitive admissions landscape. Understanding the different options is crucial for pinpointing your own best strategies and options as an applicant, especially if you’re a student applying to an Ivy League or similar highly competitive schools.
But, it’s important you know all the facts. For example, Early Decision options — if you get accepted to the school — typically require you to forgo other schools’ offers which may likewise impact your financial aid options.
Every year many students look ahead to the college application process with limited awareness of alternative application options. As a result, these students may be overlooking options or strategies that could elevate their chances of getting into the schools they’re most excited about.
In fact, hundreds of colleges offer early application options — including many of the best colleges in the US today.
Among more competitive schools in particular, many offer both Early Decision and Early Action options, making it crucial to have a full understanding of the application terrain well before deadlines approach.
For example, choosing one option might dramatically boost your odds for success at your top-choice school, while choosing another path may be a better strategy if you’re casting a wider admissions net.
Now let’s look at each of the three options and their unique characteristics in closer detail and explain crucial differences you need to know about.
Advice From a Former Admissions Officer: 'Start Early'
Early Action (EA) is a college application process offering applicants the option to apply ahead of the deadline for Regular Decision applicants. You need to apply earlier, but typically it’s an opportunity to receive an admission decision sooner, without any commitment to attend the school if you’re accepted.
Imagine you're confident about your current academic and extracurricular record and have identified a few colleges you're keen on. If you’re all ready to apply early, maybe you should. Applying EA means you’re likely to know the school’s decision before the year ends, and with no commitments for accepting the offer. This means you won’t have to wait as long — typically you’ll get notified of admissions decisions between mid-December and mid-January — instead of mid or late spring.
Early Decision (ED) typically involves agreeing to an admissions commitment. By choosing ED, you can get an edge for admissions. But in return you’re required to promise you’ll attend the school. This means declining all other school offers — and the respective financial assistance offers — if you do get admitted as an ED applicant.
If you've dreamt of one college for years and are certain it's the perfect fit for you, there’s little downside to the commitment you’re making in return for an early decision. And, depending on the school, you might also get the benefit of increasing your chances for acceptance by applying in this early round.
Regular Decision is the traditional college application route, typically with an application deadline in the late winter or early spring and a decision letter arriving in mid to late spring.
If you're looking to cast a wide net, want flexibility to compare various college admissions offers or financial assistance offers, or feel you need the first semester of senior year to enhance your application, RD is the way to go.
APPLICATION TYPE | DEADLINES | BINDING? | NOTIFICATION TIMELINES |
---|---|---|---|
EA | EARLY (November 1st for many schools) | NO | EARLY (Mid-December to Mid-February) |
ED | EARLY (November 1st for many schools) | YES | EARLY (Mid-December to Mid-February) |
RD | REGULAR (Typically Mid-December to Mid-January) | NO | LATER (Mid-March to Mid-April) |
Each student's journey is unique. Consider your academic trajectory, emotional preparedness, and college aspirations when choosing among EA, ED, and RD.
If you’re applying to highly competitive schools, find out which ones offer EA or ED options and if they post any information about different acceptance rates for early vs. regular admission applicants.
For top schools where EA or ED applicants have better odds of admissions, even slightly better, it could definitely be a smart move to apply as an EA or ED applicant.
Other considerations could be your readiness as an applicant or the time you need to prepare to start college.
Admissions experts with the National Association for College Admission Counseling encourage students who need more time to prepare — to improve some grades or finish researching school options — to consider RD as the best option.
In other words, if you don’t have exceptional clarity about your top-choice schools as early application deadlines approach, or just need more time to be able to put forward the best applications possible, EA and ED probably don’t make sense.
If leaving home for college involves extensive planning and preparation, or if you’re an international student and need time to obtain visas or complete other travel requirements, Early Application and Early Decision are the two options that can give you the clarity you need sooner, benefiting you with a longer runway to get ready for your next steps.
If you’re a student with lots of clarity about the school you want to attend, you’re able to present a solid application before the early deadline, and you’re targeting a very competitive school, EA/ED options may be a good strategy.
You may be able to inform your decision making further by finding out if your target school releases data showing the statistical differences in acceptance rates for EA/ED vs RD applicants.
Ultimately, for many highly competitive schools, EA/ED options are worth strong consideration since they often come with a significant admissions edge. As an EA/ED applicant you’ll likely be competing against fewer peers. You’ll also be demonstrating enthusiasm for the chosen school.
For the ED option, though, be sure to weigh these factors against the binding commitment you’re agreeing to, not to mention the additional stress of meeting the early deadline.
Informed decision making and submitting strong applications are both crucial to a positive application experience.
Assessing your readiness, college preferences, the admissions policies of your choice schools, and financial needs are crucial to making a realistic plan and optimal strategy for your circumstances.
Regardless of the application status or timeline, submitting a compelling and thoroughly prepared application is strongly recommended and crucial if you’re aiming to get offers from leading schools. Your application should spotlight your strengths and unique personal interests and motivations, and present the best possible applicant profile in terms of academics, test scores, letters of recommendation, and extracurriculars.
For admissions to highly selective colleges you’ll want to start preparing early, have a well-thought-out plan that positions you to be a strong applicant at your top-choice or “reach” schools, in addition to acing the application process.
1. Research preferred colleges.
2. Choose the best application strategy.
3. Draft, review, and finalize application components.
4. Seek financial aid insights.
5. Submit and await your positive results!
Common pitfalls for many students include:
Here are some straightforward tips for avoiding common mistakes — ensuring you’re optimizing your chances for admission.
If you’re feeling a little bit intimidated by how much planning it can take just to choose the right application timelines, let alone ace your college applications, please know you’re not alone! Here are some tips from people with years of experience counseling students seeking help with their college journeys.
Jim Jump, a veteran college counselor, says ED commitments shouldn’t be taken lightly, but ED may be a good strategy if it presents a pathway to your dream school:
…As a counselor I have always advised students not to consider early decision unless they are certain they want to attend the college or university in question. Today that’s not as simple a proposition as it once was. The number of institutions that admit huge percentages of their class through early decision mean a student’s chances of being admitted in regular decision are substantially reduced. For students aspiring to attend a highly selective university, the consequence of applying early to one place may be to take other places off the table.
Sean Nyhan, with the National Association of College Admission Counselors, recommends ED as a pathway that, in most cases, is best reserved for students with near crystal clear clarity about the school they want to attend:
For most students picking the best application timelines for their own college journey typically “requires a lot of research, help from the experts, and a deep meditation on [their] expectations for higher education.”
The college application process is a marathon, not a sprint. By understanding EA, ED, and RD, you can craft a strategy that aligns with your goals. With this in mind, it’s important to carefully consider the binding commitments that are typically a feature of Early Decision applications, including the decision to forgo admissions and financial aid offers from other schools.
Regular Decision policies allow you more time to prepare and submit applications and more flexibility, but you’ll also have to wait longer to get clarity. As you embark on this journey, you’ll need to consider all the schools you’re applying to — such as your reach schools, target schools, and safety schools — and get up to speed on their application options to chart a strategy that fits your goals and circumstances.
What Makes Crimson Different
Still have questions or concerns about your decision making or next steps? Book a free consultation with a Crimson counselor today. Together, we can explore your options, school choices, application strategies.
When you’re connected to Crimson’s network of technology tools, educational resources, and expert advisors, mentors, and tutors you’ll see why Crimson students often beat the odds when it comes to winning admissions to leading colleges and universities in the US and around the world.