The college application process has no shortage of stress, from actually assembling a college list right down to writing supplemental essays. Amidst this, there's also the decision of when to apply, and how this choice could impact your admittance.
The first step to approaching this problem is reviewing the difference between early decision (ED), early action (EA), and regular decision (RD) to pick which one works best for your situation.
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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)EA vs. ED: What's the Difference?
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Early action is a non-binding way of applying early, meaning you can apply EA to multiple schools. Deadlines are typically at the start of November, with results coming out between mid-December to the end of January. Since it's both early and non-binding, students have more time to weigh their options before graduation.
They can consider factors such as a school's location, or the financial aid plan offered. From here, they can pick what works best for them.
Early decision is a binding form of application (though not legally binding) and has a slightly higher acceptance rate (compared to early action or regular decision), although this difference is typically marginal.
Since early decision is binding, you're expected to withdraw applications from all other schools if you're accepted. Technically, you can decline an early decision acceptance, but only for serious reasons such as a family emergency or insufficient funds.
Other, more trivial reasons (like changing your mind), can potentially hurt your chances of getting into other schools due to your name being flagged among other admissions offices. Generally, if you have a valid reason for declining an early decision offer, you’ll need to involve your school’s counselor and thoroughly explain your situation.
Given the nature of early decision, it’s best to reserve it for a dream school, one you’re positive you would attend if admitted.
In my case, EA was the most attractive option for my applications. I started working in August (finalizing my list of schools, retaking the SAT, writing my personal statement, etc.) and began applying in October. By December, I was done and receiving results from the schools I applied to with early action. That being said, many of the schools I applied to only had ED or RD, so a majority of my applications were through regular decision.
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Regular Decision
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Regular decision typically runs until early January, with results typically out in late March to the start of April. Since its deadline is past EA and ED, this gives students more time to strengthen their application. For example, if one wants to retake the SAT and improve their score, they'd have four opportunities to retake it between August and December, which could then be used on their application.
This extra time makes regular decision a popular approach, although some students may not enjoy having to wait until Spring for results to be released.
Final Thoughts
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When it comes to college applications, there’s no ‘one size fits all.’ Individual circumstances come into play when deciding when to apply. In general, early decision should be reserved for a dream school, early action lets you apply early with no strings attached, and regular decision gives you more time to work on your application.
The college application process is understandably nerve-racking, but when it comes to deciding when to apply, it doesn’t have to be. Review your options and weigh the pros and cons of each when deciding when to apply, and the process will be a lot simpler.
