Early Decision or Early Action?
Sep 26, 2024
Many colleges have higher acceptance rates during the Early Decision and Early Action round. Do you plan to apply Early Decision or Early Action to a college?
Answering this question is challenging, because it involves understanding the implications of applying early. Early Decision is binding, and should only be done if you can commit to attend a college regardless of their financial aid offer.
Early Action, on the other hand, is not binding. The main advantage with Early Action is that you can relax for the rest of the school year, knowing that you have gotten in to at least one college. You are free to make your decision by May 1st after applying to other colleges through Regular Decision and comparing financial aid letters.
To make matters even more confusing, many colleges have developed further variations and restrictions: Early Decision I and Early Decision II rounds, Restrictive Early Action, and so forth. It’s important to learn about a college through in-depth research before deciding to apply there, especially if you’re thinking about Early Decision.
Carefully planned college visits are an important part of the final decision about whether or not to apply early to a college. At Ivy League Potential, we guide parents and students through this consideration so that they can make their decision knowing they have taken all variables into account.
