4 answers
Aayushya
Student
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would applying early action be helpful? Or should i just apply regular decision?
#college #admissions #applying
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4 answers
Sharyn Madison
Program Manager
9
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Chicago, Illinois
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Sharyn’s Answer
Early action is helpful as statistically more students are accepted EA then Regular. Beware Early Decision as it is a binding decision. EA is also helpful because you will be notified sooner if you have been accepted or denied and can move on from there.
Vic Wong
Management Consulting
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Liverpool, New York
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Vic’s Answer
Early action is not binding, early decision is.
Great point to emphasize to any student!
Meighan Middleton
Rebecca Cohen
Intern
5
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Greenlawn, New York
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Rebecca’s Answer
Personally, I applied to all of my schools early action (if they had the option, if not I just submitted my application at the time at the earliest point I could). I believe that there is no down fall of submitting your college applications in early, or doing EA as then you'll have that weight off your chance and a slightly higher likelihood of being accepted as they didn't receive as many applications at that point to choose from.
As an Educational Consultant, I would recommend this course of action as well to any student!
Meighan Middleton
Meighan Middleton
Former College Advisor and Admissions Professional/Surface Warfare Officer
38
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Newport, Rhode Island
Updated
Meighan’s Answer
This is still an excellent question that I think bears revisiting in the time of COVID-19. COVID-19 is impacting the college admissions process in unanticipated ways.
First, I like to review the difference between Early Action vs Early Decision as understanding the differences between these two paths to admission is critical. Early Action is most commonly a form of early application and is non binding (though there are a few types that have restrictive early action policies). Early Decision is binding. By applying Early Decision, you as the student are essentially telling the college or university that if accepted, you will withdraw your application from all other schools, and attend your Early Decision choice. Because of this, students often use Early Decision for their dream school or a 'reach' school.
You may be wondering why would any student apply Early Decision if it is binding? The answer lies in the fact that during most admissions cycles, applying Early Decision gives you a slightly higher chance acceptance rate than waiting to the regular admissions cycle. This presents a huge advantage for you the student, especially at highly competitive schools.
During this year, because of the pandemic, Early Decision is becoming more popular. This is driven by two primary factors. The first is that as enrollment rates are falling at most schools and many freshmen are deferring their admission to the next school year in the hopes of a more "normal" college experience following vaccine rollout. Because of this, schools want to ensure they are filling their freshmen classes, and are accepting students at a higher rate than previous Early Decision/Early Action cycles. Students are also driving this shift. More students are applying Early Decision and Early Action to try to take advantage of these policies, while others seem to be delaying their applications altogether. This is the second driving factor in the rise of popularity of Early Decision and Early Action.
So what does this mean to you? Essentially, your decision is still the same. If you have a dream school you are sure is your top choice, applying Early Decision is still the best chance at admission. If you have a few top choices you are split between, Early Action is your best bet (just verify you understand your desired school's specific Early Action policy). You could also choose a combination, applying Early Decision to your top school, and Early Action to your other choices.
There is another unsung benefit of applying Early Action or Early Decision is being done with your applications EARLY. This alleviates a huge amount of stress and lets you enjoy your last year of high school.
Learn more about Early Action vs Early Decision: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/what-to-know-about-early-action-early-decision-in-college-admissions
Learn more about admissions trends this year: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/29/covid-is-making-it-harder-to-get-into-a-top-college.html
Learn more about why some students are delaying their college applications this year (and how this helps you): https://insights.collegeconfidential.com/covid-impact-on-college-applications
Read one family's account of why they choose to apply Early Decision: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/education/2020/10/13/early-college-decision-covid-era-how-one-nj-family-played-odds/5903953002/
First, I like to review the difference between Early Action vs Early Decision as understanding the differences between these two paths to admission is critical. Early Action is most commonly a form of early application and is non binding (though there are a few types that have restrictive early action policies). Early Decision is binding. By applying Early Decision, you as the student are essentially telling the college or university that if accepted, you will withdraw your application from all other schools, and attend your Early Decision choice. Because of this, students often use Early Decision for their dream school or a 'reach' school.
You may be wondering why would any student apply Early Decision if it is binding? The answer lies in the fact that during most admissions cycles, applying Early Decision gives you a slightly higher chance acceptance rate than waiting to the regular admissions cycle. This presents a huge advantage for you the student, especially at highly competitive schools.
During this year, because of the pandemic, Early Decision is becoming more popular. This is driven by two primary factors. The first is that as enrollment rates are falling at most schools and many freshmen are deferring their admission to the next school year in the hopes of a more "normal" college experience following vaccine rollout. Because of this, schools want to ensure they are filling their freshmen classes, and are accepting students at a higher rate than previous Early Decision/Early Action cycles. Students are also driving this shift. More students are applying Early Decision and Early Action to try to take advantage of these policies, while others seem to be delaying their applications altogether. This is the second driving factor in the rise of popularity of Early Decision and Early Action.
So what does this mean to you? Essentially, your decision is still the same. If you have a dream school you are sure is your top choice, applying Early Decision is still the best chance at admission. If you have a few top choices you are split between, Early Action is your best bet (just verify you understand your desired school's specific Early Action policy). You could also choose a combination, applying Early Decision to your top school, and Early Action to your other choices.
There is another unsung benefit of applying Early Action or Early Decision is being done with your applications EARLY. This alleviates a huge amount of stress and lets you enjoy your last year of high school.
Meighan recommends the following next steps: