Early Action (The One That’s Less Commitment)

Early Action is pretty much just what it sounds like. When you apply to a school and hit their Early Action deadline, you’re applying before all the Regular Decision kids. While your friends are still getting their senior portraits done and haven’t touched a college application, you’ve been busy filling them out, gathering letters of recommendation, and sending your standardized test scores (if need be).

Early Action has a couple of benefits that you might want to consider. The most obvious one is that you’re applying early, so college admissions officers will be reviewing your application before everyone else who is doing Regular Decision. You’ll have your admissions decision from them before everyone else has even finished filling out their own applications!

Another plus is that you have a better chance of getting accepted if you decide to apply Early Action. The data shows that those who apply Early Action generally have a better chance of acceptance. Now, that isn’t the same thing as guaranteeing an acceptance if you apply Early Action. You still have to consider the usual admissions standards of whatever school you’re applying to. For example, if your test scores and grades are significantly lower than the previous year’s average applicant, applying Early Action might not make that much of a difference. To see how much of an effect Early Action will have on your admission decision, you’ll have to individually research the institution that you’re applying to. For some schools, it can increase your chances of acceptance by a lot while it only slightly increases your chances for others.

Last but not least, Early Action is great because it’s non-binding. Let’s say you applied Early Action to University of College and got in. Yay! This means that you know you got in super early, and you don’t need to stress about that college’s decision anymore. It does not mean that you have to go there. You still have the choice of whether or not you want to attend.  

Early Decision (The One That’s More Commitment)

Much like Early Action, Early Decision means you are applying early to that college. You have to do your research on what colleges you want to apply to and have all your application materials together way before your peers do. While it’s potentially more stress up front, you once again get your admissions decision earlier, increase your chances of getting into the university, and don’t have to suffer through the waiting for an admissions decision when everyone else does

However, Early Decision is binding. You can only apply to one school who offers Early Decision, and if you happen to get into that school, you have to go there. From the moment you submit your application via Early Decision, you are pretty much saying, “I’m ready to go to this institution. There’s no place I’d rather be.”

This has its pros and cons, just like Early Action. For one, a school knows for certain that you are committed if you’re applying Early Decision. When college admissions officers see an Early Decision applicant, it tells them that you’re all in. This can significantly increase your chances of being admitted. Thus, if your dream school offers Early Decision, it’s probably in your best interest to take advantage of it.

Other benefits are similar to those of Early Action. You get the college admissions process out of the way early, before all the Regular Decision kids have started asking your teachers for letters of recommendation. You take the pressure off your future self by getting your admissions decision early. Even if you don’t get into the school you applied to Early Decision, the advantage is that now you have more time to explore other options and possibly apply to more Regular Decision schools.

Of course, the biggest con is that you’re 100% committed to the school from the second you submit your application. You can’t get your acceptance and say, “Actually, I don’t think this is the school for me. I want to look at other options.”

Apart from that kind of pressure, parents of low-income families also aren’t always fond of Early Decision because they don’t have time to compare financial aid packages before their kid has to commit to the school. If this is your situation, it’s worth talking to financial aid officers from a prospective Early Decision school and comparing their answers to those of other schools.   

To Sum Things Up

In the end, both Early Action and Early Decision are good options if you’ve thoroughly researched colleges, have a consistent academic record, and want to get your admissions decisions as early as possible.

Again, both options will improve your chances of getting into that school. Sure, you’ll have to get your applications in way before everyone else, but you’ll also probably get your admissions decision by mid-December. You’ll have more time to plan for the school you know you’re going to attend or more time to explore other options if you didn’t get in. 

Either way, Early Action and Early Decision could be a great opportunity for you!